TOO MUCH, TOO LITTLE, OR DON’T OVERTHINK IT?

A few weeks ago my son Jimmy had a mate over for the day.  The boy had been to our home before and he knew the drill - no tablets, computers, ipods, wiis, xboxes or anything else along those lines.  And so he walked in the door and headed straight for the old organ.  Jimmy picked up the ukulele.  The two of them spent hours churning out their own brand of 2014 pop/rock.  Sweet and hilarious entertainment.  They also squeezed a car wash into the day, and while I walked the dog on the beach they built life-sized racing car in the sand.

In the past this little boy has gone so far as to say that a play date with Jimmy was the highlight of his holidays.

The thing is, we do have a tablet.  And an old laptop.  A very old dvd player.  My daughter Jessie has an ipod nano with music only on it.   I have a smart phone but that is, very specifically, mine.

Sometimes I worry.  Am I denying my Gen Z offspring, the first generation never to have experienced the world pre-internet, a basic right of passage?  What kind of psychological disaster am I going to cause by not purchasing minecraft?

Is my steadfast refusal to purchase such things more about my sanity?  How can I not take positive peer reviews for the kids into account?  Yet… my social media stream regularly features parents having child-related minecraft battles.  Parents of younger kids unsure about what is/isn’t an acceptable amount of screen time each day.  Steve Jobs seemed to have some firm ideas on the whole issue.

My approach - and just to be very clear, I’d never judge anyone else for their decisions because I don’t walk in their shoes – I don’t go there.  I don’t buy it so the kids can’t consume it.

During the winter sport season I was chatting with a friend and another mum, running through the crazy week ahead for Jessie.  Extra-curricular activities like the school play, interschool sports and an extension learning program.  From my point of view it was merely a remark on the fact that everything seemed to have culminated into the one week, but the other mum made a rapid-fire comment.  “Sounds like an overachieving child”.

WTF??? This is my child you’re talking about and it wasn’t my intent to brag!  But of course I went home and pondered her comment.  Do I push my kids too hard?  I think about the lack of electronic devices in the house and my conclusion is no, they’re not pushed too hard.  They’re not pushed at all.  I suspect they have more time on their hands than many kids because they’re not in front of a screen.

I reflected on the year my kids have had.  The new things they’ve learnt or experienced at home.  How to kick and mark a footy.  Monopoly and Yahtzee.  Poker, blackjack, and a raft of other card games.  How to build a card tower.  Every loom band design you can imagine (yes ok, hello internet).  Large and small art projects.  How to make soap, cook a meal.  Grow strawberries and herbs.  They’ve washes cars for many of the neighbours.  Built amazing sandcastles.  Danced, sung, played their instruments – and no, they don’t get lessons.  Bounced on the trampoline, mastered the hula hoop.  Spent hours riding bikes, scooters and skateboards.  Climbed trees and built cubby houses.  Fallen out of trees.  Seen snakes, bandicoots, turtles, so many different birds.  Learnt how to identify several plant species.  Made cards and presents for every family member and friend in existence.

Is that overachieving, or is that because they’re finding things to do?  Don’t’ get me wrong – these things happen in mini-crazes.  One week it’s card towers.  Then next Monopoly.  And so it goes.  I’m not really sure if this is overachieving, or rather being pushed by some kind of default.  And because they have this zest at home for finding new things to do, it seems to spill into their school life.

When Jessie was a small babe and I a much more naïve parent, I remember saying to someone of my mother’s generation “how can I be sure that my words and actions today aren’t going to be my f***-ups of tomorrow?”

My own conclusion has always been that I can’t be sure.  I can only do what I believe to be best, and best right now is to keep doing what we’re doing.  Besides, I can’t help but think that if Jimmy’s little mate is a critic to be listened to, then life in our house is ok.

Seniors and Pensioners won't be happy about this

WA Seniors Cost of Living Rebate to be halved; Country Age Pension Fuel Card value to increase It’s a bittersweet day for regional WA Seniors and Pensioners.

Premier Colin Barnett announced this morning (Tuesday 24 June) that from July 1 the WA Seniors Cost of Living Rebate will be reduced from $163.90 to $82 for singles and $245.90 to $123 for couples.

The change is a flow-on effect of a $25 million cut to concession funding by the Abbott Liberal government.

The Cost of Living Rebate is available to WA Seniors Card holders who work less than 25 hours per week. It is the largest payment cycle ever undertaken by the Western Australian government, with 288,000 applications processed for 2013.

The Cost of Living Rebate was introduced in 2009 and for many is considered a lifeline.

However it’s not all bad news for WA’s regional pensioners. It was also announced that from July 1, the Country Age Pension Fuel Card value will increase from $500 to $550.

The Country Age Pension Fuel Card is available to a person or couples in WA receiving a Centrelink Age Pension, Carer Payment, Disability Support Pension, Wife Pension or Widow B Pension or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs Service Pension, Social Security Age Pension or Income Support Supplement. It can be used in assisting to purchase fuel or taxi fares.

The Country Age Pension Fuel Card was also introduced in 2009. More than 45,000 pensioners have accessed the scheme each year.

Mental health illnesses on the rise in teens

One in five Australians aged 15-19 are likely to be experiencing a mental illness and less than half feel comfortable asking for help.

What can we do to make kids feel safe enough to talk?

According to ABC Radio's AM, the Youth Mental Health Report released today by Mission Australia and the Black Dog Institute has found that one in five Australians aged between 15 and 19 are likely to be experiencing mental illness.

The report comes as a result of 15,000 young people surveyed across Australia.  It also finds that more than 60% aren't comfortable in seeking professional help.

In an interview with ABC's Thomas Oriti, Professor Helen Christensen, director of the Black Dog Institute, sees this as a major problem.  "I don't think we know how to crack the problem, because essentially people most in need do not seek help."

Patrick McGorry, Professor of Youth Mental Health, highlights another finding of the report: that teenage girls are almost twice as likely as boys to be experiencing anxiety and depression.

Is early intervention the key?  Kids Central in the Great Southern of WA was established approximately 3 years ago to provide clinical services for children aged 3 to 14 years.  The aim is to support children to maintain good mental and emotional well being.

This concept of early intervention for such young children is rare in Australia.

Despite quickly filling all available appointment times for children, Kids Central has struggled financially.  A charity initiated by a group of private individuals, Kids Central has failed to attract ongoing government support or funding.

Mental illness has gained increasing recognition in recent years as a significant health issue in Australia.  While organsations such as the Black Dog Institute are vital, what can we as families, parents and communities do to assist our young people?

New designer amphetamine drug hits market

A new drug has been introduced in the form of small pink and blue pills which have the imprint of the  logo for social media app, Snapchat.

ABC News reported yesterday that health warnings have been issued following the hospitalisation of four men in the Northern Territory.

The men had taken the new designer drug Snapchat, pictured, which resulted in symptoms of wild aggression and hysteria. One of the four men was treated in intensive care.

The drug is a class of amphetamine. It also contains a substance commonly known as bath salts.

Potential risks from taking the drug include heart attack and malignant hyperthermia - essentially cooking your brain.

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Source: ABC News.

Child Protection removal compared to Stolen Generation

A rally was held outside Busselton's Child Protection and Family Support (CPFS) office this week, as part of the National Day of Action. Protesters have compared modern Government removal of children into foster care to the forced removal of the Stolen Generation.

They are calling for a review of legislation which enables children to be forcibly removed, and for more support to keep families together.

In Western Australia, the authority to remove children comes under the Children and Community Services Act 2004.

CPFS has a dual role to protect children and young people from abuse and neglect, as well as support families and people at risk or in crisis.

Family support includes the Strong Families Program, Best Beginnings, and Parent Support.

CPFS has a formal process for lodging complaints, which includes contacting the director of your local office, contacting the complaints management unit, and seeking external review from the Ombudsman of Western Australia.

The Advocate for Children in Care specifically helps foster children rather than their parents, carers or case workers.

More information can be found at www.dcp.wa.gov.au