Barefoot Magazine

Seven Sisters Festival - March 2012

2012-02-07T09:57:00.001+11:00

I wanted to share with you a great festival coming up in March..

All details on the flyer or even better, visit their website for all the information about workshops, facilitators etc.
Both Charlotte and I are amongst the amazing group of women who are sharing their wisdom and knowledge...
Can't wait - hope to see some of you there!
Anna

Last issue - Summer 2011

2011-11-16T15:11:00.002+11:00

Hello lovely readers
As you may know, Summer 2011 is our last issue - so to make sure you all have the opportunity to purchase this one without needing to subscribe.

SUMMER 2011 (Issue 12)

Please note we have only a handful of Issue 12 left already - so don't wait and then be disappointed...Enjoy
The Barefoot Team

Losing Iris

2011-11-03T11:18:00.000+11:00

To our beautiful readers and followers
Some of you may not know of Iris' story - Rachel's daughter who died four years ago.
Rachel wrote a piece of writing for Meanjin which has been published online too - We'd like to share it with you.
It's a profoundly moving story - and one that brings me to tears everytime I read it - but it's at the very core of Barefoot and why we have done what we have for the past three years - Iris' short life was a catalyst to create something to share with you all, to value our children passionately and live consciously and with love.

http://meanjin.com.au/editions/volume-68-number-1-2009/article/losing-iris/

We love you Iris - and miss you so much.

The Barefoot Team

World Vegan Day Expo 2011

2011-11-02T13:49:00.001+11:00

If you're living in Melbourne, or visiting this weekend - here's something you might be interested in...

It's the World Vegan Day Expo!

Our friends from Rad-Pads will be exhibiting at this wonderful event with a swag of Rad-Pads products for you to view and/or purchase (,www.rad-pads.com) along with lots of other stalls and activites for everyone..
The details are:

Sunday November 6th, 10 am - 5 pm

Abbotsford Convent

5 Helliers Street, Abbotsford Victoria..

See the website for more details on activities

http://www.wvd.org.au/

Thou art Mum Exhibition

2011-10-12T12:06:00.000+11:00

One of our very talented illustrators for Barefoot, Sarah Hardy, is part of this upcoming exhibition 'Thou Art Mum' being held at Monsalvat Long Gallery - which is open 9am-5pm every day and entry is free
Opening night is Thursday 3rd November from 6-9pm and then the exhibition runs from 3-27th November 2011.

Thou Art Mum's chosen theme for this exhibition is 'Tribute' - an acknowledgement of gratitude and esteem.
The focus of the exhibtion is the artist visually interpreting their personal tribute; whether it be related to a living thing, personal object, painter, writer, performer, musician, photographer or other artist who has influenced them with their unique style of work, chosen medium, technique or creative thinking processes.

There is a great little cafe at Monsalvat too, to have a coffee and cake afterwards - so if you have time, go down and have a look at the amazing artwork of these talented mummas.

Monsalvat is in Eltham, Victoria.

Red Tent Movie: "Things We Don't Talk About"

2011-09-18T10:02:00.000+10:00

This is a great film being produced by a sister in America -
Have a look at the preview and see what it's all about...

Red Tent Movie: "Things We Don't Talk About"

Adventure photos

2011-09-14T12:03:00.000+10:00

Hello to our lovely readers
We're putting a call out for any adventure photos that might fit in our Summer issue of Barefoot. Send them through to barefootmagazine@gmail.com as low resolutions pics, and if we can use them we'll ask for higher resolution pics later.
Photos will need to be minimum 300 dpi for use in the magazine.
Look forward to seeing your photos..
Yours adventurously
The Barefoot Team

Barefoot Event - What teenage girls don't tell their parents!

2011-09-12T17:15:00.001+10:00

Our next event is coming up - details below..

Hope to see you there!

The Barefoot Team

Spring is here!

2011-08-31T11:44:00.000+10:00

Finally!! Our Spring issue is here, just in time for Spring!!
This issue's features are on faith plus lots of other articles such as fussy eaters, social isolation and losing the family pet..

In store next week and out to subscribers this week!!

Enjoy!

BIG kids magazine

2011-08-17T12:20:00.001+10:00

We'd like to share with you a new publication that is about to launch called BIG Kids Magazine. BIG stands for Bravery, Imagination and Generosity. (Just to avoid confusion - this is not being launched by us at Barefoot!)

BIG Kids Magazine is a contemporary arts publication for children. Driven by discovery, experimentation and response, we invite children to participate in topical conversations about art and the world. With a senior editor who is eight years old, BIG challenges hierarchies of who is listening and who is speaking to amplify small voices in BIG ways.

BIG is committed to partnering with organisations that support and enrich the lives of children and we will be working towards donating one magazine for every subscription sold, so that BIG is truly accessible to all children everywhere.
The magazine is a 60-page ethically produced biannual print publication that inspires creativity. It can be posted to anywhere in the world flying art from gallery walls and onto playroom floors. Every issue features a FREE artist print and two key projects: SIDE BY SIDE publishes artwork by children and artists side by side as our primary content and The Child Artist Response Project (CARP) is an initiative where children and artists respond directly to each other’s work.

You can keep up to date with developments, launch dates and stockists by signing up for the Monthly Newsletter, becoming a follower of the blog or by liking the BIG Kids Magazine facebook page.

Visit http://www.bigkidsmagazine.com/ for more information.

Barefoot back issues

2011-08-03T14:06:00.041+10:00

Here is some information about our back issues - for those of you who have recently subscribed and need to choose a back issue as part of your subscription - and for those of you who want to purchase some of the wonderful back issues you may have missed out on...

Issue 1 - Autumn 2009
Art and Motherhood
The value of Mothering
ClimateCare
Slow Food

Issue 2 Winter 2009 - ALMOST SOLD OUT
Comtemporary Fathering
Breeding Brats?
Living Simply
Zen and the art of...

Issue 3 - Spring 2009
Family life in Australia
Rituals
Home death
Eco psychology

Issue 4 - Summer 2009
The widsom of our hands
Peaceful families
The 'm' word
Raw food

Issue 5 - Autumn 2010
Connections
Resilience
Kitchen remedies
Fair Trade

Issue 6 - Winter 2010
Community
Boys and wild play
Our girls, our bodies, ourselves
Seasonal soul food

Issue 7 - Spring 2011
Rites of Passage
Let's talk about sex
Knitting for good
Walking

Issue 8 - Summer 2010
Creativity
Sustainable play
Finding your tribe
Deep ecology

Issue 9 - Autumn 2011
Bullying
The shadow side
My kombi mid-life
A journey into sustainability

ONLY A FEW LEFT

Issue 10 - Winter 2011
Vocation
Listening deeply
The healing power of chooks
Billy Carts

Issue 11 - Spring 2011
Faith
Fussy eaers
Social isolation
Losing the family pet

Issue 12 - Summer 2011
Adventure
Step parenting
The wisdom of horses
Cubby houses

ONLY A FEW LEFT ALREADY!!!

Please specify which back issue you'd like when you subscribe - otherwise we will choose one of our favourites for you..

Take care
The Barefoot Team

Solar Power Info Session

2011-07-25T07:39:00.000+10:00

One of the wonderful places that sell our mag is the Enviro shop in Northcote (Melbourne).

We're pleased to support them by letting our readers know of their upcoming

(info below taken directly from their website)

Solar Power Info Night

Wed 3rd August

Hear the latest on Solar Power from the solar power experts

Learn about the latest rebates and incentives
Find out if your house is suitable
Bring along your last electricity bill to find out what system is best for you
Learn how to get the most out of your solar investment

When	Wednesday 3 August 2011 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where	EnviroGroup's New Head Office 8 Arthurton Rd Northcote Vic, 3070 How to get there
Bring	1. Your last electricity bill - if you want the best advice on what kind of system is right for you 2. Your friends and neighbours! Here's their invitation - Click here
How to Register	To attend you will need to register by Tuesday 26th July to 9095 7421 or

Changes to Barefoot

2011-07-20T14:10:00.001+10:00

To our Barefoot friends and families,

As you know, Barefoot has always been a labour of love, dedication, time and energy. Throughout the last three years, we at Barefoot have maintained our unwavering environmental stance and endeavoured to maintain our standards for the magazine around treading gently and parenting passionately. In keeping with this philosophy, we have made a decision to make Summer 2011 our last issue of Barefoot in order that we may tread gently and parent passionately in the lives of our own families.

We know that this will disappoint many of our loyal readers, subscribers and supporters, but we hope you will understand our desire to prioritise our own families.

If you're wondering about subscriptions, here's how it will work:

If you subscribe during Winter 2011, you'll receive three new issues and your choice of a back issue.
If you subscribe during Spring 2011, you'll receive two new issues and two back issues.
If you subscribe during Summer 2011, you'll receive our last issue and three back issues.

If you've recently subscribed, please email us and let us know which back issue you would like to complete your subscription. We will rely on you to contact us, as we don't have the time to chase all of you up for your preference. If we don't hear from you, we will choose a favourite for you to be included with our last issue.
If you're a distributor, everything will remain the same until our final issue in Summer 2011.

For more updates on what we might do next, please watch our blog and Facebook.
Our regular events will also continue to run so watch this space for more information.

Anna, Rachel and Charlotte

P.S. If Barefoot has ignited a fire in your heart and you’d like to talk to us about taking it on, please email us at admin@barefootmagazine.com.au.

Upcoming Event!!

2011-06-22T12:06:00.000+10:00

Here's the flyer for our upcoming event!!

Tickets are available on the blog (look down the right hand side)

Hope to see you there.

The Barefoot Team

Listening to our Children in the Spaces

2011-06-14T08:01:00.001+10:00

By Jenny Chapman

"The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow,
but the rainbow won't wait while you do the work."
Patricia Clafford

Living in bare feet makes me think of a carefree childhood spent outdoors: summers by the lake; mud and sand; bee stings; running; and the occasional mishap with doggie doodoo…

Bare feet can symbolise childhood, play and a free, ‘un-selfconscious’ way of being in the world.
Bare feet can also represent a child’s place in our parenting world. The space that we provide for them, with our words and actions (and reactions!) is the space in which a child’s sense of self will flourish. This space creates the context in which they grow and understand their world and their relationships. The challenge is to give up the pace of our adult lives and tune into the pace of our child—even just for a moment. Kindness, respect and presence will never be replaced as the most important gifts we can give anyone, least of all our own children.

And our child's place in our world can be seen and heard when we stop and listen to them in the 'white space' of our lives - the spaces between the words, the busy-ness. With this in mind, I wondered, am I present with my child? I decided to metaphorically take off my shoes and socks and listen to my child today…and to the spaces between us. I got a shock.

Dear mama.

Did you know the sky was pink this morning when I woke up? I wanted to tell you about it but I forgot to when you turned on the telly and I saw the Bananas chasing the Teddy Bears. I wanted to help you make the breakfast, but you told me to go sit down and wait. I wanted to crunch up the wheat biscuits and feel them in my hand—even munch on a few bits. I wanted to hold the spoon and watch the honey drip. Why did you take the spoon off me? I am sorry I spilt the honey on the table. Can I help you wash up the dishes? Why are we in a hurry? I feel a bit sad…

Can you swing me on the swing? More, more! Wheeeee! Why do we have to stop? I am happy just swinging. I don’t want to go on the slide – I want to swing!

When we make the omelette can I crack the eggs? Sorry Mama, I got a shell in the bowl. I will help you wipe the table. I already did it—why do you have to do it again? Can I help do the vacuuming? I can do the little bits then you do the big bits.

I want to show you something mama, just outside. Watch me run! Watch me roll on the ground! Look at the rain—can I go outside and play in my raincoat?

Mama can I sit on your knee? Please don’t do your emails now…read me my new book!

I was shocked by the number of times my son apologised TO ME for spilling something; for thinking he was in the road when I was trying to get something done. And, the number of times he asked to just JOIN in with what I was doing, however mundane I thought it was. And, the number of outbursts of frustration and sadness by him, because I’d interrupted his time in disrespectful ways, or tried to control how he played. And, the number of times I said, ‘Be careful.’ Too many! Oh my heart fills with grief for lost moments, and guilt for violating his needs.
Breathe. Let us all take time now, and reflect on how we treat our children. Moreover, how we treat ourselves? Living barefoot is the freedom to be a child. Do we allow our children to live freely? Do we allow ourselves to live freely, simply, and in the present?

My Son Reminds Me

Who told you that I need to Learn how to live in this world?
I am in this world NOW and NOW is my world!
I am living!
I am Life!

I like my Boots on THESE feet,
And if I have my pants on backwards I can see my tag – very Important to see your tag, Mama!
And today I want this blue sock, and this orange sock. I think they look very pretty.
Why are you groaning? Are you sick?

I LIKE my pops, they are FUNNY!
My bottom goes all bubbly and tickles me.
My tummy is big but not as big as yours, Mama – yours is Very Big!
I have big ears, you say, that hear too much.
What is Too Much? A song? Can you sing it?

Mama, YOU have to sit on the Calm Down chair
You have to sit there and take big breaths in and out when you are cross.
Then I will give you a cuddle and you can say Sorry.

Let’s have a picnic outside in the dark tonight,
But you have to hold my hand…it’s a bit scary and the possums might get me.
Look! There’s the moon! It’s a smiley moon today!
Hey diddle diddle the cat played the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the mooooooooo-n!

Here I am NOW, Mama
I am Life!
Don’t get too busy, Mama
Here I am NOW!

What do you hear, when you stop to listen to the white space in your lives?

Red Nose Day

2011-06-03T14:06:00.003+10:00

Hello lovely Barefoot readers

This post is about an issue which is very close to our hearts in the Barefoot team - As you may know, Rachel's daughter Iris died in her sleep almost four years ago. She was a month off turning three and she was such a wonderful girl. Rachel and her family received a great deal of support from SIDS and Kids and so we all feel very strongly about supporting Red Nose Day which is coming up on Friday 24th June, 2011.

Red Nose Day, one of Australia's favourite fundraisers, is calling on your support this June. Nine children under the age of four die suddenly and unexpectedly everyday in Australia from a range of causes including sleeping accidents, drowning, motor vehicle accidents, sudden onset illness, SIDS and stillbirth.

SIDS and Kids offers anyone affected by the death of a baby or child free 24-hour bereavement support services. They also provide safe sleeping education for mums, dads, grandparents, carers and the like to reduce the occurrence of SIDS and other fatal sleeping accidents.
This June, why not fundraise for SIDS and Kids and support families who have been devastated by the death of a baby or child? Through Red Nose Day, SIDS and Kids are helping to save lives of future babies and children.

SIDS and Kids needs your help so stick on a red nose, slap on a smile and be silly for a serious cause this June!

How can you help?

Buy Red Nose Day products from retail partners

www.rednoseday.com.au/national-partners

The SIDS and Kids online shop is a great way people can offer their support. Visit www.sidsandkidsshop.org to see what's on offer or you can follow the cause on Facebook and Twitter

facebook: www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Red-Nose-Day-Australia/199513403400177
Twitter: twitter.com/#!/RedNoseDayOz

Birth.art Exhibition 14-30 June 2011

2011-05-24T19:53:00.000+10:00

For more info, Check out Midwives for President (wonderful name, that)

Seminar coming up....

2011-05-08T20:43:00.001+10:00

For all of our Melbourne Barefoot readers, there is a great seminar coming up in Ivanhoe, Victoria about the sexualisation of children in the media. Julie Gale spoke at our of our events and she's fabulous - I strongly recommend going along if you can...

Bratz, Britney and Bralettes:

The sexualisation of children in the media.

Thursday 19 May 2011

7:00 pm for 7:30 pm to 9:45pm

The Performing Arts Centre, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School

Cnr Noel Street & Upper Heidelberg Road

Ivanhoe VIC

From tiny tots to late teens, children are being affected by sexualisation and media messages about weight, looks, clothes and behaviour.

The harm is real, and not just to girls.

Come and hear some of Australia's best speakers on children and teens, the issues and what can be done, at this seminar for parents and teachers.

• Steve Biddulph, Author and Family Psychologist (via video presentation)

• Julie Gale, Founding Director of Kids Free 2B Kids

• Dr C Glenn Cupit, Senior Lecturer in Child Development, University of South Australia

• Archbishop Dr Philip Freier, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne

The seminar will be chaired by Professor Elizabeth Handsley, School of Law, Flinders University & ACCM President

Cost: $30.00

Download a registration form

For more information, or to book by phone, contact ACCM:

helpline@youngmedia.org.au

PH 08 8376 2111

Seminar bought to you by The Australia Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) and Kids Free 2B Kids

Please share this information.

Winners!!

2011-05-06T10:43:00.000+10:00

Our Autumn 2011 winners have been decided!!

Congratulations to Marissa Prudden from Mornington, VIC who won a 100% double bed bamboo quilt from Mendip! For more info, go to www.mendipsilks.com.au All Marissa needed to do was subscribe during March/April!

Our photo winner was Shellie Drysdale from Eltham, VIC who sent in this beautiful photo which will be featured in our Winter 2011 issue.

Well done Marissa and Shellie - thanks for your continued support of Barefoot and being a part of it!

Take care and stay warm.

Anna

xox

The Science of Washing Nappies

2011-04-10T08:17:00.000+10:00

by Amanda McCracken, with Jacqui Parncutt and Kirsten Randle.

With the advent of modern cloth nappies a new regime of eco-friendly laundering has come into being. No soaking, no bleach, no boiling water. Modern nappies don’t require all those things of the past! All sounds very well, but in many parts this has been taken to an extreme – gentle washing, cold water and minimal detergent. The result: smelly nappies that are deteriorating before they should.
As much as we want to believe that we can get away without chemicals or hot water, it goes against the laws of science and nature. Going against the laws of science in the laundry is like standing naked in the rain and expecting to get as clean as you would by scrubbing yourself with a soapy washcloth in a warm shower.
We must always remember that nappies are essentially our babies’ toilets for the first two years of their lives. We are not washing clothing which may have a bit of dirt or food marks, we are washing little toilets and trying to get them clean enough that our babies can wear their toilets, right next to their skin, over and over again.

Using science in the laundry.
There are four main factors to consider when trying to get your nappies clean.

1.Thermal Energy (water temperature)
2. Water Softness (mineral content of the water)
3. Mechanical Energy (agitation)
4. Chemical Energy (detergent)

These four factors work together to help reduce the surface tension of water which in turn allows it to get into the fibres of the nappies an clean them. If you decrease one factor other factors will need to increase to compensate for that loss. This explains why people in Adelaide with hard water will require more detergent than people in Melbourne, and why they have to scrub harder with a cake of soap in order to make bubbles.

How to wash nappies

Wash early, wash often. Like any laundering; nappies will be cleaner if they are washed soon after they become dirty. The urine has less chance to eat away at the fabric, the bacteria has less chance to breed, and any stains that may arise from soiling have less time to set. Most importantly, this is not the time to skimp on water.

1. Dry-pail. This is still a good idea from a practicality and safety point of view. A) No Heavy Lifting involved and B) No Drowning Risks to young infants. You’ll get a better result if you give your nappies a quick rinse under the tap before popping in the bucket.

2. Prerinse. This step should be done with cold water and no detergent. The aim of this step is to try to remove much of the urine and bacteria from the nappy - so we need less detergent to get the nappies clean in the next step.

3. The wash. This is where you need to contrate on getting the combination of water temperature, softness v hardness, mechanical energy and detergent right. Now while you might not have a lot of control over your water softness or hardness, you can control the three other factors. You don’t always need hot water, and it may damage other parts of your modern cloth nappies such as the elastic or plastic components, but you may need to hot wash occassionally. If you use cold water, you will need to compensate by using more detergent. So a balance is best. Warm water with an appropriate amount of detergent and a wash on the longest cycle.

So which detergent is best? We recommend a non-purfumed, enzyme free, optical whitening free, phosphate free concentrate or an ultra-concentrate. You want the best bang for your buck – the most bubbles for your scoop. As many babies can show reactions to detergents, you want the least amount of fillers – as small traces may remain on the fabric, even after a final rinse.

4. Final rinse. This is to remove as much of the detergent residue as possible – so as to reduce the risk of skin irritation of your little one’s behind.

5. Line Dry. The sun will provide you with lots of lovely UV rays that will kill bacteria and assist in sterilising your nappies. Great news for Queenslanders! Not such great news for southerners in winter, although many of us can make do.

If your nappies smell, it is likely you have a cleanliness problem, that is, you are not washing the urine and bacteria out of all the layers of your nappy. In this situation you need to work on lowering your surface tension of the water so that it will clean your nappies properly, by changing your thermal and/or chemical energies.

The extras

Hot water – This has a lower surface tension than cold or warm water meaning that it gets into the fibres of the nappies and cleans them more easily as well as killing many bacteria. Hot water may decrease the lifespan of PUL and elastic but it does have the advantage over chemicals that it won’t leave a residue that could cause irritation to baby’s skin. Anti-bacterial rinses - These will help to sterilise the nappies and once more will help to lower the water surface tension – resulting in cleaner nappies. They are recommended after gastro, thrush, live vaccinations and a bad case of nappy rash. Also handy in winter if you aren’t getting enough UV rays from the sun to sterilise your nappies.
Nappy Sanitisers – Like the anti-bacterial rinses – these use chemical energy to both kill bacteria and to lower water surfact tension. The active ingredient breaks down in water to a water softener and hydrogen peroxide – which will further break down to water and oxygen. Often cotain optical whiteners and enzymes which may cause rash. Rinse well.
Vinegar – can be used to lower the pH of the nappies caused by detergent residue.
Dryer - isn’t such a great idea because it deteriorates elastic and PUL in your modern nappies as well as using enormous amounts of electricity. If you do use it you will need to use it on a hot enough setting to prevent bacterial growth, since you are omitting the sterilising step that the sun performs.

Most of us who use modern cloth nappies do so because we want to reduce our footprint. We want to live eco-conscious lives, lower our impact on our environment. But this does not mean we can wish science away. Warm and hot water, detergent and chemical solutions need not be the enemies. They can help us get longer wear out of our nappies and make those years that we have little ones in nappies a pleasant, satisfying experience.

Amanda McCracken B.Com.

Amanda is a mother of four children six and under, all of whom have been cloth nappied. In 2007 she established Mandy Mac, a successful modern cloth nappy business which she runs from her home in Melbourne. See www.mandymac.com.au

Jacqui Parncutt B.Sc. (Hons)

Jacqui is a Melbourne based medical scientist. She is a keen modern cloth user with a soft spot for microbiology. She wanted to share her knowledge of bacterial management in the laundry, especially with regard to cloth nappies.

Kirsten Randle B.Sc., M.F.Sc.

Kirsten is a very busy RAAF wife and mother. She has a Bachelor of Science, Master of Forensic Science (Firearm Chemistry) and almost completed her PhD in Applied Chemistry (Forensic Science/Counter-terrorism) as well as being an avid fan of modern cloth.

Photos by Pamela Bradford and Debbie Treweek

Who Am I?

2011-03-07T14:03:00.000+11:00

As we try to create our own identity in this society and our own families, when new roles are placed in our lives, we rethink who we are and how important names become to us. Barefoot reader Sue Lloyd submitted this wonderful, thoughtful article, on being a grandmother.
Thanks, Sue.

Who Am I ?

I know who I am but perhaps everyone else does not know. It is clear to me how I would like to be regarded, what interactions I would like with others , usually anyway, and which direction I would like my life to go in. However there is a new role to be added to the ones I am used to playing and here I find myself on less familiar ground.
It seems to me that names and titles may be associated with images and perceptions. For example give someone the title of King and there is an automatic assumption of power, privilege and wealth. Label someone else as homeless and we probably conjure an image of poverty, hunger and poor hygiene. Do I want to be labelled in a certain way by the name that is given to me in this new role? I would prefer to make my own choice, be part of forging my own new identity and be able to negotiate and navigate this new direction with flexibility and humour.
I do not want to be pigeon holed with an accepted or traditional perception of the role I have embarked upon but rather be free to forge my own individual version of this position with terms that are allowing of evolvement and growth. Having been familiar with a variety of common words to describe this position it seems that none of them fit the vision I hold of my intentions. Previous personal imagery which fills my head evokes entirely the wrong picture, by association or inference I suppose, and encourages me to avoid such similes.
It is my objective to develop a new multi faceted role to add to the other aspects of my life; perhaps I will be a confidant, a story teller, a friend, who knows. Since there are two of us involved in this interaction I do not have carte blanche but will need to negotiate my way carefully and be aware of the embryonic nature of this relationship.
Research into possibilities for names to encompass my new function revealed some cute, traditional, old fashioned, staid and plainly weird suggestions. It appears different countries have their favourites which sometimes overlap but more often are different, reflecting alternate cultures and customs I suppose.
Regrettably, it seems to me, the personal role models on which I might have based my own interactions are either lacking, poor or inappropriate so I feel it is best that I work out my new situation without reference to prior characteristics.
Defining and naming a personal rank is one of life’s great challenges I think. Who has not manoeuvred to claim the title of Manager instead of Assistant Manager for example, who does not jealousy guard given job descriptions as signs of status often recognised with a superior office or personal assistant? Most people would regard a title as indicative of individual worth and the esteem and respect in which they are held; a just reward for hard work or company loyalty perhaps. It became apparent that I wanted to get my new classification to fit my perception of this role.
After much deliberation I have decided Gigi will fit with my idea of how I would like to be thought of. This can be pronounced with a hard G or a soft G – as in zee zee but the image portrayed will remain the same. Does anyone remember the 1958 film Gigi with Leslie Caron in the lead role I wonder? The theme of this film is that Gigi is willing to sacrifice anything for love and there is a strong emphasis on the values of caring and responsibility. She is portrayed as tomboy who did not really want to grow up still displaying the enthusiasm, exuberance and joy of childhood while managing to also be sophisticated and wise. Literally this word means both Earth Worker in the Greek translation and brilliant and trustworthy in the French translation.
What a great name for my role as Grandma.

Right to Childhood Conference

2011-03-07T13:40:00.000+11:00

An important conference with loads of great, informed speakers (we know, because a few of them have spoken at our Barefoot events!).
For professionals and parents and anyone else concerned with childhood in today's culture.

Friday 29 April, 2011 • 9am-5pm: Sydney

Wesley Conference Centre 220 Pitt Street, Sydney

We encourage you all to check out the website and/or the brochure.

Subsrciption giveaway!

2011-03-07T13:23:00.000+11:00

For the next ten people who subscribe or resubscribe, we have a giveaway!

A double pass to our Bullying event being held in Eltham, Victoria on March 16th, 2011!! All you need to do is subscribe, and then post 'I'm there' on our Facebook page - and we'll put your names at the door!! Giveaway is worth $40 per pass - so you can't go wrong!

Barefoot event - Bullying

2011-03-05T08:57:00.002+11:00

Come along and find out more about how children, parents, teachers and the wider
community can recognise, understand and combat bullying.

Artwork copyright by Janet Wolf 2011

Presented by Maree Stanley

Wednesday 16th March, 2011
Eltham Community and Reception Centre, 801 Main Rd, Eltham
Doors open 7pm (limited parking)

7.30pm (prompt start) – 10.00pm

Tickets: $20/$15 conc. - includes light supper

RSVP by 11th March by emailing charlotte@barefootmagazine.com.au
Tickets must be paid for prior to event (paypal to your right of this page)

Other enquiries please call 0417509756.

Proudly supported by Nillumbik Women’s Network and Nillumbik Shire Council.

ELTHAMBookshop will have books for sale on the night.

Maree Stanley is the Prevention Manager at The Alannah and Madeline Foundation.
The Foundation’s mission is'keeping children safe from violence’.
Maree developed the foundation’s prevention program and is an experienced and dynamic
speaker on the issue of bullying.

2011-02-20T12:34:00.000+11:00

Equality Rights Alliance is celebrating 100 years of International Women’s Day with Sharing Young Women’s Stories, a campaign to fight negative Body Image and we need YOU

Equality Rights Alliance is Australia's largest network of organisations advocating for women's equality, and they're running a body image campaign.
They (and we!) want to see more positive body images showing the beauty of real, natural women. They're calling on Minister for Youth, Peter Garrett, to promote 100 fashion industry businesses who sign up to the Voluntary Code of Conduct on Body Image. Guides Australia released a report yesterday showing that 63% of girls aged 10-14, and 75% of older girls, believe that the media thinks the most important aspect of being a girl is to look 'pretty and thin'. They want to show girls that they are valued for more important things than their ability to conform to an unrealistic and unhealthy media stereotype.

Click here to read more about this very important project.

A Gift of Flowers

2011-02-20T12:11:00.000+11:00

Our Autumn Issue Out Soon!

2011-02-18T18:34:00.000+11:00

Our Autumn Issue is due out very soon - and there's loads of new wonderful articles to enjoy.

We need to let you know - Barefoot Magazine is unfortunately no longer available in Newsagents. It is still available in some smaller outlets, but mostly we encourage you to subscribe so you don't miss out!

Scroll down and you'll find our magazine subscription info, on the left.

And we encourage those who can make it, to attend our next event on Bullying. More info here.

BEING PRESENT

2011-02-17T21:57:00.000+11:00

As a hospital play specialist and counsellor I am often with children in potentially stressful situations where resilience is called upon. Studies have shown that one of the greatest comforts for a child is the presence of their parents or caregivers. I recently attended a workshop by Petrea King (and the Quest for Life Foundation) that has spent over 20 years working with people of all ages and their families when challenged by illness, and other major life events. The workshop was entitled “Resilient Children” and it gave deeper meaning into what it means to be a presence or ‘present’ in a child’s life. There is a difference between just being there and being present. To be present with a child means that we are fully focused and emotionally present in the present time. This means that we are not forward planning what we need to do for the rest of the day in our minds, distracted, caught up with what just happened, concerned about what others think… Sometimes simply being there can mean only our bodies are present whereas being present in its full sense involves our all of our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual aspects. An everyday example of my not being fully present was when I made my daughter a slice of vegemite toast when she very clearly asked for jam… I had an internal conversation going on in my mind and was only half listening. Peter Levine who writes about trauma also tells of the importance in emotional first aid of settling and grounding ourselves first so we are then present and equipped to tend to the child’s needs. If we find ourselves or our child in a stressful or potentially traumatic situation then being present can become more of a challenge. If the parent/ caregiver is also overwhelmed by an event then it may be necessary to bring in another caring adult who can help tend to the child whilst the parent/ caregiver has time to calm, settle and ground themselves. Children sense when we are not emotionally and mentally present for them and it can leave them feeling unprotected and overwhelmed. So one of the greatest ways we can support our children is by how we are in our ‘being.’
So how to be present and grounded? Everyone will find their own preferences, but it could include meditation practices or breathing into your whole body right down to your legs and feet. Practise the skills often and they can become easier to access under stress.
Sometimes due to circumstance if may not be possible to be physically there to comfort a child. Technology can help with the use of phones and the internet. You can also create your own rituals to keep connection with your child. This may be by sending kisses, hugs and love which the child may feel as tickles or a warm feeling, for example. Children can send their love too. And remember that the person you are wishing to feel connection with and send love to does not have to be living. Petrea has a lovely rainbow meditation available her website to be used for all these purposes.
Becoming resilient doesn’t have to be a sink or swim response when life throws us a curve ball. By learning to be more present, becoming more aware of our body sensations, becoming more emotional literate, and learning healthy coping and self care skills, we have a huge reservoir of skills that can be called upon when especially needed. Petrea stressed that it is not about what happens to us but how we respond that affects us. We can empower ourselves and children to have choices in the responses we all have.
Natasha Hund
Hospital Play Specialist and Counsellor
www.lifespirals.com.au

Resources:
The Rainbow Mediation
http://www.questforlife.com.au/rainbow-ritual
Trauma-Proofing Your Kids
Peter Levine & Maggie Kline (North Atlantic Books, 2008)

My Story of Jude

2011-02-02T23:26:00.000+11:00

As you know we welcome birth stories of all sorts, here at Barefoot.Natalie has been kind enough to share hers. Thank you Natalie.

By Natalie Caruso

Like many women, I always knew that I wanted to have children ‘some day’ but I recall a specific moment when I finally felt ready to become a mother. Waking up one morning, I felt different. It was a Wednesday in July. I felt an inner knowingness and a sense of peace with the decision to have a child.

It took me two days to share this with my husband Joe and doing so was a very emotional experience for me. Once I revealed my feelings, there was no going back. I felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement as I was entering into a new and life-long commitment. It was a great responsibility that I was accepting in my role as a mother especially in the way I wanted to raise a child.

Being extremely motivated, I began to prepare myself for pregnancy. I have always lived a health conscious lifestyle and working outdoors at a health retreat on the Gold Coast provided a wonderful setting during the day. I also began regular massage and reike as well as keeping up my yoga practice and naturopathic visits.

Only a month passed, when Joe’s company offered him a promotion based in Melbourne, which would commence in a few short months. While it was a great opportunity for him career wise, it certainly didn’t fall into our plans at the time. We were renovating and planning a move soon and I had always imagined being around my family, as we began our own. I was also very close to my grandfather and I really wanted to be close to him in Queensland in his final years. At the same time though, supporting my husband in his career was important to me and so after much discussion we decided that he would accept the promotion, ‘trialling’ things for a few months.

Around two months later, before he was due to go, I realised my period was late and I decided to do a home pregnancy test. Joe had just returned from buying some fresh bread as we waited impatiently for the little grey line to appear. As it did, a wave of emotion swept through both of us ….we had created a child and our life was about to change forever.

My grandfather was in hospital at this time and we looked forward to sharing the news with all the family at his bedside knowing that it would cheer him up considerably.

Over the next month, our renovation neared completion and we packed up and we moved into our new home. Moving was the last thing I felt like doing in my early days of pregnancy but I wanted to make our new place feel like ‘home’ for us before Joe went to Melbourne. Unfortunately, the smell of paint and everything new coupled with my pregnancy made me feel very nauseous. When Joe left for Melbourne, I lasted all of two weeks before I decided to move into Mum’s. The nausea stayed but I felt happier being close to my mum at this time and my family was reassured that I wasn’t going to be alone.

Within a few days of moving into Mums our little poodle ‘Missy’ of thirteen years began to deteriorate and passed away which left me devastated. This, coupled with missing my husband, not being able to share my pregnancy with him and the uncertainty of where his career may lead us, left me very sad. I loved spending time with mum and I had envisaged that she’d be close to me throughout this most important time in my life. However, as often happens in life, it seemed that my journey was about to take a different path.

At three months pregnant, I packed up my house up for the second time, moved everything into storage and joined Joe in his family’s home in Melbourne. Whilst Joe was enjoying his new role, there was so much uncertainty around what we were going to do; where we would live and for how long? What I knew for sure was that I wanted to birth naturally in the peaceful environment of home….the only problem was…I didn’t have a home.

It took us five frustrating months to finally find a place to live and by this time I was eight months pregnant. I was so relieved and grateful to finally have my own space and to get myself prepared for birth and the new baby that was entering our lives.

Being in Melbourne was extremely upsetting for my family. We missed each other terribly and this coupled with the decline in my Grandfathers health made things very emotional for all of us. I was torn between my existing family and the new life I was creating. I felt helpless being so far away. But I needed to be focussed on what was happening in my own life and so I directed all my energy towards setting up our home and preparing for our child.

Despite feeling the emotional turmoil my body responded beautifully to my pregnancy. I continued with my yoga practice, went on regular walks and connected with my child on a daily basis, instilling trust in both of us for what was about to come. This time of turning inward gave me the strength to deal with the challenges life was presenting to me.

My dear friend Marion who was very experienced with homebirth came down from the Gold Coast to stay with us in the week prior to my due date. It was a wonderful supportive time for both Joe and I.

Two days before my due date my waters broke during the night. I wasn’t sure what to do so I grabbed some towels and returned to bed to try and get some rest. It was difficult to sleep with feelings of excitement and anticipation of what was to come. I was in deep trust and felt no fear at all. Whilst I loved my pregnancy and never got to the stage of wanting it to be over, I was also looking forward to finally meeting the beautiful child that was growing inside me. By 10am the next morning I was in labour and my child was on its way.

It was my husband and Marion who nurtured and coached and me through the experience of labour with exceptional dedication and presence. ‘Rescue Remedy’ and lots of water were my other vital companions. We utilised the bath (which certainly helped with easing the discomfort of contractions) and moved around the entire house to get things progressing.

Halfway through the day, I was lying on our bed when all of a sudden I smelled a dreadful odour coming through the window. I later learned that our darling Marion had forgotten about the ‘heat wheat’ she was warming up in our microwave when it suddenly blew up, sending her running around the house with a burning heat wheat in her hand. In desperation she threw it out the front door. Little did she realise that my bedroom window was open and right nearby. We never replaced the microwave. I’ve never been a fan of those anyway.

After a 22 hour labour and pushing for almost 5 hours we were finally blessed with a beautiful, healthy nine pound baby boy at 9:10am Wednesday the 18th of June 2008. As planned with a ‘Lotus Birth’ we kept his umbilical cord attached.

I’ll never forget when he was first placed on my chest. Wrapped in warm bunny rugs, his big bright eyes looked directly into mine, and deep into my soul. I felt an overwhelming sense of love for him and a connection that is simply beyond words. It was one the most beautiful moments I have ever known.

Believing in myself, trusting in my body’s wisdom and feeling so compelled to give my child the best natural start to life is what gave me the courage to do what I did. Having total trust in Marion and her gentle guidance in addition to the support and encouragement from my amazing husband gave me the strength to get through one the most challenging events I have ever experienced. I will always remember how enduring and dedicated they were to me in my time of need.

Five days later whist in the bath, Jude’s umbilical cord detached itself leaving a beautifully healed navel. It was so incredible to honour this natural process and witness it taking place.

Three months later Jude Michael (Michael after my Grandfather) was christened on the Gold Coast. Three short weeks after that my dear grandfather passed away. I am so happy that he was able to meet our beautiful Jude and that Jude was able to meet him.

Jude is now 2 and a half. I feel immense gratitude having this beautiful little soul in my life allowing me to guide and nurture him intuitively and instinctively. Being with him reminds me to be present, to breathe and to love unconditionally. I am totally in wonder and awe of his beauty and his brilliance every day.

Natalie is a full time mother and lives in Melbourne’s North Eastern suburbs. She has worked in the health and wellness industry for many years, including Camp Eden Health Retreat on the Gold Coast. She has also been a Registered Nurse and worked in the Beauty and Fashion industries. She loves animals, being outdoors and is currently writing children’s books which she hopes to publish in the future. She embraces a healthy, positive and conscious approach to life and motherhood and is passionate about sharing this with others.

Our Summer Subscription Winner!

2011-02-02T22:48:00.000+11:00

We have a winner!

Congratulations to Jacinda Brown from Bachelor, NT for winning Stephen Michael King's illustrations! Her entry is below:

Creativity is akin
to what I do when gardening .
Inspired energy motivates, propagates
...Ideas grown
From seeds sown
Care and nourishment germinates, creates
strong roots,
blossom and fruits.

BAREFOOT EVENT - BULLYING

2011-01-31T23:33:00.001+11:00

Come along and find out more about how children, parents, teachers and the wider
community can recognise, understand and combat bullying.

Artwork copyright by Janet Wolf 2011

Presented by Maree Stanley

Wednesday 16th March, 2011
Eltham Community and Reception Centre, 801 Main Rd, Eltham
Doors open 7pm (limited parking)

7.30pm (prompt start) – 10.00pm

Tickets: $20/$15 conc. - includes light supper

RSVP by 11th March by emailing charlotte@barefootmagazine.com.au
Tickets must be paid for prior to event (paypal to your right of this page)

Other enquiries please call 0417509756.

Proudly supported by Nillumbik Women’s Network and Nillumbik Shire Council.

ELTHAMBookshop will have books for sale on the night.

An Important Response

2011-01-31T23:15:00.000+11:00

This is one reader's response to an article in our Winter 2010 Issue. Part of this letter is published in our Summer 2010 Issue. The full letter is here. Thanks Coby! (Sorry it's posted so late)

I have only just read your surrender article from your winter 2010 edition.
A very useful thing to bear in mind. I worked for many years at a maximum
security mens jail in NSW. A very unfortunate but common story repeated
itself.

Youngish men 18 plus are sent to prison having been found guilty of crimes
from manslaughter to multiple lesser offences. As they disembark the
transport inside the jail it becomes apparent that the first time in their
lives they are learning a lesson that is the most valuable you can teach and
repeatedly reaffirm to a child. That is cause and effect, consequences of
action.
One boy/man and many like him had a fist fight. An unlucky punch to the head
had the consequence of death. Either due to the positioning of the blow or a
ring or the person hitting their head on the ground.

It is a terrible consequence of our more recent moves away from smacking
children or punishing them that no alternative consequential result has
replaced it. I personally feel that it is a dreadful way to learn the
consequences lesson by being placed in a dangerous jail with very dangerous
people.

Boys push violent boundaries as you mention in your article but
unfortunately merely telling them to tap into a more understanding gentle
side is often not a consequences lesson. Each parent would know what a good
consequences lesson would be for their child but it certainly is a problem
if people don't react at all to behaviour that has its basis in violence.

I don't ever want to see a child smacked or punished for bad physical
behaviour with bad physical behaviour, but I also never want it not to be
taught to a child that guns stop life, punches kill and violence is always
punished after they have left our loving care.

One other story is common in relation to these boys. That is that most of
their mothers cannot believe this has happened and also believe that the
punishment is to harsh given that it was not the boys intention. But then
after the shock comes a steady stream on guilt that should they have known
they would have taught consequences lessons from the start.

As you asked for peoples thoughts and experiences I thought I would send you
mine. As a mother I was very aware of this lesson. Trying to stem the flow
of heavy rough and tumble with boys is difficult however, encouraging them
to see and treat their strength as a gift worked for me. He was taught that
using that energy to help to carry things, assist weaker ones, change bike
tyres, build go karts etc was the only way I could think of channeling
behaviour.

My most important lesson was from my mother who told me to travel by public
transport with him. She said we cocoon our kids in our cars and homes and
they never get to see real life, lessons and unpredictable behaviours until
they are alone.

She was right. On the bus was a mentally ill man who shouted and frightened
him, old ladies who were struggling with bags, seats that needed to be given
up, groups of teenage boys at the back shouting and showing off and
generally frightening and annoying everyone. Sitting next to the older
ladies allowed him to hear what they said in response to the boys behaviour.
How it frightened them etc.

My contribution to your question is to get parents out of their comfortable
zone with their boys and interpret the lessons as they go. Public transport
is a travelling world of life for parents and children. It provides a new
opportunity everytime with unpredictable situations arising. No one should
want their childrens first opportunity to see and work these lessons through
to be when they are alone. I always told him that when he stood at a bus
stop he should always say good day to the oldest ladies there. Simply put
because as a bigger boy and in a group they frighten old people. They are
however blind to that. My question to all parents of boys is do they want
them to be someone who frightens old ladies? Learns consequences only as
they get off a prison transport bus or learn that no matter how strong you
are there will always be many more stronger, but it is possible always to be
the kindest. Far less competition lies in the kindness stakes. Plus good
kind men get far better girlfriends.

We are now able to cocoon our children far more than ever before and as a
result they are learning very valuable life lessons only when not in our
care. Boys push boundaries but they soon start to discover more when the
boundaries are created by different people and not just us. For your
information I asked the group of boys had they ever travelled on a bus with
their parents before starting going on their own. You won't be surprised to
hear the answer was no.

Coby

Celebratory Book Launch

2011-01-31T23:05:00.001+11:00

From Kinglake to Kabul
edited by Neil Grant and David Williams
published by Allen & Unwin

'In an extraordinary journey across cultural boundaries, these teenage writers emerge out of tragedy and trauma with stories of great beauty, power and empathy. Their work provides a model for writing projects that reach out for mutual understanding in a
divided world.' Arnold Zable

‘As long as we are still alive, we can have everything later, we can start from scratch.’ My Nguyen, Kinglake

'After twenty-five years, my father and uncle have moved back to Afghanistan. My father says, "You are going to build this country again."' Shaheer, Kabul

In this collection of young people’s writing, students from two vastly different countries share their stories of resilience, courage and hope. In doing so they illustrate the
remarkable healing quality of words and illuminate what connects us as humans. This is
not a book of remembrance or a book that desires to shock, it is a book about what is
best about human nature.

When: Sunday 13th February 2011 at 3pm
Where: Kinglake Rebuilding and Advisory Centre and Community Facility
2970 Heidelberg-Kinglake Road, Kinglake.
Bookings essential: elthambookshop@bigpond.com Tel. : 9439 8700

abc features the book here

Australian Parenting Conference 2011

2011-01-31T22:42:00.000+11:00

AUSTRALIAN PARENTING CONFERENCE is proud to offer Barefoot Subscribers a 10% discount!

We invite you to register for the upcoming Australian Parenting Conference being held at the Parkside Auditorium, Darling Harbour, Sydney on the 24 and 25 February 2011.

Full details, programme, and registration details are available here.

The topics for this event include

parenting interactions within a book reading context,
positive parenting,
discipline,
adolescence,
attachment,
abuse,
parenting in divorce and separation,
parenting children with autistic disorders,
mindful parenting
and more...

All subscribers to Barefoot Magazine are to receive a 10% discount please indicate this when registering.

Boys Will Be Boys

2010-12-09T13:42:00.008+11:00

After our Barefoot event on boys, we received much feedback and personal stories of how Maggie and Andrew touched and challenged people to help their boys grow and live and navigate through today's culture. (You can read a summary of their talk in our Summer 2010 issue of Barefoot Magazine) We thought you'd like to hear Carolyn's story.

BOYS WILL BE BOYS

As a mother of four sons (James – fifteen; and thirteen year old identical triplets with ADHD - Luke, Nathan and Matthew) I was very keen to attend Barefoot’s event featuring Maggie Hamilton speaking on the topic of her latest book What’s Happening To Our Boys?.
Maggie told us about many of the challenges our boys (as do girls) have to cope with in today’s society which differ greatly from growing up in the mid sixties and seventies. Things like cyber-bullying, worries about body image, wearing the ‘right’ labels, early sexualisation encouraged by clever advertising and marketing, access to porn and violence via today’s technology, stunted creativity caused by staring at screens, and the list goes on.

This information scared me. Terrified me, in fact, hitting me with a giant wave of doubt as to whether I’m doing a good job of mothering my sons.

Most parents of boys struggle with similar issues when it comes to getting their kids off all screens and doing something else. I am no different and after hearing Maggie speak, I had to honestly ask myself whether I allow my boys to watch too much TV, let them play too many violent games on the PS and whether I should’ve gotten them outside me. The answer was a resounding Yes.

So last Sunday I decided to test Maggie’s theory and made a brave decision. Some may even say stupid. I banned all screens for the day. Yep, you read correctly.

‘But what are we going to do?’ they wailed.

Oh no, I thought. It’s true. They’ve lost their imagination.

‘Make your own fun,’ I said, shooing them outside into the sunshine.

Five minutes later, Nathan popped his head in the door with large shovel in hand and asked, ‘Can we dig?’

Bearing in mind the triplets have already dug out my clothesline in the past, I reluctantly agreed. With four boys, my husband and I gave up ideas of having a pretty garden long ago. At one stage we did manage to have a lawn of sorts, but after a muddy winter of boys playing kick-to-kick, that was the end of that idea. A truckload of tan bark later, the problem was fixed. But not for long, so the backyard still resembles a cross between a cow paddock and a tip.

Within half an hour Nathan and Matthew were knee-deep in dirt. Within another half an hour – waist deep, and so it continued until they could stand up completely and I could not see their heads.

Luke was busily fetching and carrying bricks, scraps of wood and anything else he could get his grubby little hands on to add to the ‘trench’. James was ‘site manager’ and overseeing proceeding, offering advice as they went. Teamwork at it’s finest! See, they can occupy themselves away from screens if they try! I thought smugly to myself.

The end result was a fantastic concealed trench, complete with roof, army-style netting, a ‘shooting’ hole and finished off perfectly with branches sawn off a poor tree used as camouflage.

Before you say anything, I completely understand that not everyone wants a massive hole dug in their backyard. Or a two-story fort – we have one of those built by the kids too! But, then again, I believe in allowing boys to be boys and get dirty and do what boys like doing. In our case, it’s digging, playing war and making guns.

I think it’s about getting the balance right (obviously I need more practice!)

The boys were thrilled with their day’s work.

Me? I simply congratulated them on their day’s work and asked, ‘Now, who’s first on the Playstation?’

By Carolyn Angelin

Author of ADHD to the Power of Three: A mother’s story of raising triplets.

www.adhd3.com

Published by Sid Harta Publishers Pty Ltd, 2010

Children's Book Launch!

2010-12-04T11:28:00.003+11:00

“There was oink-ing and quacking and even a neigh,

as each bubble burst in its magical way”

Mother and daughter team Elisabeth and Sarah Hardy was inspired to write and illustrate this rhyming tale after reminiscing about Sarah’s son, who as a baby blew lots of bubbles.

Elisabeth Hardy:

I have many memories of Sarah’s first son as a baby, and the bubbles he blew,

so with my love of Owls, I coupled the two together,

creating this children’s story of how a baby owl who blew magical bubbles

was able to bring harmony to his farmyard friends.

Local graphic designer and illustrator, Sarah, has used pastel pencil to accentuate the amazing colours and define her distinctive style.

The launch of Barnowlby Bubbles will be an exciting afternoon for all and there will be signed copies of Barnowlby Bubbles from the author and illustrator. There will also be a special time for telling the story.

Guest speaker at the launch is Lou Harvey-Zahra. She is a successful author of the parenting books: Turning Tears into Laughter: Creative Discipline for the Toddler and Preschool Years. Lou has been inspiring parents across the country and will be talking about her experiences in parenting and how children’s books are a hugely important aspect in the early years, as well as talking about aspects of her published works.

The book launch for Barnowlby Bubbles will be held on

Saturday 11th December, 2.30pm – 4.30pm

Eltham Multipurpose Room,

Eltham Library, Panther Place, Eltham (Victoria)

For more Information about the launch

email: barnowlbybubbles@hardybooks.com.au

Or visit www.hardybooks.com.au

December/January subscription prize!!

2010-12-01T16:51:00.000+11:00

This has to be my favourite subscription prize so far - I wish I could win it..

If you subscribe in December/January and enter this competition, you could be in the running to win the signed originals of Stephen Michael King's illustrations from the Summer 2010 issue of Barefoot...

All you need to do is subscribe for yourself, or resubscribe, or buy a gift subscription and then email us and tell us what creativity means to you... (in 25 words or less - which is actually really short. I might change this word limit for the next issue!)

Stephen Michael King is such a great illustrator - he has illustrated over fifty books and has written nine of his own. He has been nominated for heaps of book awards and has won the the CBCA award for best Junior Fiction Book. To find out more about Stephen and his gorgeous work - head to http://www.smkbooks.com/

Don't miss out on the chance to win these beautiful illustrations...

Take care

Anna

Education Links..

2010-11-29T21:24:00.000+11:00

In our Summer 2010 issue of Barefoot, we have a great article about radical unschooling.. These are a couple of YouTube videos about education which we found interesting..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.html

Stuck for Christmas ideas?

2010-11-27T21:44:00.004+11:00

How about a gift subscription to Barefoot?

When you buy a gift subscription to Barefoot Magazine, we'll add a personal message for you on one of these lovely gift cards from Leaf Journals and Earth Greetings. What a perfect way to send a personalised message to someone you love - with a great present that keeps giving all year!!

Go ahead and subscribe - but don't forgot to send us an email with your message...
If you would like to buy a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION, please just click on the BUY NOW link to the right and enter your name as the buyer and enter the name and address of your lucky friend/family member in the postal address...then email your message to us.

Winners!

2010-11-12T14:31:00.000+11:00

We have our winners from our Spring issue!

Congratulations to Guiliana from West Preston for winning the Flix Ride on bike from Bambini Moda. She wrote to us and told us how much she enjoys collecting flowers with her kids, filling up jars and putting them all around her house at eye level, so she can be reminded of the beauty of Spring...

And a big congratulations and thank you to Sally Riddle from Waurn Ponds, VIC who sent us this gorgeous photo of her daughter. This photo will also be printed in our Summer issue. Thanks so much Sally - you receive a $50 voucher to Nurture by Nature.

Thanks to everyone who entered both competition - make sure you keep posted - we have incredible prizes coming up in our Summer issue..
Take care
Anna

Looking for something to do over New Years?

2010-11-09T22:52:00.000+11:00

Try the award-winning, ultra funky Peats Ridge Sustainable Arts and Music Festival!

In a gorgeous part of the NSW countryside only one hour north of Sydney, this festival is a three-day event designed to leave every sense tingling. Ten stages of music, visual and performing arts, open mic, children's and indigenous festivals, workshops, and environmental education and healing areas.

And it's all sustainable!

The whole festival runs on power from renewable sources.
It collects its grey water.
There's a container deposit service (a $levy placed on every can or bottle purchased is refunded when container is returned for recycling).
Waste management based on sustainable practices.
Composting flushing toilets!
All campers are given waste-kits.
Food and market stalls are encouraged to be organic.
There's a bus service and cycler escort available to and from the fest
Eco Living Village
Vehicle levy that raises money to purchase carbon credits, and a local planting scheme
photo by Brent Winstone

If you haven't already I invite you to go look at the website (which is beautiful itself) for a full program, and all the info you could want.

How odd. I had just finished reading my copy of the latest and always gorgeous Dumbo feather, pass it on. In it was an interview about this guy who had a dream about organising a sustainable event - a festival. Matt Grant - I'm very glad you followed your dream!

photo by Palwesha Yusaf

Love Sex and Communication

2010-11-05T10:22:00.001+11:00

Tickets are selling fast! Book yours now - scroll down right-hand-side column for bookings.

Moon Diary giveaway

2010-10-28T12:53:00.001+11:00

We have 5 gorgeous 2011 Moon Diaries to giveaway!!
These diaries are 100% Australian made, produced using vegetable inks and 100% recycled paper - taking care of Mother Earth... Each diary contains information about the moon and her phases and transits - and they are beautifully illustrated too... So here's what you need to do...
Subscribe to Barefoot at www.barefootmagazine.com.au or if you're already a subscriber, for a friend - then go to our Facebook page and say ' I'm a new subscriber!' and we'll send you out your diary with your first issue!!! Quick!! There are only five copies so get to it....

Don't Let Me Offend You

2010-10-26T17:21:00.003+11:00

By Tiggy Johnson

I find it difficult to talk about some of my parenting decisions, particularly my stance regarding my children’s sugar intake. As a self-confessed sugar-Nazi, this is absurd because I know I’m doing a good thing, even though it isn’t always easy. Even so, it remains the one thing I feel most criticised for. Not that I’m strict on only how much sugar they eat.
    The other day my mother asked why I wasn’t buttering the bread for my eighteen month old before spreading it with a thin layer of homemade jam.
    It wasn’t an inquisitive or helpful Would you like the butter? but something accusatory as if I was depriving him of something vital, like oxygen.
    It went something like this.
    ‘Don’t you want butter?’
    ‘Why would I?’ I’ve never offered any of my three children butter.
    Mum shrugged, so I continued. ‘How many adults do you know who find it difficult to cut down on unhealthy foods they’ve been eating forever?’
    I knew immediately from her expression that she wouldn’t respond so, almost before it began, the conversation was over and I know why. Obviously, I could only have been referring to her, a grandmother who’d developed type 2 diabetes in her early-fifties and still, ten years later, sneaks in the odd naughty snack when no-one’s watching.
    In fact, she tries to sneak my kids a smorgasbord of sweet treats whether I’m watching or not, with one of two typical responses: That’s what grandparents are supposed to do or It won’t hurt.
    But it isn’t about whether the treat itself hurts. What will the kids think when they’re old enough to understand what diabetes means? Or wonder what Nana was thinking when she pushed McDonalds in front of them as she ate the sandwich she’d made for herself.
    I’ve tried to bring it up a few times, either with just Mum or among family and close friends. Nobody’s on my side. Sure, one of my sisters-in-law was horrified she once gave them lollies in the car; after dinner and their baths, teeth brushed, in pyjamas ready to fall asleep on the way. Generally though, they think I’m being uptight for not wanting the kids to have, say, the fifth or sixth treat within an afternoon or for insisting they have regular sugar-free days.
    Initially it bugged me that Mum overruled me and fed my kids junk regardless of what I said, but by the time my eldest (now seven) was five, the issue was that my family failed to support me and that they were undermining my authority.
    A few years ago, as a children’s party was winding down and most of the guests had gone, I brought it up again, hoping to enlist the understanding of my oldest friend.
    Instead, she suggested that if we were guests in her home, her family would offer them lollies.
    ‘I’d say no,’ I said.
    ‘It’s our custom,’ she replied. ‘Just one lolly.’
    ‘One lolly is one lolly. One lolly at your house today; chocolates, lollies, biscuits and sweet drinks at Nana’s tomorrow; a birthday party the next; and when they get to school, it might be the teachers with a reward or a classmate bringing chocolates to share for their birthday; they want to play at a friend’s house after school…’
    ‘Yeah,’ she said, nodding. ‘I see what you mean, but it’s our custom. A long-held tradition and if they don’t take it, we’re offended.’
    ‘Oh,’ I said, and later wish I’d added, ‘But it’s okay to offend me?’

Tiggy Johnson is a Melbourne writer and mother of three. Her short story collection Svetlana or Otherwise (Ginninderra Press) was released in 2008 and her poetry collection First taste in 2010. She is the editor of page seventeen and blogs at www.tiggyjohnson.blogspot.com

The Invisible Cords - Stages of Separation

2010-10-18T11:23:00.001+11:00

Laura Innes has written a lovely guest post for us, about her experiences with her girls, on separation and independence. Thanks Laura!

After the birthing of your child, whether it is cut or falls away naturally, the separation of the umbilical cord is an awakening.An awakening to the idea that you and your child are indeed two separate entities. After a pregnancy where you felt very much to be one being, two hearts beating within the same vessel.
While this is the more obvious and well known ‘cutting of the cord’, it has dawned upon me that there are ongoing, more subtle separations that help to ease us gently into the growing independence of our children. The creating of their own lives, separate from ours.

One of these moments came upon me when my first daughter, new to the world of school, tried to insist that I needn’t walk her up to her class anymore.
It’s not that I wouldn’t feel safe letting her make her way to her classroom, there are only forty-one children in the whole school, and I find it to be a very safe little community. I just simply want to do it. To hold her hand as we make our way up together. As much for my benefit (or maybe more so), than for hers. While I’m not working, I have the opportunity to be there every day. I love being involved in what’s new in her world. Seeing her creations, meeting with her teacher, and putting a face to the so often mentioned names of her friends.
It’s a small way of comforting me that she is safe, accepted and comfortable in the environment where she spends so much of her time these days.
I’ve realised that her not needing my kiss goodbye anymore, though I still offer it every day, is not a sign of rejection. Rather it’s a sign of confidence. That my precious child feel s secure enough in her being not be intimidated with the prospect of being away from my side.
I no longer force that morning kiss; just accept graciously when it is returned, and walk back to the car, to my day, knowing that my girl is okay without me.

Another of these subtle separations presented itself to me with the return of menstruation after my second daughter’s birth. Eleven months after her umbilical cord was cut, I recognized that familiar, yet almost forgotten warm trickle. I felt a little overwhelmed, not something I expected to happen. It was like a marking of the final chapter to my pregnancy and birthing era.
Although I still feed her frequently at my breast, my body has shifted in the recognition that my baby is less dependent on me, and is making way for the opportunity to nest and nurture a new spirit.

What an amazing gift to be a woman in this moment. To trust and amaze at the instinctive capabilities of my own body.
These moments are providing me with a reflection on the idea that our children, as much as they are a part of us, are also their own separate beings.

An opportunity to let go a little of the emotional strings of attachment, and allow these beautiful souls room to grow and develop.
At times I know I’ll have the natural urge to hold on tight. I will try instead to take a step back and appreciate the resilience and confidence my children have developed. To feel proud that I have been a part of that, and to know they feel safe enough to venture out on their own, while trusting that I am here when they need me.

About me:
My name is Laura Innes; I live in the Yarra Valley and am a young mother of two spirited girls who inspire and amaze me every day.
I am passionate about instinctive parenting, gentle birth, breastfeeding, and trying to grow as a mother through all the trials and joy motherhood brings.

Book giveaway winner

2010-10-11T13:35:00.001+11:00

Thanks to those of you who commented, and shared your favorite and influential books, read as a child. Anna and I have decided to give the lovely book of songs Mr Bandicoot and Other Tales to Sherryn. Sherryn reminded us just how the Narnia series evokes such imagination and whimsy. Wardrobes are still a favorite place of mine (not that I really fit in one anymore).Well done Sherryn! Email admin with your snail mail address and we'll send you out your prize.

Tablelands Folk Festival

2010-10-11T11:28:00.001+11:00

Another festival for those of you who are up in North Queensland

It's on the 21st to 24th October, 2010

It's being held at Yungaburra, Atherton Tablelands,
North Queensland, Australia

For more information and tickets go to
http://tablelandsfolkfestival.org/

Mullum Mullum Festival

2010-10-04T17:30:00.004+11:00

Seems it's the festival season already!!!
If you're in Melbourne this weekend - the Mullum Mullum festival is on..

Have a look at the website for all the great activities that are on - walks, star gazing with astronomers, musical performances, gum leaf playing, story telling, boomerang throwing...
or email us for a program..

www.vicnet.net.au/~mulfest

The GreenWay Festival - Cooks River, NSW

2010-10-04T17:23:00.003+11:00

For those of you in NSW, this looks like a fun day out on Saturday 10th October, 2010, for the GreenWay Eco-Festival. The Festival is to celebrate a new pathway for pedestrians and cyclists between Cooks River and Iron Cove, promoting this sustainable transport corridor.

The GreenWay Festival features a week-long program of activities ranging from bike tours and local history walks, to biodiversity workshops, bushcare working bees, an art exhibtion and art and drawing classes in the GreenWay.

The Inaugural GreenWay Festival runs from 10th - 17th October and details of workshops are in the Festival Program, and enrolment is available on the festival website http://www.greenway.org.au/

Influential Books of Our Childhood (and a great giveaway)

2010-10-04T14:00:00.001+11:00

Are there books in your childhood that have influenced you? I’m not necessarily talking of your favorite books, but those that had an impact on you.
As my favorite books come to mind I am writing them down to get them out of my head – so I can ponder some of the influential ones. Oh, here they come (everyone likes writing a list of these!):

Fav books:
Richard Scarry Best Storybook Ever
Richard Scarry Best Storybook Dictionary
Anything by Enid Blyton
Grimms Fairy Tales
Mulga Bill’s Bicycle
Ant and Bee
Ping
Little Black Sambo
I Can Lick Thirty Tigers Today (and other stories)and many other Dr Suess

Influential Books
The Bible
How We are Made
What’s Happening to Me
Grimm’s Fairy Tales
Horton Hatches the Egg
Aesop’s Fables
Jaws

I ponder the list I’ve written. How moralistic are the stories in the books that have influenced me! Why had these books/stories within, have such an influence? Why am I feeling a little nauseous as I think of them? I remember What’s Happening to Me filled me with dread – I didn’t want pointy boobs like that! And I certainly didn’t want to see my brother standing on the diving board at the pool, with an erection. I gave Jaws to my Dad for Christmas one year, only to steal it back and read it myself. I now have a morbid fear of deep water shadows. Karma.

Anyway I shall leave this with you – have a think about the books that have influenced you. Write a comment about them. Barefoot will give away a copy of the gorgeous book and cd set Mr Bandicoot and Other Tales to our favourite comment on this blog post. It’s a collection of unique Australian nursery rhymes by Anne Lawson (sung by Kate Rowe). We’ll contact one of you lovely readers (yes you have to comment to be in it!) and send it out.

Read Anna’s review below

Mr Bandicoot & Other Tales is a lovely collection of rhymes that has simple, but engaging pictures matched with a CD of accompanying songs. My 4 year old daughter has loved listening and reading/watching along, commenting on the pictures as she does so! I especially love that this collection of rhymes originates from a mumma who made them up for her children, and that her children loved them and remembered them years later – encouraging her to publish them for other children to enjoy. I think this book/CD collection is a great antidote to the populist children CDs that are on the market at the moment. Available from leading book stores or at the website http://www.mrbandicoot.com/.

So come on readers, tell us about the most influential books you recall from your childhood. Anna and Jenny will ~~argue over~~ decide the best comments and winner will be chosen next Monday (October 11).
Cheers

Jenny and Anna

Barefoot Event - Love, Sex and Communication

2010-10-04T11:56:00.002+11:00

Hello lovely Barefoot followers
We have another event coming up - it's about love, sex and communication.
All the details are on our homepage but in short...
We have Bettina Arndt and Martien Snellen as our speakers for this event. It's on December 1, 2010 at 7pm at the Eltham Community and Reception Centre, 801 Main Road (opposite the pub), Eltham.
Our last two events sold out - so don't miss out on tickets this time.
Only $15 or $10 concesssion.
They are available through Paypal on the side panel of our blog, or email us if you'd prefer to pay by direct deposit.
See you there.
The Barefoot Team

Last Sunday Marked The End Of Child Protection Week

2010-09-13T20:57:00.001+10:00

By Jenny Chapman

I didn’t even know it. Did you? Thank you to the Twitter people who brought this to my attention, particularly @carolduncan .

Child abuse is something, unfortunately, that happens daily, hourly, in every corner of the globe. I am not just talking of physical violence, or even sexual abuse, but of psychologically and emotionally violating our children.

I am not talking about protecting our children from learning hard lessons in life. I am not talking about ‘cottonwoolling’ them. I am certainly not talking about letting them grow into inappropriate behaviours. I am talking about respect and care for these little human beings. I am talking about being responsible for the way our children are treated in this world—a world that at the moment, we are custodians of. The world where someday, our children will take the reins and steer this planet into the way of being that they themselves have been taught. By us.

Right now, I want to talk about spanking.

In some cultures and countries, even so called advanced, western countries, ‘spanking’ is not seen as child abuse, but of a firm but loving form of behaviour modification. There are some articles on the web that I find abhorrent, advocating boundary control with spanking, in the most ‘loving’ and concerned language. Here is one such article . Some things said there just left me speechless.

I grew up in a household where there was moderate spanking, and grew up believing that spanking was required to ensure boundaries of behaviour. In fact, I was taught by a famous American Christian author that (and 25 yrs since reading it I STILL remember this) one must break a child's spirit by the time they were three, in order to control his/her behaviour in the future. And that spanking was the best method to do this. Thankfully I wasn’t a parent at the time I believed in this.

Here in Australia spanking/hitting/corporal punishment is illegal. And I am glad. It is an act of violence toward another person. By this I mean for a child, it violates their personal space; it violates them physically, emotionally and psychologically. How can it not? It is a shock to the system in every way, and why would we willing want to do this to our children who are absolutely dependent on us? To overpower a child is hardly difficult. To do so physically through the medium of spanking is hardly difficult. It is an 'easy' form of control—but is it right? I don't think so. We come from a culture where spanking has in the past, been a traditional form of control. We live in a culture that believes it has to disempower others in every invasive way possible in order to achieve our goals. So it can be difficult to think outside this square. But hang on—this is almost an insult—we are intelligent beings. If we can’t think of suitable working alternatives we have a big problem.

Nowadays we do know and are far more aware of our parenting practices. There are alternatives to 'spanking' and we as individuals can choose these alternatives. Our children are so trusting to us with their lives, their little bodies. I want us to honour that trust by respecting them in any way that we possibly can. Physically overpowering them, except when safety is an issue, is not an option.

Conscious parenting for me is not about perfect parenting (thank goodness) but about trying to think through the consequences of my parenting choices, preferably before I make them (being the nature of being ‘conscious’). What am I teaching/modelling for my child? What am I really doing to my child?

If you are interested in a great article against spanking, I do suggest you take a look at The Natural Child Project . It has an impressive list of resources at the end.

For a heartfelt, informed blog highlighting child protection issues here in Australia, I direct you to Rants of a Redundant Mother

For further information regarding Child Abuse in Australia, or to get involved with campaigns, have a look at NAPCAN. There is local contact info on this site for those who need help.

On Feeling Welcome

2010-09-05T22:35:00.001+10:00

By Jenny Chapman

Be welcome.

What is it that makes us feel welcome? Does it come from the way others treat us, or from our own sense of self acceptance? I think it comes from both. We need a level of self-acceptance to sit comfortably with the acceptance of others.

Last year my world crashed around me as I dove into a black pool of depression and self-rejection. I isolated and gave up on myself, my work, my friends and my lover. Every day, and this was the worst because I could see myself doing it, I rejected my son and his needs. I spent days in bed and did not want my son around. Not because I didn’t love him, but because I felt I had nothing to give him, and to be awfully honest, I preferred most times to have my head in a book. I palmed him off to friends, family and his father, much more than was necessary. But being a single mum, he was around—and had to wear whatever I dumped on him. He was not welcome, and though I tried to mask it, in his own four year old way he knew it. The memory of it horrifies me.

Slowly his behaviour changed as his sense of being welcome and accepted diminished. Nothing changed about his needs, but his sense of freedom to come and go in my presence obviously started fading. He became more wary; not knowing if or when he would be pushed away. He became clingy. He changed to being more ‘contrary’ and behaving from a base of frustration and uncertainty rather than contentment. He changed to inappropriate attention-seeking behaviours. (And I wallowed in exhaustion, sadness and guilt.)

Thankfully I have been learning ways of coping that suit our little family. First and foremost was to heal the fractures of the bond between my son and I. I am so thankful for the resilience that is in a child. I’ll share another time, how I have discussed depression with him. We enjoy a wonderful intimate relationship again now.

Through my experience I learned that one of the most important things we can do for our children’s self esteem is make sure they know they are 'welcome' in our home, our workplace...our personal space. It MATTERS. Our facial expressions and body language, MATTER. That their company is welcome, MATTERS. And, knowing that we want to be in their company, MATTERS. It’s not always easy, I am the first to admit.

Welcome=acceptance=self acceptance. I think it's the foundation of our 'social needs' as human beings. I think that this early sense of feeling ‘welcome’ as a child, becomes the foundation of our own self-acceptance, and avoids that gnawing, insatiable ‘need’ that many of us experience, leading us to make all sorts of choices and behaviours that invariably leave us, still wanting, in fragmented relationships and communities.

Be welcome. A magical element of being alive and part of an amazing world.

Be welcome to our Barefoot community, where our passion for parenting, community and our earth mingle together in words, provoking thought and discussion.

Be welcome, to read each others' stories of life, love, loss, and laughter.

Be welcome. Welcome to read, share, comment (please do!)

Sarah's Seasonal Table

2010-08-30T16:46:00.001+10:00

So by now our subscribers should be receiving their Spring 2010 issue - and we promised photos of the beautiful recipes that Sarah gave us in her Seasonal Table pages...

So here they are...

The sweet ricotta hotcakes - with honey yoghurt and mixed berries

The savoury ricotta hotcake - with fresh zucchini and roasted tomatoes

The savoury tart - delicious!!

Some other tart flavours that may inspire you are:

* mushroom and goats cheese

* pea, pancetta and parmesan

* pumpkin, ricotta and olive

* roast tomato and basil

* leek, goats cheese and thyme

* leek and smoked trout

Thanks again to Sarah for her delicious recipes.

Let us know if you try them out and what you think...

Anna

Our Event

2010-08-25T23:10:00.003+10:00

Our Boys event is now SOLD OUT - sorry to those of you who have missed out on tickets..
If you've booked tickets and haven't paid for them yet, email us and we'll send you our direct deposit details..
x

Living Barefoot in honour of Iris

2010-08-16T13:39:00.006+10:00

Rachel was on Life Matters this morning on ABC Radio National - and she was wonderful..

Listen to her interview here...

Living Barefoot in honour of Iris

We miss you Iris oxoxo

Life Matters...

2010-08-09T12:16:00.000+10:00

Our lovely Rachel is going to be on the radio again - this time on Radio National on Life Matters!
When: Monday 16th August at 9.45am
621AM in Melbourne, otherwise look it up your local frequency on the ABC website..
Put it in your diaries...
x

Winners!!

2010-08-02T20:51:00.002+10:00

So we have some winners!!

Naina from Greensborough, VIC won our 2 night getaway to Huon Bush Retreats. Lucky, lucky thing...
Her entry was "I've learnt that you never stop learning, your kids are the most important teachers on this journey, no matter how small they are - they point the way!"
Too true Naina - you can thank your kids for a weekend getaway too now...
Have fun. You deserve it!

Our other lucky winner is Brooke Patel from VIC as well - Her beautiful photo won her a $50 voucher to the Fairy Ring. Her winning photo will be featured in our Spring issue of Barefoot and we've included it here too..

Thanks to everybody who submitted their beautiful photos and entered our subscription competition - we love feeling connected to you all out there..

Take care

Anna

Some cool stuff happening around town...

2010-07-26T11:48:00.000+10:00

Firstly - sorry. Sorry about the lack of love on our blog lately. Sorry we haven't posted anything for a really long time - but our long term plan is to start posting articles, pictures, great photos, links - all the things that blogs are really great for - so while we don't want you to hold your breath, start getting excited about the prospect of a new, fuller Barefoot blog...

So I have a few things I'd like to share with you - that we at Barefoot think are worth mentioning...

WWMN is proud to announce the launch of its 9th radio show

Primary Perspectives -eco-radio created for kids by kids!
Tues 27 July 4-5pm
on Melbourne’s premier sustainability station 94.1fm 3WBC
and worldwide via live streaming www.3wbc.org.au
Tune in and send our young team a word of encouragement via text on 04 4800 9800

Here at Barefoot, we don't like to post advertising for advertising's sake - but thought what Nature Babycare is doing is worth a plug - we are all about community here and love the idea that this is being promoted below:

'Nature Babycare, the range of natural and biodegradable baby products, are creating a unique community of parents from all over the world. Rather than investing in expensive advertising campaigns, they have made a conscious decision to invest in improving their products, and instead rely on word of mouth marketing via their recently revamped Nature Babycare “Ambassador Program”. Australian parents are invited to join the international Nature Babycare community on http://www.natyambassadors.com' and be part of this company improving their products..'

Take care out there...

Anna
xo

New look Blog!

2010-06-17T13:53:00.000+10:00

So I've tried to jazz up the blog a bit - mainly so I could add the event payment button on the side panel - and I got a bit carried away...
Hope you're all well out there in cyber land.
Anna
xo

Turning Tears into Laughter - website correction

2010-06-07T09:32:00.000+10:00

Please note that in our book reviews in the Winter 2010 issue, the web address for Turning Tears into Laughter by Lou Harvey-Zahra should read http://www.skiptomylouparenting.com/.

Sorry for any confusion!

Take care

Anna xo

Sarah's Seasonal Table - Winter 2010

2010-05-31T16:50:00.000+10:00

In our Winter 2010 issue, we have new recipe pages, created by Sarah Foletta (a well known chef in the Melbourne cafe scene). This issue she has shared her warming mushroom risotto, hot chocolate pudding and poached pears recipes... I was lucky enough to be the professional taster, so thought I would share some of the photos of these delicious dishes.. They are soooo good...

This is the preparation for the mushroom risotto - I just love the look of everything in the stripy bowls - I'm never this organised... perhaps I should be...

This is the gorgeous mushroom risotto!

This is what the chocolate pudding looks like before you pour the water over it...

Pouring the water....

Hot out of the oven...

This is how you cook the pears... covered with some plates..

Yum! Chocolate pudding with poached pears and ice-cream. You will not be left disappointed!

Thanks Sarah for these beautiful recipes.

Let us know if you try them out - and what you thought!

Take care

Anna

The Green Promise Nappy Initiative

2010-05-31T16:01:00.000+10:00

Thought some of our readers/supporters who have bubs still in nappies would be interested in this initiative - It starts tomorrow..

My Green Nappy.org presents:

The 100 Green Promise Nappies Initiative: It’s a Giveaway Event!

Winter 2010 - June 1 - July 15

Save $$, Eco-Friendly, Popular!

Modern nappies are shaped, fitted and easy to use. They are thrown in the wash, rather than the bin.

The Green Promise Nappy Initiative is an online contest in which you can win a modern cloth nappy for your baby to wear.

What better way to try out a modern cloth nappy than to WIN one?

Register to play at My Green Nappy.org for a chance to WIN one of these special ‘Cloth Ambassador’ nappies!
http://www.mygreennappy.org/my-green-promise-nappy

Our facebook Page is: http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Green-Nappy-Down-Under/26512473811

Take care
Anna
xo

Our boys - where are they heading?

2010-05-24T23:07:00.003+10:00

After our wildly successful event earlier in the year about Our girls, Our bodies, Ourselves - we've decided it's time we did another... This time we're focusing on our boys -

Our boys - where are they heading???

How can parents, teachers and the wider community support boys and young men through childhood and adolescence as they grapple with issues of technology, bullying, relationships, violence and drugs. How can we help them to grow into confident, happy and balanced men?

Speakers

Maggie Hamilton - Writer, teacher and publisher, Maggie gives regular talks, lectures and workshops throughout Australia; writes for magazines; is a keen observer of social trends; has a passion for the art of living meaningfully, and is a regular media commentator. In her newly completed book What’s Happening to Our Boys? Maggie puts the lives of our boys under the microscope, uncovering the issues they struggle with, and how best they can be supported.

Andrew Fuller - As a clinical psychologist, Andrew works with many schools and communities in Australia and internationally, specialising in the wellbeing of young people and their families. He is the author of a number of books including: Tricky Kids, Guerrilla tactics for teachers, Raising real people, From surviving to thriving and Beating bullies. Andrew has established programs for the promotion of mental health in schools, substance abuse prevention, and the reduction of violence and bullying, suicide prevention programs and for assisting homeless young people.

Wednesday Sept 1st, 7pm (doors open) for a prompt 7.30pm start

Eltham Community and Reception Centre

Cost $15 ($10 conc) Paid prior to event (See Paypal button below)

RSVP by 25th August by emailing rachel@barefootmagazine.com.au

Other enquiries please call 0400 683 430

Don't worry - if you'd like to buy more than one ticket, you will be given this option in the next screen..

Hope to see you there (and if you live interstate, we'll be podcasting this one as soon as humanly possible after the event)
Take care
Anna
ox

Winter is coming!

2010-05-17T10:05:00.000+10:00

As I sit at my computer, with beanie, fingerless gloves, scarf and a multitude of layers of clothes - it seems fitting that our Winter 2010 issue has gone to the printer this morning...

This issue is an exciting one for us, as our growing mag is going into newsagencies Australia wide. It feels like our baby is taking it's first big steps in the world (well Australia anyway) - so now it should be easier for people to find us, stumble across us, discover us and more importantly enjoy us!

So if you have a friend in a town somewhere in Australia, and you think they might enjoy Barefoot, tell them to head down to their newsagency and ask for Barefoot... Spread the word...

For all of you who subscribe, you can look forward to your Winter issue arriving next week - we'll be sending them out Tuesday. If you like waiting to buy your copy individually, you'll have to wait till the following week...

Stay warm and take care

anna

Rachel's Radio Interview on 774 ABC Melbourne

2010-05-12T23:09:00.001+10:00

Here's the link to Rachel's interview on 774 today if you missed it -

http://blogs.abc.net.au/files/rachel-watts-interview.mp3

xo

Radio stars!!

2010-05-10T15:45:00.003+10:00

Exciting news on the media front!
Rachel is being interviewed by Richard Stubbs on 774 ABC Melbourne on Wednesday 12th May (next Wednesday) at 1.30pm.!!
So if you're home, or in the car, or have the ability to listen - please do! You can even listen live through the computer if you don't have a radio..
http://www.abc.net.au/melbourne/
Otherwise, we will put the podcast up as soon as it is available.
Happy listening!
xo

Winner!!

2010-05-03T16:50:00.001+10:00

Congratulations to Pat from Northcote who won our subscriber prize for March/April!!
Pat has won a night away in Daylesford at 'Dja William', staying in a luxury tipi...
Lucky thing..
xo
check our www.gentleearthwalking.com.au if you'd like to see it for yourself..

Barefoot Event - Our girls, our bodies, ourselves

2010-04-19T20:28:00.003+10:00

So it's here!
Our podcast of our event that we held at the end of February is now available to listen to at home. Enjoy...

Let us know what you think..

Take care
The Barefoot Team

Why go barefoot?

2010-04-19T10:57:00.003+10:00

A friend of mine just sent me this great link to a blog - which goes into why being barefoot is so important... so I had to share it with you all..

http://zenhabits.net/2010/03/barefoot-philosophy/

It's well worth the visit..
Here's to being barefoot!

much love
anna
ox

March/April Subscription Draw

2010-03-15T11:53:00.004+11:00

If you subscribe during March/April, you go in the draw to win a night away!!

Our friends at Dja William have kindly donated a night away in their tipi's - in Daylesford, Victoria. Breakfast included and a wonderful opportunity to get away for the night with your partner, friend or by yourself!!

Have a look at the website for more photos http://www.gentleearthwalking.com.au/ and subscribe!!

If you're already a subscriber, get a gift subscription for a friend and make sure you let us know that you would like to be entered into the draw yourself!!!

Take care

Anna xo

International Women's Day

2010-03-02T10:19:00.004+11:00

Another great event is coming up in March in Eltham -

Each year the Nillumbik Women's Network and the Nillumbik Shire Council launch their 'Celebrating Nillumbik Women'.

Monday 15th March 2010

12 - 3pm

at the Eltham Community and Reception Centre

801 Main Road, Eltham 3095

Light lunch provided

RSVP by 8th March

Bookings by phone 9433 3161

or Daniella.Tarle@nillumbik.vic.gov.au

Book Launch

2010-03-02T10:02:00.006+11:00

Apologies for all the Melbourne based events (to those of you who aren't in Melbourne!) but coming up soon is a launch for a great book written by local woman Lou Harvey-Zahra.

See details and visit http://www.skiptomylouparenting.com/ for bookings or more information...

Friday 26th March, 2010 at 7pm

Eltham Library Multi-purpose Hall, Panther Place, Eltham

Nibbles & drinks, accompanied by beautiful string sounds..

Special guest speaker is John Allison.

Barefoot Reader Survey

2010-02-22T13:03:00.003+11:00

Hi

We here at Barefoot, want to know what you want from Barefoot, so we have created an online survey! It should take 5-10 minutes and if you choose, you can go in the draw to win a 12 month subscription for a friend (or yourself!)

Participate in online survey

Thanks in advance..

Take care

Anna
xo

Media stars...

2010-02-10T20:47:00.002+11:00

So we have some radio and TV appearances coming over the next week - so if you want to hear (and see) what we have to say, here's where you'll find us...

TV
Charlotte will be on Channel 31 twice..
Eastern Newsbeat will be aired on Monday 15th February at 9am and Thursday 18th February 11.30am.

and...

Rachel is being interviewed this Friday 12th February on local Melbourne radio station - Plenty Valley Radio (88.6FM) 2.20pm.

So listen to us, watch us, support us!!

Slow Fashion Show

2010-02-04T20:52:00.002+11:00

For all our Melbourne readers, we are sponsoring this event at Fed Square during the Sustainable Living Festival on 20th February at 6.30pm... Looks like it's going to be fun, so head in if you get a chance..

A bit more about it...

SLOW FASHION – STYLE WITH A LIGHTER FOOTPRINT

Slow Fashion is a new movement in sustainable style.

Slow Fashion is made and acquired in ways that respect other people and the environment for the whole life-cycle. It is about quality, not quantity. Promoting creativity in the production and use of materials that minimise environmental impact. Slow Fashion encourages timeless individual self expression and style, over trend.

The event will showcase fair trade, vintage, handmade and environmentally sustainable new fashion and include individuals who demonstrate their unique style without costing the earth.

For more details visit slowfashion.net.au

Full Festival program available at www.festival.slf.org.au.

The Sustainable Living Festival is a free community event.

If you're in the city and at the SLF over the weekend of 20/21st February, make sure you say hello to the lovely people at Print Together and pick up some of our sustainable postcards to send to all friends - spread the word about barefoot!!

Take care

Anna
xo

Subscription Prize Winner

2010-02-01T14:10:00.003+11:00

We have a winner!!
Congratulations to Lisa from Hunters Hill, NSW who won our Breeze Baby sling from Babes in Arms (www.babesinarms.com.au).
Thanks to everyone who subscribed in December/January..
Take care
xo

Facebook friends!

2010-01-24T21:47:00.002+11:00

Just wanted to let you all know that we are on Facebook now - so if you are on there too and want to become a fan of Barefoot, you can!!
We are going to try and use Facebook as a way of updating everyone of news and interesting events that might be happening... so keep in the loop and become a fan...
www.facebook.com and search for Barefoot Magazine...
xo

Barefoot Event

2010-01-24T21:35:00.008+11:00

Barefoot is hosting an event on Wednesday 24th February at 7.30pm

We'd love you to come!

“Our girls, Our bodies, Ourselves”

Speakers: Melinda Tankard Reist (author and social commentator), Julie Gale (writer, performer and founder of Kids Free 2B Kids) and Jane Hardwicke Collings (independent midwife and workshop facilitator)

This is an event about girls, women and our bodies. It’s also about popular culture, sexualisation, social pressures and negative messages, self worth, true value, action and rites of passage. The evening will include listening, spirited discussion and maybe a laugh or two too…

$15/$10 concession, includes a light supper.

Please note: the content of this evening is aimed at adults. Babes in arms welcome.

RSVP by 18th Feb to Charlotte Young 0417 509 756/9722 2525 or charlotte@barefootmagazine.com.au

Places are filling up quickly..

Venue: Eltham Community and Reception Centre, 801 Main Rd, Eltham Victoria 3095 Melways 21 J5

For more information and to receive the flyer, email anna@barefootmagazine.com.au

Hamper Winner!!

2010-01-01T17:22:00.001+11:00

Thanks to everyone who subscribed before Christmas. We had a great response to our Christmas Hamper draw and our winner was Rosemary from Main Beach in QLD!
If you're reading this Rosemary, give us a call! I can't get a hold of you!
Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and New Year.
Take care
Anna

On Compromise and Christmas

2009-12-23T09:58:00.000+11:00

I was listening to Radio National the other morning – which is one of life’s great pleasures for me – and pricked my ears up as I heard the philosopher Avishai Margalit interviewed about his book On Compromise and Rotten Compromises. The book is really about political compromises, not personal compromises, but it got me thinking. Particularly this quote, ‘We should, I believe, be judged by our compromises more than by our ideals and norms. Ideals may tell us something important about what we would like to be. But compromises tell us who we are.’

This makes utter sense to me. It’s easy to be impressed by a person’s or a group’s stated ideals and values, but when and where they compromise is a much truer measure of what really matters to the person or group. Avishai Margalit doesn’t see compromise as a good or bad thing, but he talks about compromises that actually help work towards peace and those that should never be made (they’re the rotten ones!) because of the damage they cause. So, as we hurtle towards the festive season, maybe a little compromise should be on the menu (as well as free range turkey and biodynamic pork!)

No-one in my family gets too fussed about Christmas; no-one has hard and fast rules that must be obeyed, or Christmas traditions that have to be adhered to. (Actually that’s not true. My dad insists that he is the only one capable of buying a decent ham and the only one who can cook a traditional Christmas pudding. Needless to say, none of us has tried to change his opinion…and he does make great puddings.) But, I have friends who are turning themselves and their families inside out to attend every gathering, to keep everyone happy, to ‘have a really, really good Christmas’ (said through gritted teeth)…etc…etc. Might be worth a moment’s thought about what really matters and what can be compromised on?

Peace and kind thoughts, Rachel

Tummy bugs & kindness

2009-11-30T10:15:00.001+11:00

We’re just recovering from a particularly nasty gastro bug in our house. As I lolled about on the bed last Saturday afternoon feeling sorry for myself, I remembered another nasty bout of gastro many, many years ago. I’ll spare you the details of the symptoms as they were not the memorable part of the episode, it was what happened afterwards that has stuck in my memory.

I was living in southern NSW, boarding with a family and finding my feet in my first job as a brand new, squeaky clean psychologist. I didn’t know the family I was living with that well and I knew their daughter, who is the same age as me and was visiting her parents for a few days, even less. I had spent the Friday vomiting, but was determined to drive back to Melbourne for the weekend, so set off, with a bucket between my legs and a pile of towels next to me. When I returned on the Monday morning, I found my sheets washed and ironed, my bed re-made and some flowers in my room, with a short note which read, ‘It’s nice to have clean sheets after you’ve been sick. Katey xx’

I still think that’s one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me. I am a bit fascinated by kindness these days and often think about Katey’s kindness and many other kindnesses that have come my way. I have been reading the book On Kindness by Adam Phillips and Barbara Taylor. It’s a comprehensive history of kindness and an examination of what motivates kindness in people these days…and more importantly why kindness is so out of fashion. Phillips and Taylor make a good argument for how kindness has become our guilty pleasure; something we can’t admit to enjoying. And, how we tend to trivialise kind acts and view kindness with suspicion. It’s interesting to think about how and why kindness has moved from being seen as a natural virtue, inherently part of humankind to the point where people generally think that kindness is a weakness and only practised by losers. How often do you see the words ‘winner’ and ‘kind’ or ‘kindness’ in the same sentence?

Real kindness requires us to be vulnerable; to be aware of our own and other people’s vulnerabilities. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons that kindness is so out of favour…we all like to feel safe and don’t like to experience the unpredictable, which is what happens when we act in kindness; we never know where it might lead. Personally, I think kindness is one of the best parts of humankind and should be embraced. It is wonderful to be part of kindness in any way…as an observer, a receiver or a giver.

Rachel

Pad Thai

2009-11-26T09:57:00.002+11:00

For those of you who have received your Summer issue, here is Kate Quinn's extra raw food recipe from her Raw Feminine article.. Enjoy!

Pad Thai
Serves 6
Equipment: blender

Ingredients:

Salad:
4 cups bean sprouts
4 large cos lettuce leaves shredded
Fresh coriander chopped
Fresh mint chopped
½ cucumber chopped into chunky bite-sized pieces

Dressing:
1 cup raw almonds ground
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon of sherry vinegar/nama shoyu
1 tablespoon agave nectar1-
2 tablespoons ginger

Method:
Place all salad ingredients into a bowl.
In a blender, mix all of the dressing ingredients until well blended then mix well into the salad.

Moving through 'No'

2009-11-23T10:46:00.001+11:00

Hi Anna, there’s been a lot of hot air floating around my head during these hot and steamy days, so your talk of fans (and the rather large hint that me and Rachel are slack arses when it comes to blogging) has inspired me to share it with you!

I’ve been thinking recently about freedom and what it really means to be free—how much do we allow ourselves and our children to take that risk or have that experience?

When my oldest son was little, a friend and beautiful mother talked about how important it was for her to say ‘yes’ as much as possible to her wee ones so that they might experience the world fully. So when they’d want to play in the mud or the rain or go nudie in the sea, for example, she’d let them, overriding various voices in her head: ‘They’ll get dirty’, ‘They’ll catch cold’, ‘What will people think?’ And so on.

I really liked this idea and went along with it for the most part, within (my) reason. But ten years into family life, we’ve moved on from the mud and the ideal of ‘yes’ and onto other things. I don’t know how or when it happened but somewhere along the way my children’s desires for experiences turned into longings for ‘things’; mostly technological things for the boys who are ten and eight and crystals, clothes and horse mags for my four year old girl. Clothes—Four?! And this is for children who have been mindfully—mostly— shielded from the mass media hype.
I find it so much harder to allow material acquisitions than experiences of the world, so my ‘yes’s’ have become ‘no’s’ and all of us are struggling—me to be consistent and upright in my resolve and my children with the unpleasant surprise of not getting what they want as often as they used to. I kind of wish I’d said ‘no’ a lot more now, just for the hell of it and certainly for the practice of it.

The thing about a ‘no’ in our family is its longevity. How long will Mum and Dad last under the barrelling determination of the children? I’m tired at the moment and would like some more time so ‘yes’ beckons with promises on the horizon for all of us. But ‘no’ quietly grunts along in front—for the most part anyway—with roots stretching back to my past (the past that inspired my initial ‘yes’s’, ironically, having been brought up to be such a good girl).

‘Mama doesn’t get upset with Dada when she doesn’t get what she wants, you know,’ I found myself telling my daughter via the rear view mirror as we drove along. She was on mega sulk and I was trying to talk her out of it. But as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I felt it fill up with the thought of such a big fat lie! The countless times I have been challenged (and that was just through questioning—not an outright ‘no’) about something I have been planning to do have infuriated and enraged me to different degrees depending on my yearning and the manner of questioning.

Yearning, longing, desire—it’s such a fundamental part of our being-ness in the western world; how much time do we all spend wanting something and being a slave to our desires? From world peace to DS’s to a good night’s sleep! But this is where freedom comes in because desire, whether it’s for a material thing or an experiential thing or even a kitten (my eight year old’s current obsession), is linked into freedom. And I say this with the deep appreciation that I live in a democracy, never go hungry and have a relatively luxurious existence. I’ve realised that the best thing about longing for something is the actual longing itself; the yearning is the sweetest feeling—allowing myself to be in the moment and the middle of it is great and liberating! It’s not the object of my desire I want it’s the desiring and I’m right here, right now doing it. But try telling this to my four, eight and ten year olds! The last thing they’re feeling is liberated when they come up against a parental ‘no’.

‘No’ is a container for them to push against and flex their muscles; a ceiling where patience floats in clouds and lessons of practising to live with unrequited wants abound. Maybe after enough time they might get into the groove of just feeling the desire and enjoying it? For the moment though, they’re not having a bar of it! So I content myself with the thought that I’m providing some boundaries and holding for them; in navigating their desires and mine too, I just have to make sure the container of ‘no’ is solid enough to withstand their tenacious spirits and mobile enough to allow us room to grow...

Charlotte

Fans - what are they good for?

2009-11-19T22:20:00.004+11:00

So in the absence of Charlotte and Rachel sending me tidbits of wisdom, I'm going to write my own - and it's about fans...
Being incredibly hot in our terribly insulated, badly positioned house, and having ONE fan as our cooling method during these hot nights - I've been pondering the idea that fans might actually not be all they are cracked up to be....
Do fans just push the hot air around so it feels like it's cooler, or is there some method behind their apparent hard work? I'm beginning to think that they actually just massage our mental state, allowing us to THINK that we are being cooled down...
Anyone else got a theory?

Anna
xo

Recipe Blocks

2009-11-19T22:18:00.002+11:00

Check out this special for the Recipe Blocks cook book - there is one of these starter packs in our Christmas Hamper too..

A few more hamper items..

2009-11-09T10:45:00.006+11:00

Here are a few more latecomers to the Christmas hamper...

A Billie Baby Gift set (Billie Goat Soap Co.) from http://www.healthykidz.com.au/

A rainbow marble tree from http://www.epoche.com.au/

A great selection of great organic treats (only some pictured here!) from http://www.theorganicempire.com.au/

P.S. I seem to be having a bit of trouble getting all these photos to come up together... Sorry about the visual sprawl...

Christmas Hamper

2009-10-30T18:43:00.022+11:00

Wow! We have such an amazing prize hamper for all you subscribers, resubscribers and people buying gift subscriptions for friends to go into the draw for!!!

We've included just some of the prizes here for you to have a look at - and there are more coming... So keep an eye out to see what else is being added....

Below is a list of some of the items that have been kindly donated by our sponsors, advertisers and distributors... Have a look at their websites and see all their amazing ideas for Christmas presents (if that's what you do!)

Recipe Blocks Starter Pack from http://www.recipeblocks.com.au/

Stainless Steel Drink bottle from http://www.goinggreensolutions.com.au/

Honey Sticks Beeswax Crayons from http://www.spiralgarden.com.au/

Organic Cotton Baby Wipes from http://www.natureschild.com.au/

A toddle swaddle, some natural wax crayons & a wooden teether from http://www.thenaturalnewborn.com.au/

A book from The Eltham Bookshop

A red fish reusable swim nappy from http://www.newagenappies.com.au/

Reusable hemp wipes and organic cotton nursing pads from http://www.greennappyco.com.au/

A Pop in Nappy with Dry-Nite Booster from http://www.ozbabytrends.com.au/

A set of regular and mini Fregie Sacks from http://www.thefregiesack.com.au/

A tin of Mother's Little Helper Organic Soothing Balm from http://www.trifleshoppe.com/

A fold away organic shopper & Stainless Steel food box from http://www.4myearth.com.au/

Books from http://www.moonsong.com.au/
A Hess Spielzeug Town rattle and matching pram string from http://www.treefrogtoys.com.au/

A dog felt puppet from http://www.ecotoys.com.au/

and there's more to come!!!

So get subscribing for a friend for Christmas, or re-subscribe for yourself, or even better - subscribe just for you!

Have a good weekend.

Anna

Surprise!

2009-10-27T09:31:00.003+11:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHARLOTTE!!!

We want the world to know that it's Charlotte's birthday today!

She is such an amazing and inspiring woman, and boy, can she dance!

We love you heaps Charlotte - thanks for everything you are to us, our families and to Barefoot.

Have a day full of fun and laughter..

Anna & Rach

xoox

Christmas Special

2009-10-26T12:01:00.004+11:00

So you're already a subscriber and you miss out on all the great prizes on offer for subscribing??
This one is for you! Subscribe for a friend - get them a subscription for next year and YOU go into the draw to win a great hamper filled with goodies from our sponsors!
So all you need to do is jump onto our website and subscribe with your friend's details, then email me at anna@barefootmagazine.com.au with your name and I'll put you in the draw! Easy!
There! All your Christmas anxiety erased....
xo

Eltham Festival - November 7

2009-10-26T09:38:00.004+11:00

If you're in Melbourne and you're looking for a small town festival with lots of free entertainment for the kids - come to the Eltham Rotary Festival on November 7, 2009 from 12pm

We'll be there and we'd love to meet some of our readers!

Come and say hello!

Scrunchies, hoarding and stories...

2009-10-21T11:05:00.001+11:00

I have always been a hoarder. I think it’s a reaction to my father’s ‘If it hasn’t been used in six months then it should be thrown out’. To this day, my poor mum comes home to find the kitchen cupboards rearranged as dad has done a spot of culling. Ebay has been a boon for him!

When someone offers me their ‘stuff’, I can’t say ‘no’. So the other day, when I was offered an older friend’s complete scrunchie collection—collected over the past 30 years—how could I refuse? The large box filled with different colours, fabrics and sizes looked so cheery and beautiful and seemed to be calling my name.

My creative mind keeps telling me that ‘you never know when you might need 50 or so scrunchies for an 80’s theme party’ or ‘I’m sure they could be turned into an amazing fabric sculpture’ while the other side of me is saying ‘take them to the op shop…now!’

Actually we’ve had heaps of fun with them. The baby loves pulling them out of the box and throwing them in the air. My nearly 3-year-old boy loves putting them all up his arms and legs and turning himself into a colourful caterpillar. And, we all had fun the other night with my step-daughter dressing up and creating crazy hairstyles…dogs included.

I’m sure the reasons for hoarding are many and varied. I know part of it for me is about holding on to history, sort of documenting events and lives through objects. It’s the same reason I love writing and especially love working on Barefoot. Stories and words are another way of holding the history of an event or a person. We all use stories as a way of being anchored to the world and connected to others…and Barefoot is all about stories and connection.

So, for now the scrunchies are staying…you might even see a picture of an amazing scrunchie sculpture posted on this blog sometime soon!

Rachel

Downstream and listening

2009-10-14T13:16:00.000+11:00

Rachel, in response to your question...What’s making you smile?

This week, two people (one in a conversation, the other in an article) have talked about ‘responding to life’, not having a big life plan or even a little one. Just responding to whatever comes their way and in so doing they have created fulfilling and supportive work – life work – for themselves; one’s an international aid worker and the other is a civil celebrant in Sydney.

The pressure to go out and ‘do’ starts young with the questions from well meaning adults—what are you going to do when you grow up? I don’t get asked that anymore (strangely enough) but I still sometimes ask it of myself. I had a few contented years off from this question, in happy surrender to birthing and mothering, just going with the flow, not needing to ‘do’ so much as to ‘be’.

Over the last few months though, as my youngest needs me less, I’ve felt this growing impulse to be in the world AND do. Dare I say it...to change it! So I really liked hearing these two women talk about just responding to circumstances; seeing a need and responding, then seeing another need and responding. This is a much more gentle way of contributing to the world, the community, the family, the self...It made me smile and think of water—saying ‘yes’ to the flow and ‘no’ to pushing the river.

The other thing that made me smile was hearing the same message twice, from completely different sources, just a few days apart...I think I needed to hear it!!

Charlotte

Recipe Blocks Book Launch

2009-10-08T14:06:00.006+11:00

What have you got on this Saturday afternoon?

Are you in Melbourne?

Our very own Rachel Watts is launching a new book called "Recipe Blocks" by Kerrie Hancox & Claire Raymant on Saturday 10th October at the Urban Life Cafe (143 Maroondah Highway, Ringwood) from 3.00pm.

If you are interested in going, send an email to sarah@recipeblocks.com.au to reserve a ticket as there are limited spaces available.

Have a look at the flyer and come and say hello to us if you come!!

Anna

Subscribe during October

2009-10-05T15:15:00.003+11:00

It's nearly the end of October - and if you subscribe before November, you go into the draw to win a $50 voucher to Leatherwood Books! http://www.leatherwoodbooks.com.au/

So what are you waiting for?

Think about something that makes you smile...

2009-10-05T14:56:00.001+11:00

We love Justine Clarke’s CDs for kids at our house, and I especially love the lines
‘Think about something that makes you smile,
Think about it for a little while,
What you feel and what you see
And give your smile to me’

Here are a few things that have made me smile over the past few weeks….

The man who walks his dogs along the same track as us, who always has a pocket full of dog treats, which he hands out to all the other dogs who are out walking with their owners. He’s a bit of a favourite with our dogs Jack and Ruby!

The teenage boy I met at the park, who had his pet chicken walking behind him.

The father with his two adult sons I met just after they’d kayaked down a very full and fast Yarra river. They were all bursting with the joy of seeing the river so swollen from the recent rain, and being able to travel faster than they had for 5 years or more.

The young man who helped an elderly gent get out of a tricky parking spot. The young guy offered his help respectfully and kindly, and the older man, who might have felt embarrassed had it been handled differently, was left with all his dignity in tact.

A photo from a friend in the country of the flowers blooming in her garden since the Spring rains have arrived.

What’s making you smile?

Rachel

Spring offer at Spiral Garden

2009-09-21T11:33:00.000+10:00

Spring is here and I love it!!

Sun, some warm nights already and just the general lifting of Winter - it makes me want to dance.. And dance I will..

So one of our distributors has a Spring offer at the moment, and I thought some of you might want to take advantage of it..

http://spiralgarden.com.au/ (Barefoot stockist)

Spiral Garden ~ ...play, nature's way... a home-based online retail store specialising in wooden toys, fabric dolls, quality art supplies, natural craft materials, co-operative games, books, magazines and other natural and organic gift items.

Free Shipping for all orders over $80 not including postage

Australia only

Valid till 30 November 2009

Code = 'Spring' - enter into Discount Coupon section of Checkout

Have a great day...

take care

Anna

No electricity!

2009-09-03T10:33:00.001+10:00

Tuesday night last week (25 Aug) and the eye of the storm went right overhead. We (all five of us) stood and gazed open mouthed to see great gums bending over with their canopies dancing to chaos. The rain was hammering down but being whisked in every direction, so it didn’t look like it was falling at all. MAD! ‘Tree down’, ‘limb down’, we shouted as we ran from room to room, inspecting the rip that had torn through.

Amazing though, to see Nature in some of her crazy glory.

The result of which meant all three roads ‘out’ were blocked by fallen giants or their limbs (for the evening at least) and we were without power for thirty odd hours. A mere trifle in the global scheme of things, although I did feel a breath closer to tsunamis, tornadoes and whirlwinds and extremely grateful for our solid bricks built so carefully by the former dwellers. The window panes, on the other hand, had not made me feel so safe with their demanding rattling...and thankfully I didn’t see some of the roof tiles finding their way to the ground.

The biggest surprise and delight though was camping, all of a sudden, in our own home. Enforced slowing; nothing to do, except cook the dinner—porridge (thank goodness for gas) and sit by the fire (believing the electricity would be back in a while. The kids were asleep a whole hour earlier than usual and so were we, after a lovely relax with ‘nothing to do’.

If you’d have asked me, before this stretch without electricity, I’d have told you I was not ruled by technology, that I was well and truly in control of my usage and managed my juggling (family/working at the computer) with ease. I’ve since learnt I’d have been lying.

I was shocked at how ‘on’ I’d become. I’m not a facebooker, blogger (have serious concerns about starting this one!) or twitterer but I am an emailer and very occasionally a surfer. I don’t spend a lot of time at the computer but I am clearly hooked; I felt bereft without my connection. It had been removed, taken away from me and I kept catching myself just going to check my emails and then feeling empty.

So I was given this lovely opportunity to reflect on my attachment to this ‘feeling connected’ feeling. It’s not like I ever get really amazing news or profound insights when I’m ‘on’. I think it’s possibly a sense of being involved in a virtual community but that’s not strictly true as most of my emailers are friends or colleagues that I see as well as correspond with. I guess the virtual community may begin now...so then where will my addictions be?!

It is about belonging though, somehow. Can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it’s just that I feel like I belong to my computer. Yikes!

Enough talk of computers and more about peace. The house was wonderfully peaceful without electricity. I’m so used to the whirring of the fridge or the buzz of the stereo. I could feel the sense of the house more strongly, without the usual currents flowing through it. So much stillness and solidness!

The power’s back on today and noise is here with a vengeance as chainsaws are seriously disturbing the peace with their mania. It’s time for us to do a garden clean up so I think I’d better get out there and pick up all those scattered limbs and branches; say goodbye to fallen friends and thank the ones still standing.

Charlotte

Cheeky ads....

2009-08-31T22:57:00.000+10:00

Just wanted to say that we don't want any cheeky ads on our blog - from people trying to sell stuff that we don't want - so I have changed our settings so that we have to approve all your comments - but don't worry! We won't sensor you - just the rubbish that has been mass sent!
Hope you're all enjoying your Spring issue - have had a few people tell me already it's our best issue yet!! Get out there and get it - in shops this week!
xo

Smacking...

2009-08-30T09:17:00.000+10:00

Okay. Anna’s been pointing out how crappy our blog is and gently pushing us all (Charlotte, me and herself) to get writing…so I am resisting my inner luddite to put a few words down (or is it up?)

I have been watching with interest the slapping/no slapping of children debate in New Zealand. I’ll nail my colours to the mast here and now and say that I am fervently anti-smacking for lots of reasons (maybe the topic for another blog entry?). I was (pleasantly) surprised when the New Zealand government chose not to go with the majority in their recent referendum on removing the ‘no smacking’ laws which were introduced there a few years ago. So, in a nutshell, the majority of those who voted wanted the law to be removed—so that smacking was no longer a criminal offence—and the government decided to ignore the majority and keep the law. I guess there’s another debate (another blog entry?) to be had about whether or not governments should behave in what could be seen as a paternalistic way.

It’s easy to be clear, definite and to take the moral high ground when all is going well, but yesterday I had one of those moments when my firmly held beliefs (about smacking and about myself) were put to the test. I was saying goodbye to some friends after a long walk and natter when my two-and-a-half year old boy quietly disappeared on me. I spotted his curly, golden locks bobbing along as he ran happily through a busy car park towards our car. As soon as he heard my anxious calls, he hid behind another car and waited. By the time I found him I was full of fear, anger and relief all at the same time. The look of defiance on his face was the thing that tipped me into the realms of wanting to hit him. But why? Hit him for not listening? Hit him for the terror his running off had caused me? Hit him to teach him a lesson? Hit him to relieve my own anger?

I didn’t hit him. I bundled him into the car, locked the doors, stood outside for a few minutes and breathed. All the while, he was inside the car screaming and thrashing around…I couldn’t help thinking that he was expressing my rage and fear for me! A few minutes later he calmed down…and some time after that I calmed down and I was able to tell him clearly, strongly and with love (and a slight ‘mum’s really upset’ edge to my voice) what was unsafe about what he’d just done and why I was cross.

Everything was calm and sweet after that…and I was left to think about what had happened. It really just reinforced why I am anti-smacking. All of the times I have felt close to smacking and nearly all of the smacking I have witnessed or heard about has been about relieving the feelings of the parent, not about what is in the best interests of the child in that moment.

Well, it looks like I’ve thought of at least two more blog entries to write, so hopefully this will be the first of many. Thanks to all the Barefoot supporters…hope you enjoy the Spring issue, which will be out in shops next week. Subscribers already have theirs…one of the benefits of subscribing!

Rachel

Barefoot Magazine

Seven Sisters Festival - March 2012

Last issue - Summer 2011

Losing Iris

World Vegan Day Expo 2011

Thou art Mum Exhibition

Red Tent Movie: "Things We Don't Talk About"

Adventure photos

Barefoot Event - What teenage girls don't tell their parents!

Spring is here!

BIG kids magazine

Barefoot back issues

Solar Power Info Session

One of the wonderful places that sell our mag is the Enviro shop in Northcote (Melbourne).

We're pleased to support them by letting our readers know of their upcoming

(info below taken directly from their website)

Solar Power Info Night

Wed 3rd August

Hear the latest on Solar Power from the solar power experts

When

Where

Bring

How to Register

Changes to Barefoot

Upcoming Event!!

Listening to our Children in the Spaces

Red Nose Day

Birth.art Exhibition 14-30 June 2011

Seminar coming up....

Winners!!

The Science of Washing Nappies

Who Am I?

Right to Childhood Conference

Subsrciption giveaway!

Barefoot event - Bullying

A Gift of Flowers

Our Autumn Issue Out Soon!

BEING PRESENT

My Story of Jude

Our Summer Subscription Winner!

We have a winner!

BAREFOOT EVENT - BULLYING

An Important Response

Celebratory Book Launch

Australian Parenting Conference 2011

Boys Will Be Boys

Children's Book Launch!

December/January subscription prize!!

Education Links..

Stuck for Christmas ideas?

Winners!

Looking for something to do over New Years?

Love Sex and Communication

Moon Diary giveaway

Don't Let Me Offend You

The Invisible Cords - Stages of Separation

Book giveaway winner

Tablelands Folk Festival

Mullum Mullum Festival

The GreenWay Festival - Cooks River, NSW

Influential Books of Our Childhood (and a great giveaway)

Barefoot Event - Love, Sex and Communication

Last Sunday Marked The End Of Child Protection Week

On Feeling Welcome

Sarah's Seasonal Table

Our Event

Living Barefoot in honour of Iris

Life Matters...

Winners!!

Some cool stuff happening around town...

New look Blog!

Turning Tears into Laughter - website correction

Sarah's Seasonal Table - Winter 2010

The Green Promise Nappy Initiative

Our boys - where are they heading?

Winter is coming!

Rachel's Radio Interview on 774 ABC Melbourne

Radio stars!!

Winner!!

Barefoot Event - Our girls, our bodies, ourselves