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Hobart Is My HomeI’ve been given so much love, I must share it with others.By Christine Jolly

The day I got off the plane in Hobart, I married my husband, Mike.

We’d had a whirlwind internet love affair on display for all to see. Miraculously, he found my blog back in 2006 and liked what he read so much that he began interacting with me. Me, the constant skeptic when it came to finding love on the internet, welcomed the mutual respect and friendship growing between us. But what could possibly happen?! He lived an ocean away!

And yet within a very few short months, we both knew it. We were in love. He in Tasmania. Me in Kentucky, USA. We had to do something about it. He applied for a passport and flew out to meet

me. He turned out to be nothing like the fat, bald, 45 year old living in his mum’s basement that my friends were warning me about. In fact, he was just right. Tall and handsome with an oh-so-sexy Aussie accent. His strengths complemented my weaknesses and where I was strong, he was weak. God seemed to have brought us together in such a perfect way. Three days later we were engaged.

What did my parents think? Well, they were all the way back in Germany. Ha. Truth be told, I doubt they were surprised. In fact, no one was surprised. I was always off on some next great adventure. Naturally, I’d fallen in love and was leaving everything behind to move to ... where

again? The place that has vampires? Africa?

We had a church wedding in Germany, June 2007, with my dad’s congregation throwing us a crazy multi-cultural party. It was brilliant. We then honeymooned in the Bavarian Alps and then whooshed off to Hobart via Singapore. The moment we stepped off the plane, we headed to St. George’s Church in Battery Point where our good friend, Paul Chew, made everything legal with an Australian wedding.

Phew! Five years later? No regrets.

I’ve been swept away with love from my new island home and new family and friends. They embraced me wholeheartedly. Over the years, we all started...

HMN MONTHLY

Hobart Mums Network founder and director, Christine Jolly

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...having kids at the same time and have supported each other with a bond thicker than blood, at times.

Has it been difficult being so distant from my parents and friends in this new phase of life called motherhood? Yes. I’d love it to have my mum come over every afternoon and play with the girls or babysit for us at the drop of a hat! But I choose not to dwell on what I don’t have and instead delight in what I do. Thanks to technology, my two girls (3 and 1 1/2 ... but she thinks she’s three, too) have a lovely relationship with my family thru Skype and FaceTime. Over the webcam they are read stories, make silly faces, and give goodnight kisses.

When I first learned I was pregnant, I looked around at our network of friends, found a mum who I completely admired, and attached myself to her like a leach in a boot on the Overland Track. Once a week I imposed myself on her daily routine and just lived among the chaos of being a young mother with her. She welcomed me into her heart and home and I now do the same for others.

In 2011, I became quite concerned by the stark contrast of my own experience to the experiences of so many women entering motherhood in Hobart. So many, like myself, are far from their own mothers. And yet, where is a network of support for them? I had my lovely church family at Crossroads. But without a similar form of community, the daily grind of attempting to figure this parenting journey out could leave one feeling helpless. I was determined to right this social wrong.

What did I do? I started a Facebook page. If I was lucky I could get 20 of my friends to join and if they invited others... well, if we were fortunate, maybe we could get 50 in total. Today Hobart

Mums Network has more 1500 page likes. Amazing!

I hope more mothers will join us as the years go by to make this a true force for good in our community. We have been blessed in that so many have already given of themselves, their time, and efforts to mould Hobart Mums Network into what

it is today. Yes, I spend 40+ hours a week running the network. But it is you mums shaping the tone of the community, supporting one another, advising one another, standing beside one another, and leading one another. Hobart Mums Network is you, not me. I am merely the facilitator.

Promise me one thing! Promise me that over the years as the network grows and changes, you will always love each other. Always support. Always encourage. Always inspire. That’s all I ask.

Christine Jolly is a history and art teacher. She especially loves combining the two. She enjoys taking her girls along to Mainly Music and enjoys the tea, cake, and adult conversation afterwards as much as the silly songs and dance. She also studied Women’s Leadership while in Kentucky and teaches an introduction to books of the Bible for her church at Crossroads Mums.

“But without a similar form of community, the daily grind of attempting to figure this parenting journey out could leave one feeling helpless. I was determined to right this social wrong.”Christine Jolly

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The Jolly Family Mike, Christine, Ella (1 1/2), Olivia (3)

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Mums, Charlotte Rees and Emma French, with Hobart Mums designer Shiloh Longbottom scoping out the future location of The Haven.

Last month our Facebook page was abuzz with chatter surrounding a shared dream. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a space in the city where a mum could sit down, rest, feed and change her baby, drink a cup of tea while her toddler runs off some energy, and then resume her shopping trip refreshed! Overwhelming support for such an endeavor flooded in via Facebook, emails, and telephone calls.

Two days later there was a generous offer on the table. Kirstan Long, co-owner with husband Joss Fenton of EcoHaven (71 Murray St.), proposed the use of their ground floor to HMN at no cost. Herself a mum with two young children knows the value of rest, space, and rejuvenation. Late last year when the CBD branch of CWA launched STOP. REST. PLAY. (a warm sunny place for children to play, parents to sit and relax, and minds to meet to plan how to make our city more child-friendly) in the old Crazy Johns building across from the State Library, Kirstan was a vehement supporter, telling customers and friends of this lovely, welcome initiative. STOP. REST. PLAY. left as quickly as it came and in its place left an empty whole in the hearts of

parents who used the space and grew to love it. Kirstan and Joss had discussed over the few months since then what they could do to provide such a place in the city. Possibly their ground floor? And then they heard of our “chatter”.

They would happily let us use the space now. However, their current tenants, Start Up Tas, need to find larger offices to move into. As soon as they relocate Hobart Mums can begin making the place our own. Just imagine the far wall painted with chalkboard paint on the lower half and above it lovely displays by local family photographers. Our whimsical designer, Shiloh Longbottom, is already dreaming of the possibility of a mural along the walls.

Do you have quality toys or books your children have outgrown? Do you have children or adult furniture that might make the space comfortable and inviting? Are you or your partner eager to put time and effort into transforming the space with a fresh coat of paint or installing a new kitchenette? Stay tuned for ways you can help make our shared dream a reality.

The Havena place of rest in the city for weary familiesBy Christine Jolly

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Budget Friendly Activities for ChildrenBy Sara Warwick

With Winter fast approaching, I thought it might be nice to share some low-cost or cost free ways that we have entertained our four children. With expensive toys and gadgets becoming the norm for children, it is always nice to have some fun things to do at home, that don't cost the earth when the outdoors is not an option!

• Sock Matching - Gather a pile of the household sock pairs and place them individually in a pile on the floor. Have the children find both matching socks, and see if they can 'ball' them together again.

• Rainbow Rice Maracas - Find some empty containers (like baby food jars, jam pots etc). Use a bowl that won't stain and place some white rice inside. Add a few drops of food dye and stir until the rice is coloured. Repeat until you have the colours you want. Once dried, put the rice into the jars and seal.

• Inside Cubbyhouse - Use some kitchen chairs as a frame and place a bedding sheet over them.

• Old Shoe Flower Pots - Gumboots work best for this as they are waterproof. Get the children to fill their shoe with dirt and plant a pretty flower in the top. Remind them to water it regularly!

• El-Cheapo Cut and Paste - Annoying catalogues in the mail AGAIN!? Use some scrap paper (or paper you printed on and don't need now) and get the children to cut out some things from the catalogues and paste them on.

• Magazine Puzzles - Use a Home and Garden type magazine to find some nice pictures you can cut out. Glue onto cardboard, then cut it up into puzzle-like shapes. Instant puzzles!

• Dress Ups - An oldy but a goody. Use your old clothes, or grab some op shop wonders and let the children pretend away. :)

• Paperclip Fishing - Cut out some pictures or the image of food on cardboard boxes (like biscuits, cereal et al) and attach a paper clip to them. Drop them into a bucket, laundry tub, ice cream container whatever you like. You can also get very educational by using a set of flashcards or letter/number cards and getting the children

to name what they catch. Use a stick from outside, tie some wool to it and glue (wood glue) a magnet to the other end of the wool (available from most bargain shops for not much at all!). The children can have fun fishing for things and naming them.

• Crash Piles - This is excellent on those endless rainy winter days! Grab all the pillows, cushions, mattresses and blankets you care to use and make a pile (cover with a blanket to keep it semi-together). This is great in a lounge room or an end-of-hallway room. Get the children to run and jump into the pile, then run back and start over.

• Library Time - This may seem obvious, but do you realise you can get a LOT of books for free from the library? Think about that! Where else these days can you get that kind of thing anymore? Video stores are not so generous are they! In Tasmania, a child can check out 15 books at a time. For us, that means 60 books at a time that we can take home to read. Don't forget that the library also offers free story and rhyme times and craft sessions for the older children (4+, I think).

Sara lives in the Huon Valley with her husband and four children. She blogs at Raising Arrows.

Who is Jane Cooper?By Jane Cooper

My background is in Community Partnership development, and I have spent the past 10 years working within the education sector, state-wide, to assist in enhancing opportunities for young people post compulsory schooling. I am in the process of qualifying as a Primary Teacher, and have 8 year old twins. I believe I am well positioned personally and professionally to empathise with the challenges families, of all shapes and sizes, face daily. I have lived my whole life in Hobart, and have a good sense of how our community works, and am very happy to have some responsibility to make a difference to how families and children experience our city.

My actual role title is Community Development Officer, Children and Families. The primary function of this role is to implement the Hobart Children and Families Strategy. More specifically, I see my role as advocating for children and families. Providing a voice for children, almost being a

champion within this organisation, as a starting point. It also helps simply having someone at a local government level, with the dedicated task of working for Children and Families

I actively seek to identify, and work collaboratively community stakeholders who are working to support children and families to participate and engage in a meaningful way in our community

There is a lot of interest and momentum at the moment, cross-sector, and community based, for spaces and places to be activated in and around the CBD, specifically for the benefit of children and families. This could be places of rest within the CBD; programmed arts and cultural experiences for 0-12yrs; consultation frameworks for children and families to be able to respond to matter of direct relevance and potential interest at a local level; generally enhancing connectedness with schools, local childhood services, children and parent centres; as well as ensuring that the approach to providing opportunities for community participation in our city is coordinated and collaborative.

It’s a very exciting time, and I’m looking forward to seeing the seeds we are currently planting come to fruition, with the continued development and maintenance of meaningful community partnerships; the delivery of engaging, sustainable programs, and authentic learning outcomes for children; continued promotion and support for cross-sector initiatives; activated, vibrant and interactive spaces for families within the CBD; a connected, healthy community.

The sector is represented at council through the Hobart Children and Families Network, which comprises reps from service providers, community organisations and agencies who have an interest in children and families in Hobart. We have invited the Hobart Mums Network to join this group, which encourages collaboration, a means to consult and advocate for children and families cross-sector, and also plays a role in monitoring the implementation and review of the Hobart Children and Families Strategy. Members include Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, Commissioner for Children’s Office, Lady Gowrie Tasmanian, Department of Education, and Hobart LINC.

 

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Returning to Sport or Exercise after the BirthBy Jo Cordell-CooperMany women believe that following the birth of their child, a swift return to their pre-pregnancy exercise routine is appropriate. But postnatally, even a core and pelvic floor that were once taut and terrific are probably more like the wind-hungry sails of a yacht with a saggy hammock at the bottom." It’s an extreme image, but to ignore your postnatal health could bring about lower back pain, pelvic floor problems (leaking urine, prolapsed organs, escaping wind) and postural issues.

Due to the hormone relaxin (within the body before and after the birth of your baby) ligaments at ALL joints are more lax. Be careful with stretching routines – don’t go too deep. Give your abdominal core time to firm up and recover. Abdominal bracing in a prone position and sit-ups just aren’t appropriate. Most of all, start all exercises with a pelvic floor lift. If you are not sure how to do this, consult a suitably trained fitness professional, Women’s Health Physiotherapist, contact the National Continence Helpline on 1800 330066, or visit www.continence.org.au, or www.pelvicfloor first.com.au

Networking for Mumsfeedback from 12 May 2012

Our first networking event was a brilliant, but freezing, success. Hobart Mum, Cassandra Wunsch wrote up a brilliant article for Think Tasmania on how the evening went. Below is some feedback from a few mums who attended:

What did you enjoy most from the evening?

“Being a bit nervous at times to start a conversation with a stranger, I was really pleased with the structure to the evening - the numbers on the name tags to place people at tables, then proposing the questions to be discussed.  It was a great way to group people and then get them talking.  I met some great Mums, and for someone like me who doesn't often get time away from the kids 'for me', it was a great breather and opportunity to focus on myself for a change.” Ilka, mother of 2

Who would benefit most from coming to these events?

“I think all mothers would benefit from coming. The networking opportunities for self-employed mums or mums who represent self-employed husbands are huge. Mums doing it a bit tougher financially get access to great deals and sponsor give-aways. I think the women who benefit most though are the socially isolated, either because they moved, because they stopped work to have their children and lost that female support network... whatever the reason, mums really need that support.” CJ, mother of 2

How did you find the night overall?

“I found being served by ‘Aunties’ Erica and April very honouring. It made us mums feel special. The night was very well organised and I loved the questions that were asked.  A good mix of light and fluffy 'get to know you' with some that asked us to dig a bit deeper. Good idea to have the coffee, tea and drinks flowing from the start. Always awkward standing around if you don't know anyone yet. Fabulous prizes! We all know the warmth could have been warmer and the soup idea would be fantastic in winter. Time slot was good.  It leaves the evening open to further socialising which I am very sure will happen of its own accord as time goes on and friendships are formed... and in warmer weather.” Beth, mother of 4

“It was lovely to have time to sit in a peaceful atmosphere and really listen to other mothers’ stories, be they joyful, difficult or sad. The gift of hearing and validating mums is one of the hardest jobs we have!”Beth Lincolne, Old Beach

mother of 4

Jo Cordell-CooperJo is a Tranmere mother of three, as well as, a personal trainer and fitness instructor. You can follow her blog here.

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Because you have been blessed with so much, won’t you consider giving of yourself to offer a little portion of the abundance of love you have been given to other mums who have no one?

You are already on Facebook. Take a moment to see if there is a question you can answer. Have you heard of a local event others should hear about? Why not share on the Hobart Mums page? When you meet others refer them to our page or better yet engulf them into your own support network. Invite them over for a play date or offer to meet them at a local park or café.

We are not about numbers. We are about connecting mothers in a supportive network of encouragement.

Be prepared to be pampered and made to feel at home as you walk into the stylish surroundings that is salonRED. No expense has been spared in creating a comfortable welcoming space that you will appreciate as you experience the opulence and beauty of our brand new salon. Here at salonRED we endeavor to provide you with the highest possible standard of hairdressing services brought to you by award winning sister stylists Rachel and Dee. Our team specialises in every aspect of ladies and gents hairdressing including Dee being an experienced hair extensionist. So... if receiving the highest quality of hair styling services and complimentary beverage of choice all at competitive prices in a comfortable and friendly atmosphere is for you then drop us a line and let us indulge you with your personal touch of RED. We are very excited to be hosting the “makeover night” for the next Hobart Mums Network evening so come along to meet and experience sisters Rachel and Dee as they take you through quick tricks of the trade on how to bring your look together with both hair and makeup for busy mums!

A goodie bag for all Hobart Mum Network members and major lucky door surprize to be won. For those who cannot make it on the night salonRED would like to offer something a little luxurious just for you. Book by the end of July 2012 and you shall receive20% off your first appointment plus a free Sebastian Hydre or Penetraitt in salon treament masque valued at $19.00 whilst relaxing in one of our Shiatsu massage chairs. (Just be sure to mention that you are a Hobart Mums Network Member at time of booking and bring your card at time of appointment to receive your discount!) One last thing….due to huge interest and demand we have started taking appointments for littleRED our specialised child and parent hair salon set to open in July. If you would like to make your appointment or register your interest please contact Dee at salonRED on 62311757 or sms 0419309699.Best wishes,Rachel, Emma and Dee (RED)

salonREDlevel 3/29 Elizabeth St Mall (above DOME with lift access)62311757

Introducing salonREDnewsletter sponsorBy Emma French

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