DIRECTORS BLOG
Hi, my name is Annemarie and I am the Client Services director for Night Nannies.
I use this blog as a way to give you tips and idea's in all areas of childcare and development.
Posted 01 November 11
Sleep Guidance and Breastfeeding workshop for Nannies SYDNEY
The dates will be Sat 12th and Sun 13th November
Costs:
Sleep Guidance - $100 (9.30am-3.30pm) includes manual and practical components plus Certificate
Breastfeeding Guide for Nannies - $80 (3 hours) includes handouts and Certificate
Dunstan Baby Language -$60 (2 hours) includes manual and DVD plus Certificate
Location: Hornsby
Posted 01 November 11
Breastfeeding Growth charts now available
What is the 'normal' growth rate for babies? The general guidelines that are usually given for growth are: a baby loses 5-10% of birth weight in the first week and regains this by 2-3 weeks birth weight is doubled by 4-6 months and tripled by 12 months birth length increases 1.5 times in 12 months birth head circumference increases by about 7.6 cm in 12 months.
In Australia (except for the Northern Territory), the growth charts currently in use in the baby health books you receive in hospital are based on a majority of non-breastfed babies from the past (between 1963 and 1994). Artificially-fed babies grow differently to those who are breastfed.
Child Growth weight for age boys: http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/chts_wfa_boys_p/en/index.html
Child growth height for age boys: http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/sft_lhfa_boys_p/en/index.html
Child growth weight for age girls: http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/chts_wfa_girls_p/en/index.html
Child growth height for age girls: http://www.who.int/childgrowth/standards/sft_lhfa_girls_p/en/index.html
3% of children will be below the 3rd percentile and 3% of children will be above the 97th percentile 15% of children will be below the 15th percentile and 15% of children will be above the 85th percentile 50% of children will be below the 50th percentile and 50% of children will be above the 50th percentile The 50th percentile is not a pass, it means that 50% of the normal population is below this line and 50% is above it.
Posted 01 November 11
Tips to help with separation anxiety
*Give your child plenty of reassurance with hugs, cuddles and eye contact.
* Always say goodbye when leaving him with someone. Not saying goodbye and sneaking away may leave them feeling unsure when and if you will return, building mistrust and insecurity. If your bub or toddler is crying, this can be distressing, but this is usually okay when he is left with someone he knows and who you trust.
*Say goodbye in an upbeat tone and ring back after 20 minutes to see if your littlie has settled. If they are still distressed, you may need to return and reassure them, if you can.
*If staying and playing for a bit doesn’t help, you may need to take them home. It’s important to consider and address factors that may be making separation difficult, such as illness, teething or being tired and hungry.
*Ensure your child has a secure environment and routine. Providing this balance will help prevent overtiredness and hunger, which always make any behaviour worse.
*Play games to help your child’s understanding of leaving and returning, such as peekaboo and hide and seek.
*Avoid always bending down to rescue your baby when they cry – instead, go back and give them extra time down at his level and distract him with a toy or activity. Try leaving again, speaking in an upbeat, ‘it’s okay’ tone rather than an ‘aww, you poor thing’ tone.
*Make sure your child has a cuddly toy that he loves and that can be with him when you’re not. When returning to the workforce, plan early. Start with leaving your child for short periods, then progress to longer periods. This will help him get to know his carer and become familiar with a new environment and routine.
*Try not to panic! Remember that this is a phase and that with patience, encouragement and guidance, your littlie will learn to separate just fine. Seek professional guidance and support if separation anxiety is becoming an ongoing problem.
Posted 01 November 11
New Years Eve Babysitters Sydney Melbourne Brisbane
Get in quick to secure a professional and qualified Nanny for your event on New Years eve. Prices are currently between $30-35 per hour minimum of 5 hours and $33 booking fee.
Posted 03 November 11
A delicious French recipe provided to us by our wonderful friends at www.gourmet.com.au
David Bitton's French childhood and training, combined with a passion for excellence shared by his wife Sohani led to the opening of the Bitton Gourmet Café and Grocer located in the Sydney suburb of Alexandria.
From this small café, David and Sohani recognised a demand for quality cooking products that anyone could use to create a restaurant quality, gourmet experience at home.
Bitton cafe is a child friendly cafe with a designated play area.
36-37a Copeland St
Alexandria
Banana Muffins with French Butter and Strawberry and Vanilla Jam from “Bitton – a French-inspired café cookbook”
Makes 10 to 12
375 g self-raising flour
250 g caster sugar
500 ml milk
250 g butter, melted and cooled slightly
5 free-range or organic eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
(or season fruit of your choice)
French butter
Bitton Strawberry and Vanilla Jam,
to serve or your favourite jam
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350ºF). Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
Sift flour and sugar into a large bowl.
In a glass jug, whisk together milk and eggs. Make a well in the centre
of the dry ingredients and add the milk mixture, stirring until the mixture
is combined. Add the melted butter, mixing well.
Gently fold in the mashed banana. Spoon the mixture into the muffin trays,
filling about three-quarters full.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the muffins are golden and firm to the touch.
Test with a skewer and if it comes out clean, your muffins are done.
Serve warm with lashings of French butter and your favourite jam.
Recipe by David Bitton
”These muffins are whatever you wish for in a muffin because you can adapt this recipe to suit your tastes. Try seasonal fresh fruit or add a couple of handfuls of chocolate chips for a more decadent treat. The suggestion here is to serve these muffins warm with some French butter — a luxurious touch to an
Posted 03 November 11
Best foods to help induce sleep in children
Bananas. They're practically a sleeping pill in a peel. In addition to a bit of soothing melatonin and serotonin, bananas contain magnesium, a muscle relaxant.
Chamomile tea. The reason chamomile is such a staple of bedtime tea blends is its mild sedating effect - it's the perfect natural antidote for restless minds/bodies.
Warm milk. It's not a myth. Milk has some tryptophan - an amino acid that has a sedative - like effect - and calcium, which helps the brain use tryptophan. Plus there's the psychological throw-back to infancy, when a warm bottle meant "relax, everything's fine."
Honey. (children over 12mths) Drizzle a little in your warm milk or herb tea. Lots of sugar is stimulating, but a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.
Potatoes. A small baked spud won't overwhelm your GI tract, and it clears away acids that can interfere with yawn-inducing tryptophan. To up the soothing effects, mash it with warm milk.
Oatmeal. Oats are a rich source of sleep - inviting melatonin, and a small bowl of warm cereal with a splash of maple syrup is cozy - plus if you've got the munchies, it's filling too.
Almonds. A handful of these heart-healthy nuts can be snooze-inducing, as they contain both tryptophan and a nice dose of muscle-relaxing magnesium.
Flaxseeds. When life goes awry and feeling down is keeping you up, try sprinkling 2 tablespoons of these healthy little seeds on your bedtime oatmeal. They're rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a natural mood lifter.
Whole-wheat bread. A slice of toast with your tea and honey will release insulin, which helps tryptophan get to your brain, where it's converted to serotonin and quietly murmurs "time to sleep."
Turkey. It's the most famous source of tryptophan, credited with all those Thanksgiving naps. But that's actually modern folklore. Tryptophan works when your stomach's basically empty, not overstuffed, and when there are some carbs around, not tons of protein. But put a lean slice or two on some whole-wheat bread mid-evening, and you've got one of the best sleep inducers in your kitchen.
Posted 04 November 11
Are you willing to give up your style for your kids?
Mumprenuer Megan Kelleher's new line of clothing, Tutuortogs, claim to aid in baby's visual development and encourage baby’s ability to track objects, using high-contrast, black and white patterns that you'd usually see on a table cloth or at the race track — not in your closet. 
The Tutortogs concept is based on personal experiences and on the findings of HealthyChildren.org, “…the only parenting Website backed by 60,000 pediatricians committed to the attainment of optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.”
Given their early visual abilities, babies prefer high-contrast edges and patterns (black and white) and later become aware of colors (e.g. red and yellow). As the eyes, brain and body develop, the ability to perceive different shades, track movement, and discern small objects develops. By age one, depth perception is complete, and by age two, so is normal visual acuity. A healthy child’s total optic infrastructure is fully mature by age three.
You can download the patterns here to try out with your baby: http://tutortogshop.com/pdfs/pattern-racingcheck.pdf
http://tutortogshop.com/pdfs/pattern-ladybugs.pdf
http://tutortogshop.com/pdfs/pattern-polka.pdf
http://tutortogshop.com/pdfs/pattern-stripe.pdf
Posted 08 November 11
Holidaying at home and need a Babysitter for the Summer?
NSW Summer holiday Babysitter Packages Central Coast Babysitter packages 4 hours after 6pm = $80 South Coast Babysitter packages 4 hours after 6pm = $84
VIC Summer holiday Babysitter Packages Peninsula Babysitter Packages 4 hours after 6pm = $100
QLD Babysitter Summer holiday Packages Gold Coast Babysitter Packages 4 hours after 6pm = $100
Posted 09 November 11
Million Dollar Woman what a great idea!
Million Dollar woman is the latest Insurance plan available for Stay at home Mums. Finally the appreciation that we deserve. http://www.milliondollarwoman.com.au
Day-to-Day Living Expenses Cover Insurance designed with mums in mind
SPECIAL OFFER: 12 months FREE Kids Cover when you take out Day-to-Day Cover*
Day-to-Day Living Expenses Cover is a new insurance that pays you a regular amount if you're temporarily sick or injured and unable to carry out everyday household tasks like shopping and caring for your kids.
Unlike health insurance, the money goes directly to you to spend on whatever you like.
Regular payment of either $500 or $750 per week Cover for around $1.50 per day^Bill Booster option of an extra $150 (increase your cover to $650 or $900 per week) No medical or blood tests required when you apply Pay your premium monthly or fortnightly at no extra cost Easy claims process through your regular doctor You can claim a number of times – up to $25,000
HOW DOES IT WORK?
You can claim a benefit if you get sick or are injured and can't do any two or more of the following five household tasks for more than 14 consecutive days:
Cooking and preparing meals using basic ingredients and kitchen appliances. Cleaning the house, including using a vacuum cleaner and mop. Washing and drying clothes using a washing machine and outdoor washing line. Shopping for groceries including fruit and vegetables, laundry items and household cleaning products. Looking after children under the age of 12 (if you do this as part of your everyday activities at home), including bathing, dressing, feeding and taking to school.
Check it out on their website above
Posted 14 November 11
In home care and your elegibility for a Nanny Child care rebate
In Home Care
In Home Care is a flexible form of child care where an approved carer provides care in the child’s home. In Home Care is targeted to families unable to access existing child care services such as families working shift or non standard hours or those located in regional or remote regions of Australia.
In Home Care services must comply with applicable State and Territory regulations and licensing requirements when providing care to children. Eligibility for In Home Care
To be eligible for In Home Care, families must have no access to existing child care services and/or their circumstances mean that an existing child care service cannot meet their needs, and the child meets one or more of the following criteria (as set out in subsection 10 (1C) of the Eligibility Determination):
(a) the child, or any other child with whom the child lives, has an illness or disability
(b) the individual in whose care the child is, or the individual’s partner (if any), has an illness or disability that reduces the individual’s, or the partner’s capacity to care for the child
(c) the child lives in a rural or remote area
(d) work hours of the individual in whose care the child is, or the individual’s partner (if any), are (or include) the hours during which no other approved child care service (other than an approved in home care service) operates that could otherwise provide care
(e) the individual in whose care the child is or the individual’s partner (if any) is caring for three or more children (including the child) who have not yet commenced school, or
(f) any other circumstances determined by the Secretary in relation to the child.
DEEWR will continue to have discretion to allow exemptions to the eligibility criteria for a family in exceptional circumstances. Services must contact their State/Territory Departmental officer in such circumstances. Allocation of In Home Care places
For a service to become approved, In Home Care places must be available to allocate to that service. There are a limited number of In Home Care places available nationally and currently all of these places are allocated. Therefore, no new In Home Care services can become approved for the purpose of Child Care Benefit at this time.
When places become available information on the application process will be made public.
Organisations can register their interest in In Home Care places with a child care officer in their State or Territory DEEWR office at any time.
The Australian Government allocates places based on assessed demand for In Home Care in a particular region and the availability of suitably qualified service providers.
Unmet demand is based on a number of characteristics, which may include:
The number of children in the region The number of existing service providers of all child care types The population of both children and parents with disability The geographical area Demonstrated demand i.e. waiting list as demonstrated by an applicant for In Home Care and The number of shift workers.
When additional places are available, DEEWR advertises for applications from interested providers. Standards for In Home Care
Following consultations with key stakeholders, interim standards for In Home Care were introduced in 2008. In Home Care providers are now required to adhere to these standards until such time that they are replaced by National Standards. Introducing minimum requirements and focussing on enhancements in quality will increase the marketability of In Home Care and improve the quality of care and the safety of carers, families and children. The Australian Government will continue to work with state and territory governments to develop the National Standards for In Home Care.
Interim Standards for In Home Care ( PDF 202KB | RTF 531KB)
Engagement in Quality Assurance
Currently, In Home Care services are not covered by Child Care Quality Assurance.
The aim of the Australian Government's Child Care Quality Assurance is to provide a framework for reviewing, measuring and improving the quality of the work being done by approved child care providers. Quality Assurance focuses on quality outcomes for children and encompasses processes of self-assessment and continuing improvement against areas of quality care.
Quality Assurance:
improves outcomes for children improves the accountability of child care to the public, and better equips services to cater for children's individual needs.
To be eligible for and maintain approval for Child Care Benefit purposes services must register for and satisfactorily participate in quality assurance as set out in their Funding Agreement. Types of Funding Assistance Available under In Home Care
Under the Community Support Program, the Australian Government provides financial support to In Home Care services. There are four types of financial support available to In Home Care providers depending on their eligibility:
Set Up Assistance Funding Service Support Funding Regional Travel Assistance Grant (RTAG) Sustainability Assistance
For more information contact DEEWR on 1300 363 079 and request the child care office in your State or Territory.
1. Set Up Assistance Grant
Set Up Assistance is a payment approved by DEEWR to help organisations to establish new child care services. It is a one-off payment to eligible, new, not-for-profit and for-profit services to assist in meeting set up costs.
Set Up Assistance is only available to Child Care Benefit approved In Home Care services. For a service to become approved, In Home Care places must be available for allocation to that service.
Eligibility
Eligible for-profit organisations may receive Set Up Assistance for up to 10 child care services only. However, if they own or operate 10 or more child care services of any care type (Australia wide) they will not be eligible to receive Set Up Assistance.
To be eligible to receive Set Up Assistance a new service must:
be approved to administer Child Care Benefit on behalf of families not have commenced providing child care not be a relocation of an existing service not be taking over a child care service of the same care type that has operated from the same facilities at any time in the previous 12 months and be allocated places by DEEWR (In Home Care only).
2. In Home Care Service Support
Service Support is funding to assist In Home Care services that are approved to administer Child Care Benefit on behalf of families. In Home Care services receive Service Support to assist them with the costs of recruiting, monitoring and supporting a network of carers and allocating carers to provide flexible care for children in the children’s family home.
Eligibility
All In Home Care services that are approved for Child Care Benefit purposes or centre based services providing approved In Home Care are eligible to receive Service Support funding.
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