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"Flower grannies" at their grandkids' wedding go viral

<p>Two grandmothers have stolen the show at their grandkids' wedding as they walked down the aisle as flower girls. </p> <p>The heartwarming moment was captured by wedding photographer Joshua Hugget, who was taking photos at the picturesque wedding in South Australia. </p> <p>The video shows the two grandmothers arm-in-arm, dropping flower petals down the aisle in lieu of the standard young flower girls. </p> <p>The bride, Michaela Treloar, shared with the <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-03/grandmothers-who-were-flower-girls-become-viral-sensation/103519006?sf271999625=1&fbclid=IwAR21H0d9_RfQkyBfP6SuyI1L_3KN8a4CdTXqqmx8tEfN8SyIp3FXY_ryqbg_aem_AZyZ59VDrmi0hZ-kcRd9Yncw5hZywZzo313-pUSnNYZJ-K_2Z4fXcOVlFcvX0Gn-E40">ABC</a></em> how she and her partner both “wanted to include our grandmothers into our wedding somehow”, which resulted in the adorable moment.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3hCIP9PgsG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3hCIP9PgsG/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joshua Huggett Media (@joshuahuggettmedia)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“They took it on with pride, smashed it, and now they’ve gone viral,” exclaimed Treloar.</p> <p>“It was really cute … each nonna was helping each other get to the end of the aisle, chatting all the way.”</p> <p>The photographer who captured the moment shared that he believes something about the video is relatable to everyone in some way, and that is the secret to its success.</p> <p>“It hits that heart string straight away … it’s the perfect concoction of people saying they want to do that with their grandma, teamed with people saying they wish they could do that with their grandma now that they’d passed,” Joshua shared.</p> <p>The flower grannies shining moment has been viewed millions of times, with many leaving comments praising the married couple for including their grandmothers in their big day. </p> <p>“I have goosebumps head to toe! The smiles on the grannies’ faces …. Priceless!!!!!!!” One user commented. </p> <p>“Hope this trend catches on, it’s truly beautiful!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram - Joshua Hugget Media</em></p>

Family & Pets

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7 things you should pass on to your grandkids

<p>No one wants to think about what will happen when they’re no longer around, but thoughtfully choosing what to leave to your family will ensure your memory endures long after you’re gone. Here are the 10 things you should pass on to your grandchildren to help them remember you as you always were.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Your passport(s)</strong> – What better token of your life is there than a chronicle of all the incredible places you’ve visited? Your passports will inspire those you love to pack up their bags and follow in your footsteps.</li> <li><strong>Your wedding album</strong> – By passing on your beloved wedding photos, long after you and your partner are gone, your love story will continue to inspire generations after you – and maybe offer some style ideas to vintage-loving brides-to-be in your family!</li> <li><strong>Something belonging to your parents</strong> – If you have an old possession that used to belong to a parent, grandparent or even great-grandparent, giving it to your grandchildren will ensure their ancestors will live on through future generations.</li> <li><strong>Something sentimental</strong> – Photo albums are all well and good, but passing on something you love, which is truly special to you, will always remind your grandchildren of you. Just imagine their smiles as they look down on a watch or ring gifted to them by their beloved nan or pop.</li> <li><strong>A photo of the first time you met them</strong> – Who could forget the first time they meet their newborn grandchild? Share this moment with them and write on the back of the photo just how you felt when you held them for the first time.</li> <li><strong>Your favourite music, books, and movies</strong> – There’s nothing like music to bring back memories of people and places. Fill a bag (or load a USB) with your all-time favourite songs, books and movies so your family will always have something to lift their spirits when they’re feeling down.</li> <li><strong>Stories</strong> – while possessions are great, stories and memories are what will endure for decades after you’ve gone. Any chance you get, share a memory or a story with your loved ones, whether it’s about your life or theirs, and get a conversation going.</li> </ol> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Returning and Earning for your community

<p>Charities and community groups across NSW are cashing in empty drink containers to support their important work in the community, all with the added benefit of helping the environment. It’s an easy win-win to fundraise through Return and Earn, and it makes donating to a local charity or community group very easy.</p> <p>Return and Earn is the incredibly successful container deposit scheme in NSW, where 10 cents is refunded for every eligible drink container returned for recycling through the network of 600+ return points across the state.</p> <p>Since launching over five years ago, <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a> has become an important and well used channel for charities and community groups fundraising to support a range of local and broader causes. Groups such as Rotary and Lions Clubs, animal rescue organisations, and fire and rescue services are just a few of the many different cohorts that have partnered with Return and Earn and relied on the generosity of NSW citizens to help them do vital work in their communities.</p> <p>“We’ve seen many groups really embrace the scheme, showing a humbling passion for giving back to the community – whether it’s to help fund an event for a local club, or to donate to a charity,” said Danielle Smalley, CEO of scheme coordinator, Exchange for Change.</p> <p>“Some of these groups have raised a lot of money from recycling drink containers through Return and Earn. Often local residents and businesses are handing over their containers or donating their refunds to support the cause, proving there is enormous goodwill in the community.”</p> <p>The Gerringong Lions Club recently celebrated one million containers collected, raising $100,000 that was donated to a variety of causes including medical research, local sporting facilities, as well as helping both Australian and oversees Lions Clubs provide relief during catastrophes.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-67811" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Gerringong-Lions-Club-image-2-for-article-2_RD.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /></p> <p><em>The Gerringong Lions Club are now raising around $20,000 each year.</em></p> <p>The COVID shutdowns and restrictions put a halt to the activities that would normally bring funds to the club. Return and Earn was the only means for the club to generate an income to help the community during this time.</p> <p>As routine users of the scheme, the Gerringong Lions Club are now raising around $20,000 each year, all the while making positive impacts to the environment.</p> <p>Bruce Ray is a past president and active member of the club, and says he gets a sense of satisfaction knowing they are helping the community while also looking out for the environment.</p> <p>“We have the bins at the hotel, the bowling club, and campgrounds. The club also provides the container collection bins for events such as weddings and uses them at local New Years’ Eve events,” said Mr Ray.</p> <p>In Cobar, the local Rotary Club is also using Return and Earn to support the work in their community. They partnered with the local Girl Guides who help the club sort through any drink containers collected. They’ve now raised more than $25,000 since they began in early 2020.</p> <p>Club Secretary Gordon Hill said that one of the benefits for the Girl Guides is the real-world experience in seeing how much locally created waste can be recycled.</p> <p>“It also provides a healthy opportunity for a challenge to see which girls can pack the most containers during a 1.5 to 2 hour session. The record currently stands at 3,080, but the challenge continues,” Gordon added.</p> <p><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-67813" src="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Cobar-Rotary-Club-image-for-article-2_RD.jpg" alt="" width="770" height="500" /></p> <p><em>In Cobar, the local Rotary Club has partnered with the Girl Guides to help with sorting!</em></p> <p>Since Return and Earn launched in December 2017, over $42 million has been raised through donations and return point hosting fees. The funds have made a significant difference to individuals and groups who have received the support.</p> <p>“There are a lot more collection drives in the community that we don’t track, so the total fundraising amount is in fact even higher,” Ms Smalley said.</p> <p>“We encourage all our Return and Earn users to consider donating containers to a local charity or community group either at the nearest Return and Earn machine or using the Return and Earn app.</p> <p>“And if you’re a member of a group looking for an easy and effective way to fundraise, consider Return and Earn where you can double the benefit by raising funds while also helping the environment.”</p> <p>Every Return and Earn machine features a local donation partner, to whom users can donate part or all of their refunds to. The charity listed changes every six months to give as many groups as possible the opportunity.</p> <p>Charities and groups can also elect to be listed on the Return and Earn app, allowing anyone using the app at a machine or automated depot to donate direct to their favourite charity. There are currently over 170 charities featured on the app.</p> <p>When using a Return and Earn machine, select donate, then select which of the charities listed you want the funds to go. If you’re using the Return and Earn app, simply select donation as your payout option and then select the charity or group you would like to donate your refund to.</p> <p>“Contributions don’t need to be big to make a difference. It can be as easy as collecting a few eligible drink containers and donating them to a charity, helping local communities thrive while looking after the environment.” said Ms Smalley.</p> <p>For more information on donating through Return and Earn visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returnandearn.org.au/donate/</a></p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Return and Earn.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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When babysitting your grandkids is not the retirement plan

<p><em><strong>Megan Giles is a retirement designer for women. She supports and coaches women approaching retirement to successfully transition and create a lifestyle that is fulfilling, meaningful to them and lights them up each day.</strong></em></p> <p>You’re retiring, or maybe you’re about to cut down to part-time hours and you can smell freedom in the air. You have the schedule for a pilates studio on your fridge, a list of restaurants to try, and a couple ideas for that abandoned corner of your garden. At last you have time to do all of those things you’ve always wanted to do.</p> <p>And then the phone rings. “Mum, now that you’re not working, it would be great if you could look after [grandchild] on a Friday…” And your heart sinks. You love your grandchild to bits, but a regular baby-sitting gig is not part of your plan.</p> <p>While this is the perfect scenario for many people approaching retirement, it’s important to recognise that it’s not for everyone.</p> <p>What happens if your family has other ideas for your life after work, e.g. caring for grandchildren, or they have assumptions about what you can and can't (or shouldn't!) do in retirement. Do you acquiesce and abandon your dreams or do you recognise the value of your time and dreams and decide to ‘just go for it’?</p> <p>The trouble with choosing to pursue your own path is the huge amount of guilt this can bring up, particularly for women. You feel that you should be there for your children and grandchildren. You know that your support will make their life easier as they have demanding jobs and because the cost of living and day care is expensive. Or perhaps you convince yourself that you do have the time and energy because, well, you’re not working anymore. But the risk that goes with this is that you start to feel resentful because you’re not being true to your dreams.</p> <p>Broaching this with adult children, however, can be a tricky thing to do. It brings up conflicting emotions including love, guilt, joy, fear and obligation and the last thing you want to do is make a loved one feel bad.</p> <p>In recognition of this, the following provides tips for sharing your retirement ideals with your family in a positive way:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Make an uninterrupted time to talk.</strong> While it might be an easy time to catch your children, try to avoid the early evening ‘witching hour’ when feeding and bathing can create mayhem</li> <li><strong>Share your goals.</strong> Rather than assuming your family know what will be important to you, let them know what you would like to get out of retirement, particularly while you are active and have good health</li> <li><strong>Articulate your concerns or fears.</strong> Let them know, for example, that you worry about being able to keep up with your energetic grandchild, or that you risk letting them down in the longer term when you decide to go travelling and can’t do that regular Tuesday ‘gig’</li> <li><strong>Listen to what it is that your adult children are seeking</strong> and see if you can come up with alternate options together (it doesn’t always have to be one thing or the other)</li> <li><strong>Let your family know that you love and care for them unconditionally.</strong> Not being able to provide regular baby-sitting duties does not mean that you love them any less</li> </ul> <p>As the saying goes, you first have to look after yourself before you can look after others and this applies especially in retirement. However uncomfortable it may seem initially, have the conversation in order to understand and align both your and your family’s expectations, and then give yourself permission to follow your dreams in retirement!</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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5 common questions about cruising with grandchildren

<p>Travelling with your grandchildren can be a rewarding experience. By the same token though if you're not properly prepared it can be quite a trying experience. In many ways that's why cruising is such a great option for family holidays.</p> <p>With everything taken care of a lot of the problems that normally come with travelling with children simply don't exist. In case you need a little more convincing, here's the answers to five of the most common questions about cruising with grandchildren.</p> <p><strong>1. Will our grandkids get bored?</strong> Cruise lines are becoming increasingly family friendly and incorporating a range of activities all the kiddies will enjoy. Some cruise lines offer kids clubs which are dedicated spaces with camp-like programming, others have activities like scavenger hunts, cooking classes and sports tournaments.</p> <p><strong>2. Will our grandchildren be able to eat the meals?</strong> On bigger cruise ships most menus have a kids menu that caters to children’s tastes and buffet usually has a range of kid-friendly options that will have your grandchildren happy enough.</p> <p><strong>3. Can grandkids bring their portable game devices aboard?</strong> Most cruise lines are more than accommodating when it comes to things like portable video game players, tablets, e-book readers and computers. There are generally also game systems set up in kids clubs for your children to enjoy.</p> <p><strong>4. Will my grandchildren be safe in common areas?</strong> Generally yes, but it’s also important to be responsible. Consider cruise ships like mini-floating cities carrying thousands of people you do not know at any one time. So it stands to reason that you’re doing yourself a huge favour by taking the general precautions that you’d take elsewhere.</p> <p><strong>5. Is it worth taking my grandchildren on a cruise?</strong> Of course it is! Travel is the only purchase in life that makes you richer, as they say, and instilling a thirst for travel in your grandchildren is a gift that sees their possibilities expand. And cruising really is one of the safest, most convenient ways to show your grandchildren the world.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Cruising

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Parents sue son for not giving them grandkids

<p dir="ltr">In arguably one of the most bizarre lawsuits, a couple sued their son and daughter-in-law for not giving them a grandchild after six years of marriage.</p> <p dir="ltr">Parents of the husband, Sanjeev and Sadhana Prasad had asked their son and daughter-in-law to give them a grandchild within a year. After they failed to do so, they asked their son and daughter-in-law to pay them as compensation.</p> <p dir="ltr">The amount includes any money spent on their son’s education, wedding, honeymoon and luxury car.</p> <p dir="ltr">The case was filed under mental harassment that the couple is allegedly experiencing as a result of their son and daughter-in-law refusing to have a child.</p> <p dir="ltr">The father of the son said, “I have only one son. I spent all my savings on his upbringing and education. I sent him to the US in 2006 for a pilot training course.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I spent over Rs 50 lakh for the same. He returned to India in 2007 due to the economic recession abroad. He had lost his job and could not find another for over two years. I supported him financially during this period as well.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Almost six years have passed and there is no child. We are facing immense mental harassment.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f61d5daf-7fff-64c0-477d-997dae931573"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Twitter</em></p>

Legal

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Great-grandma to 108 kids shares the secret to her success

<p>A record-breaking Australian family - all descended from the same remarkable woman - have gotten together for the first time in over a decade to celebrate their matriarch - 88-year-old Jessie Pisconeri. </p> <p>As <em>A Current Affair</em> reporter Brady Halls found out while attending the family’s get together, Jessie is the great-grandmother to a staggering 108 great-grandchildren. Her vast lineage doesn’t stop there, however, starting with her eight children, moving on to her 35 grandchildren, their 108 kids, and then her three precious great-great-grandchildren.</p> <p>And somehow, Jessie manages to remember each and every one of their names, as she demonstrated to Brady with a unique family parade. </p> <p>Jessie launched her family tree with late husband Cossie when she was only 18 years old. The pair got together at 15, engaged at 16, and married at 17, before welcoming their first child at just 18. From there, they had eight kids, all in the span of 9 years. </p> <p>Cossie may not be with her anymore, nor their late son Larry, but they’re always close to her heart, with Jessie telling Brady “I miss my husband very much, and I miss my son [Larry] a lot.”</p> <p>Her many, many descendants keep her occupied as well, leaving no time for loneliness to catch up with her, especially as she’s “hardly ever home because they keep me busy.” </p> <p>However, Jessie’s children were quick to point out that their mother is still “very independent”, and maintains a “good attitude” when it comes to all aspects of her life. And, as a note dear to their hearts, they also consider her to be a “good cook”, counting it among her finest qualities. </p> <p>And while the younger generations may have some trouble deciding who among them is Jessie’s favourite, it seems a non-issue to the 88-year-old, whose priorities instead saw her note that “they do love me, they all love me, and I love them.”</p> <p>It was that same love that brought them all to the same location in Mildura, northwest Victoria. The last time the entire bunch had been gathered - minus a few newer members - had been in 2010, when “they all got together for a family photo.”</p> <p>For those wondering just how Jessie keeps up with it all, the answer - at least in her expert opinion - is actually quite straightforward: “just go with the flow”. </p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair / Nine</em></p>

Family & Pets

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The benefits of doing arts and crafts with grandkids

<p>Arts and crafts activities have a wide range of relational and health benefits for you and your grandchildren. Whether you<strong> </strong>make a craft activity, do embroidery or do painting and drawing to allow them to express their creativity, you will create special memories with your grandchildren. Here are some key benefits of doing arts and crafts together.</p> <p><strong>1. Flexible bonding</strong></p> <p>Arts and crafts is an activity that can be enjoyed one afternoon or can be continued over various visits to your grandchildren. Working together on a project and seeing it through until completion is a fun and genuine way to bond with someone. Grandchildren will also see the effort you taken to prepare something fun for them. Arts and crafts will allow you to invest in your relationship by doing an activity that will create special memories as you make your art and then at the end of your project you will have physical memorabilia of the time you spent together working on your craft.</p> <p><strong>2. Fun learning</strong></p> <p>Immersing yourself in arts and crafts have a huge range of health benefits for both you and your grandchildren.  Arts and crafts can hone fine mother skills due to the repetition of various small movements and concentration. It can also improve coordination as hand movements have to be direct and precise. Arts and crafts can also improve concentration levels and visual processing abilities. Visual processing is a skill that is key in a child’s early years as they learn names and identification of primary colours and objects.</p> <p><strong>3. Improves self-esteem</strong></p> <p>Once a child has finished creating a craft activity they will have a sense of accomplishment because they created something. While you are doing the arts and crafts with your grandchild, you will have plenty of opportunity to observe their skills and encourage them along the way.</p> <p><strong>4. Teaches them to express themselves</strong></p> <p>Arts and crafts allow children to express what is on their minds as they tend to be very visual with the emotions and thoughts they are experiencing. Activities such as painting and drawing is particularly great for children who are shy as it will give insight to what is on their mind.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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6 things you should do when reading with your grandkids

<p><em><strong>Ameneh Shahaeian is a Research Fellow in Developmental and Educational Psychology at the Australian Catholic University.</strong></em></p> <p>There is magic in stories. We all remember hearing them as children, and we loved them. Imaginary adventures set in faraway places. Tales about how the dishwasher isn’t working. It doesn’t matter! Whether made up by parents or read from books, kids love to hear stories.</p> <p>Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888438.2018.1482901">recent work</a> showed reading to children positively impacts long-term academic achievement more than many other activity (including playing music with them, or doing craft). We found the more frequently parents read to their children, the better their children’s NAPLAN scores in different areas.</p> <p>In our most recent study, we asked parents to read a wordless storybook to their three to five-year-old children titled <em>The Wolf and Seven Little Goats</em>. We also tested children in many areas of their important cognitive skills, such as language proficiency, memory, self-control, and friendship skills.</p> <p>Through examining the different ways parents tell stories, we have pinpointed which elements of shared reading are most beneficial for children’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272775714000156">cognitive development</a></span>.</p> <p><strong>1. Tune in to your child</strong></p> <p>Perhaps the most important aspect of reading to children is to tune in to your child. Listen to your child’s cues. Do they like the story? Do they know the vocabulary? Are they paying attention to the pictures more, or the text?</p> <p>Try to coach your child, not to instruct them. Instead of saying: “Look they are going to cook some food, maybe they are hungry”, you can ask “What are they doing?” or “Why do you think they’re doing that?”</p> <p>Be sensitive about whether they are listening and engaged or uninterested and disengaged. If they are disengaged, are there questions you can ask to make them more interested? Do you think they’ll like a different type of story better? The best books for your child are the ones they <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/181204/110118.pdf">enjoy</a></span> most.</p> <p><strong>2. Ask questions</strong></p> <p>Parents who ask lots of questions engage in a more fun and informative way with their children. Ask them if they know the vocabulary, if they can guess what the characters are going to do next, and why they’ve done what they’ve done.</p> <p>These questions are not only helpful because they help children gain new knowledge and ways of thinking, it also <a href="https://theconversation.com/reading-to-your-child-the-difference-it-makes-57473">helps strengthen</a> the emotional bond between parent and child. Children <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4337405/">like to feel</a> they’re a part of the task, not that they’re being told how to do things.</p> <p><strong>3. Go beyond describing images or reading text</strong></p> <p>In our study, we gave parents a wordless picture book. An important difference we observed between parents was some only describe what they see. Some go beyond the picture.</p> <p>For example, when the mother goat in the picture book comes home and sees the door to the house open, one parent said:</p> <p><em>When their mother came home and was looking forward to seeing her children and hugging them and telling them a story, she suddenly saw that the door is open. She was shocked!</em></p> <p>Another parent said:</p> <p><em>The mother came home and saw the door is open; she went inside and looked for the children.</em></p> <p>This parent is only describing the picture.</p> <p>The first parent is imagining what is beyond the picture and text. This is a richer way to tell a story to children, and ultimately leads to better cognitive developmental outcomes for children. This is because it teaches abstract thinking, which is the basis for many of the <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781351236898/chapters/10.4324%2F9781351236904-7">higher order cognitive abilities</a> such as problem solving and critical analysis.</p> <p><strong>4. Make logical links between different parts of the story</strong></p> <p>Another element that has a strong link to the development of children’s cognitive skills is the way parents build logical links between different parts of the story.</p> <p>Often the events in books unfold very quickly. One minute, the wolf eats the little goats, and the next minute he is found by the mother. Some parents try to make the sequence of events more logical than others.</p> <p>For example, in this picture, when the wolf is coming to knock on the door, one parent said:</p> <p><em>The wolf, who realised the mother is not home, came and knocked on the door.</em></p> <p>This sentence is lacking logical links. How did the wolf know the mother is not home? Why should he come and knock on the door? What did he want?</p> <p>Another parent said:</p> <p><em>The wolf, who was sunbathing in the bush, saw that the mother is going to get some food. He thought, ‘Oh, the little goats are alone at home, and it’s a good time for me to go and trick them and maybe get a good lunch!’</em></p> <p>The parent here is clearly providing logical links between these different parts of the story.</p> <p><strong>5. Add relevant details</strong></p> <p>We also found most parents add many details to the story to make it more interesting or comprehensive. But <em>relevant </em>details are the most useful in terms of improving children’s learning. Relevant details are the kind of details that help make the story easier to understand.</p> <p>For example, one parent said:</p> <p><em>The little goat, who was wearing the yellow shirt and was the smallest said: ‘We shouldn’t open the door! How do we know this is our mother? She has just left.’</em></p> <p>Here, wearing a yellow shirt is a descriptive detail, but it doesn’t add much to the story.</p> <p>Another mother said:</p> <p><em>The smallest one, who was also the cleverest and very careful, said…</em></p> <p>This second parent is clearly adding a detail (that the smaller one is also the cleverest and careful) that makes the story more meaningful and easier to follow.</p> <p><strong>6. Talk about mental and emotional concepts</strong></p> <p>We found parents who not only describe the events of a story but also discuss <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00506/full">abstract concepts</a> related to emotions, desires and thoughts tend to have children who are better cognitively skilled. These children develop a better understanding of others’ emotions, better friendship skills, and even improved memory and higher order cognitive skills that are useful in later life. These lead to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=cvLWDQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=abstract+concepts+children+better+cognitive+ability&ots=DtILotRFSV&sig=FftCKFka4vA-j2mpu3iY8UxDopY#v=onepage&q=abstract%20concepts%20children%20better%20cognitive%20ability&f=false">academic success</a> as well as better skills to build friendships and perform well in social relationships.</p> <p><em>Written by Ameneh Shahaeian. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Conversation.</span><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/99637/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></strong></a></em></p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Books

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The most feel-good way to recycle

<p>Long-time Return and Earner "Scooter Dave" has been a keen participant in the NSW container deposit scheme <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">since the program started, and the Illawarra local has returned 500,000 containers in that time.</span></p> <p>Dave gets about on a scooter and any day when weather and health permits, he completes his route to collect rubbish from Windang Bridge in Shellharbour. Along the way he picks up eligible drink containers from residents and businesses who keep them in their yards ready for his scooter collection service. </p> <p>He has donated all of the $50,000 in refunds to many charities, including the Smith Family, the Sydney Children’s Hospital, and children’s ward in Wollongong, bushfire appeals and the Illawarra Convoy. </p> <p>“It gives me something to do, and I know that I am doing something to help people," says Scooter Dave. "People always say that there should be more people like me. There are, but they aren’t cleaning up rubbish like I am.” </p> <p>In a world that’s becoming more eco-conscious, we’re seeing more and more initiatives implemented to reduce the impact we’re having on the planet – from the single-use plastic bans to adopting reusable packaging and recycling. </p> <p>Recycling remains one of the best ways to help protect the environment. The benefits of recycling include reducing the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfill or as litter in our local environment, and reducing the need to extract raw materials from the earth to create new products such as mining raw aluminium to create cans. And with <a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">there are even more direct benefits for you.</span></p> <p>Return and Earn is one of many drink container return schemes that have been adopted around the world, where customers who return their used eligible drink containers for recycling can collect a refund.</p> <p>“With Return and Earn, you earn a 10c refund for every empty can, glass or plastic bottle, carton, juice box or popper that you return through one of its 600 return points across NSW.</p> <p>“Since the scheme launched five years ago, over 8.6 billion containers have been returned for recycling by the NSW public resulting in over $860 million in container refunds back in people’s pockets,” says Danielle Smalley, CEO of Exchange for Change, scheme coordinator for Return and Earn.</p> <p>The scheme is entirely funded by the beverage industry, aiming to place responsibility for container recycling firmly back with the industry. </p> <p>The scheme targets commonly littered items and includes most 150ml to three litre plastic, glass, aluminium, steel, and liquid paperboard containers. Eligible containers featuring the 10 cent refund mark can be redeemed for the refund.</p> <p>“Return and Earn is an extraordinary example of how individual action can have a collective impact,” says Smalley.</p> <p>The environmental benefits of the scheme have exceeded expectations – reducing the volume of drink container litter by 52 per cent compared to pre-scheme levels and sending over 755,000 tonnes of material to be recycled.</p> <p>Plus the Return and Earn app makes recycling your containers even easier because you can check the map to see where the nearest return points are to your location and make sure they’re open. Another fantastic feature on the app is the container checker which helps you avoid taking containers that are not eligible. Simply scan the barcode on your container and the app tells you if it can be returned for recycling at a return points. If not, they can go straight into your household recycling bin.</p> <p><strong>Choose your recycling experience</strong></p> <p>To return your containers, you can choose from four types of return points, depending on what suits you and what is nearby.</p> <p>There are Return and Earn machines - a self-service option where you return your containers one-at-a time. You’ll receive a receipt which is redeemable for cash at the partner redemption location or payment straight to your bank account by downloading the Return and Earn app. There are also Return and Earn Centres which are larger format indoor locations featuring multiple machines inside.</p> <p> <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/01/Tomra1.png" alt="Return and Earn" width="741" height="423" /></p> <p>For larger numbers, heading to your nearest automated depot is your best option. Here staff will take your bags of eligible containers and process them in their automated counting system called a singulator. Once counted, they’ll provide you with your cash refund. </p> <p>Even local businesses are taking part, with some corner stores, newsagents, fruit shops and some Surf Life Saving Clubs able to take your containers and give you your refund.</p> <p>To find your nearest return point, visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/return-points/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.returnandearn.org.au</a>. </p> <p><strong>Top tips for returning and earning</strong></p> <p>When you’re ready to return your first collection of containers, here are some tips to make your experience even easier:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Download the Return and Earn app:</strong> use the app store available on your mobile phone. </li> <li><strong>Sort your containers before you go:</strong> if you’re using a Return and Earn machine, sort your glass containers from your plastic bottles and cans as these are return using separate chutes on the machine. If you’re using an automated depot or an over-the-counter return point, there’s no need to sort. </li> <li><strong>Check if your containers are eligible:</strong> Use the Return and Earn app to check if your containers are eligible for a refund. And make sure they’re uncrushed, with the barcode visible and keep the lid on.</li> <li><strong>Plan your trip:</strong> make sure to check opening times of your nearest return point via the Return and Earn app or website. You can even optimise your trip by checking the busiest and quietest times to visit.</li> </ul> <p>With these tips under your belt, you can make the most of your Return and Earn experience and reap the benefits for your wallet and for the environment.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OYDROMQIDbU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>For more information, visit <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn.</a></p> <p><em>All images: supplied</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://returnandearn.org.au/?utm_source=over-60&utm_medium=article&utm_content=native-article&utm_campaign=grey-partnership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Return and Earn</a>. </em></p>

Retirement Income

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Queen's strict rule for grandkids revealed

<p>To Prince William and Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II was simply known as their grandmother, and just like any other grandparent her Majesty certainly had her rules.</p> <p>According to journalist, former UK politician and close friend of the Royal Family, Gyles Brandreth’s new book: Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Queen Elizabeth had her very own mobile phone that the younger royals would help her navigate.</p> <p>"She had her own mobile phone, and obliging grandchildren ready to show her how it worked. She understood 'texting', though was rather defeated by ‘apps.’”</p> <p>However, the late Queen’s one super-strict family rule was that neither William, nor Harry, nor any of her other grandchildren – including Peter, Zara, Beatrice, Eugenie, Louise and James were ever allowed to have their mobile phones at the dinner table.</p> <p>"And she did not allow her grandchildren to bring their 'devices' to the dining table, under any circumstances.”</p> <p>According to commentator Jonathan Sacerdoti, the Queen’s phone was reportedly so “advanced” in order to be “unhackable”. She only really used it to regularly contact two special people - her daughter Princess Anne and her racing manager John Warren.</p> <p>Despite her strict rules, the Queen was known for having a very special relationship with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren alike.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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How to deal with losing touch with grandkids

<p>Losing contact with your grandchild, or perhaps more accurately getting cut off from them, is perhaps the worst thing that can happen to grandparents but unfortunately, it happens and it’s on the rise. Each situation leading up to an estrangement is different but it commonly occurs after the marital breakdown of parents. The family conflict ripples out and grandparents are unfairly, but often collateral damage. The emotional toll it takes can be immense and heart-breaking but what can be done?</p> <p><strong>Repair relationships</strong></p> <p>Family conflict occurs and is exacerbated by poor communication. The best way to begin amends is to build bridges. Even if you’ve been unfairly hurt, remember this person is still your grandchild’s parent. It can be difficult but you need to respect that.  </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Apologise</span> – Be sincere. No caveats or justifications. You might not have done anything wrong or you might not even know what you did wrong to cause this rift but this is not a time for egos or personal pride. Remember this is the father or mother of your grandchild and they are the parents. They may have made mistakes but they are still the parents. Make peace for the sake of making peace and to mend the relationship, because if you want to see grandchildren, you will need a relationship with both parents.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Make it about the child</span> – Parents going through a separation or divorce are often wrapped in their own conflicts. Yet parents will hopefully do what is best for their child. It might be self-evident that grandparents are good for children but this might not be obvious to parents who have been through emotional turmoil, bitterness and separation. Approach in a sensitive, non-accusatory and non-judgemental way and explain the importance and usefulness of grandparents to children. Remind them the positive role you have taken in the past and that grandparents are not only a source of comfort to children in difficult times but can be the rock of stability in these trying times. You can offer practical help like picking up from school as well as reminding that keeping in touch will help children’s sense of family identity and history.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Talk it out</span> – Sometimes your children (and in-laws) simply have no idea that their parents are feeling so devastated and grief-stricken. They might not have considered the effects of their behaviour on others or presumed you would take your child’s side. Reassure them that you don’t want to take sides, just that you want what is best for your grandchild.</p> <p><strong>Seek legal help</strong></p> <p>This should be the last option because starting legal action will almost always end any hope of repairing the relationship between parents and grandparents. Even so, there is no guarantee that going through the courts will provide a happy outcome. Within our current legal system, grandparents do not have an automatic right to have a relationship with a grandchild. </p> <p>According to Legal Aid NSW, anyone who has an ongoing relationship with the child, or any other person who can show that they are concerned with the care, welfare or development of a child (including grandparents) may apply to the Court for Parenting Orders. A Parenting Order can be an order that you can spend time with or communicate with the child. It will be up to the Court to decide what will happen, based on what is in the child’s best interests.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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6 essential tips for travelling with grandkids

<p>Spending time with the grandkids can be both a rewarding and frustrating experience. While they can be a source of cuddles and homemade artwork, little ones can also bring out the worst in us, leading to family arguments and the testing of even the strongest relationships.</p> <p>So if you are planning a trip with little ones, here’s how to make the most of the opportunity for a family holiday.</p> <p><strong>Get their input</strong></p> <p>Rather than just planning everything out for them, get them to help decide on the itinerary. By getting them involved in the decision making process it makes them feel more of an equal player on the trip.</p> <p>This way they are also less likely to make a fuss when you let them know it’s time to go to the museum now, even when they are having fun in the pool.</p> <p><strong>Lay out the ground rules</strong></p> <p>Let the grandkids know what is going to happen in terms of who pays for what. This could be theme park entries, souvenir purchases, or meals and snacks. This will eliminate issues down the track.</p> <p><strong>Decide on a fair use for electronic devices</strong></p> <p>Though you may not be as obsessed with your smartphone, tablet, gaming console or laptop – your grandchildren might be. Allow them to use their devices for at least a short time each day on your trip, but first check with their parents on the family rules.</p> <p>Feel free to put your own rules in place, such as no devices during meal times. </p> <p><strong>Plan for relaxation time</strong></p> <p>Down time needs to be allowed for each day, as being on the go can be exhausting for both kids and grandparents alike. Build this into your schedule, whether that means naps for little ones, watching movies or just relaxing by the pool.</p> <p><strong>Allow for changes to the plan</strong></p> <p>Don’t be too rigid with your schedule as kids can of course be unpredictable with their moods. If you notice the grandkids are getting tired or emotional it might be a good idea to skip a planned activity in favour of more down time or some time apart.</p> <p>Older children might want to make an unscheduled stop based on a recommendation from someone they meet on the trip. Always take their ideas on board rather than dismissing them, and go for a group consensus if it will affect everyone. </p> <p><strong>Make your own memories</strong></p> <p>Keep in mind that when things go wrong or the weather is bad, this can be an opportunity rather than a disaster. Use these times to talk to the grandkids about times when your travel plans have gone awry and led to a fun or interesting outcome.</p> <p>Purposely take part in activities that you know they will remember as they grow older – it could be trying a fun new food together, sleeping under the stars, trekking up a mountain to watch the sunset, or getting up early to go fishing on the beach together.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Tips

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The 10 “types” of grandparents

<p>In his book, <em>The Grandparent Guide: The Definitive Guide to Coping with the Challenges of Modern Grandparenting</em>, Dr. Arthur Kornhaber, a psychiatrist and founder of a non-profit organisation that promotes the importance of grandparenting identified 10 special roles grandparents play in the lives of grandchildren, all showing the profound impact grandparents can have on children’s lives. Which role, or roles, do you most identify with?</p> <p><strong>Ancestor –</strong> “You function as an ambassador to the past, a powerful figure in the present, and a role model for the future.”</p> <p><strong>Buddy –</strong> “You’re a pal, secret confidante, and at times, even a light-hearted conspirator.”</p> <p><strong>Hero –</strong> “The fact that you have lived in times and places so far removed from your grandchild’s everyday experiences imbues you with heroic qualities.”</p> <p><strong>Historian –</strong> “Sharing your own life experiences as well as those of your ancestors will give your grandchild a sense of continuity and belonging.”</p> <p><strong>Mentor –</strong> “You are a cheerleader firing her imagination, inspiring her dreams, nurturing her spirit, and encouraging her intellectual growth while giving her a sense of self-worth.”</p> <p><strong>Role model –</strong> “Your actions show your children and grandchildren how they should behave as grandparents of the future.”</p> <p><strong>Spiritual guide –</strong> “Acting as a spiritual guide involves teaching your grandchild to harvest such fruits of the spirit as love, tolerance, compassion, reverence, joy, peace, gentleness, faith, and kindness.”</p> <p><strong>Teacher –</strong> “As a grandparent, you have the right and the responsibility to run your own classroom about life, to develop your own curriculum, and to pass on your wisdom, knowledge, and life experience.”</p> <p><strong>Student –</strong> “Just as you teach and inspire your grandchild with your knowledge, she can teach and inspire you with her knowledge of contemporary times across generations and motivate you to jumpstart your capacity to grow and change.”</p> <p><strong>Wizard –</strong> “Activate your own wizardry and be your grandchild’s companion in the preternatural world of make-believe and illusion, of dreams and surprises. Fly together on the wings of fancy and enjoy the flight!”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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5 great spots to take your grandkids in Australia

<p>Want a holiday that really is fun for the whole family? These are the best spots in Australia for kids of all ages. To see the destinations, scroll through the gallery above.</p> <p><strong>1. Canberra, ACT</strong></p> <p>There’s much more to the nation’s capital than politics. Kids will love the interactive and immersive mix of science and play on offer at Questacon as well as the huge adventure playground at the National Arboretum. Hire bikes to ride around the shore of Lake Burley Griffin or a paddleboat to cruise across the calm water under your own steam. At the National Zoo everyone can pat a cheetah, feed a bear or make friends with a cheeky meerkat.</p> <p><strong>2. Kangaroo Island, SA</strong></p> <p>Australia’s third-largest island is just off the coast of South Australia and manages to be both a gourmet paradise and a kid-friendly funzone. Families can spend their days spotting seals, feeding pelicans, fishing from jetties, tasting native honey and sandboarding down huge sand dunes. At night, the adults can dine on fresh caught marron (washed down with a few glasses of local wine) while the kids tuck into fish and chips.</p> <p><strong>3. The Top End, NT</strong></p> <p>Start in Darwin, where kids can splash and shriek to their heart’s content in the Waterfront Precinct’s Wave Pool then come face to face with crocodiles at Crocosaurus Cove. The Litchfield National Park is just an hour from the city and a great introduction to native wildlife and wetlands (locals say it’s even better than Kakadu). The park is full of easy bushwalking trails, safe swimming holes, waterfalls and camping spots.</p> <p><strong>4. Mount Selwyn snowfield, NSW</strong></p> <p>Skiing can be an expensive hobby, even more so for a family. Mount Selwyn in the Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales is a great value option for families when compared to the other major resorts. There’s a good selection of easy runs for the kids, as well as tougher ones for the grown ups, plus an easily accessible toboggan run. There are even dedicated kids’ clubs from 18 months old with ski lessons and fun indoor and outdoor games.</p> <p><strong>5. Port Douglas, QLD</strong></p> <p>The Great Barrier Reef really is for everyone and is easily accessible in a day trip from Port Douglas. Little ones can learn to snorkel or take a glass-bottomed boat ride while older children and adults can try scuba diving. Inland, the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway soars just metres above ancient rainforest before descending right through the canopy. And you’ll find a fantastic range of resorts that are specifically set up for families, with plenty of pools, waterslides, games rooms and kids’ clubs.</p> <p>Have you been to any of the destinations mentioned above? Are there any other destinations in Australia you think that are great for grandchildren? Share your thoughts in the comments below.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Denmark’s Queen strips grandkids of royal titles

<p dir="ltr">Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has stripped four of her grandchildren of their royal titles in hopes they will be “able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Queen has two sons, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim, and eight grandchildren. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her sons, their wives, and children all have the titles of count and countess of Monpezat, referring to Margrethe's husband, who was born Henri de Laborde de Monpezat.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Joachim’s children -  Prince Nikolai, 23, Prince Felix, 20, Prince Henrik, 13 and Princess Athena, 10 - will not be able to use their “prince” and “princess” titles from January 1, 2023. </p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s children are not affected by the decision.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Her Majesty has decided that, as of 1 January 2023, His Royal Highness Prince Joachim's descendants can only use their titles as counts and countess of Monpezat, as the titles of prince and princess that they have held up until now will be discontinued," the Danish royal household said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Prince Joachim's descendants will thus have to be addressed as excellencies in the future.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Queen’s decision is in line with similar adjustments that other royal houses have made in various ways in recent years.</p> <p dir="ltr">“With her decision, Her Majesty The Queen wishes to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

News

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Babysitting grandkids can ward off Alzheimer’s

<p>Good news for grandmothers! A new study finds grandchildren not only add joy to grandparents’ lives but that spending time with grandkids can ward off Alzheimer’s.</p> <p>The study, published in the journal Menopause, found post-menopausal women who spend time taking care of grandkids lower their risk of developing Alzheimer's and other cognitive disorders. However, too much time with the grandchildren – five or more days a week – wasn’t so good for grandma.</p> <p>Researchers for Women’s Health Ageing Project in Australia administered three different tests to assess the cognitive abilities of 186 women, ages 57 to 68. Among the group, 120 were grandmothers. The study found that grandmothers who helped with their grandchildren at least one day per week scored highest on the tests, while the women who spent five or more days a week with their grandkids scored significantly lower.</p> <p>Researchers found that grandmothers who helped out more often felt their own children – the parents of the grandkids – were too demanding on their time which dampened moods and impacted brain function.</p> <p>“The motivation of the present study was to expand on the current literature by examining the impact of grandparenting on cognitive function," the authors write in the new study. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the relationship between grandparenting and cognition.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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How to build your grandkid's confidence at school and help them succeed

<p>We know that grandparents understand that drive to be involved in their grandchildren's lives all too well: You watch them grow up, attend their sports days and music concerts, and when you find out they’re struggling at school, it's easy to feel helpless and concerned but there is something you can do to help.</p> <p><strong>There is a way you can help them get the support they need. </strong></p> <p>Cluey Learning is Australia’s leading online tutoring service that specialises in helping students in years 2 to 12 catch up, keep up or excel at school.  </p> <p>We start by matching your grandchild with one of our expert, hand-selected tutors, and once the connection is made, your grandchild can get the help they need, safely online, from the comfort of home.  </p> <p><strong>Why matching matters </strong></p> <p>Cluey’s approach to learning focuses on the needs of each individual learner, which is in contrast to the traditional classroom model we all know. With 20+ students in each class, teachers cannot possibly give each child the individual attention they need to thrive and sometimes the pace of learning in the classroom can mean children fall behind or become disengaged because they aren’t being challenged. </p> <p>Cluey Learning matches each student to a tutor that is right for them, to help them learn and grow at their own pace.   </p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/O60ClueyLearning02.jpg" alt="Cluey Learning" width="1280" height="720" /></strong></p> <p><strong>How tutoring can help </strong></p> <p>When you choose the right program, tutoring can serve to build confidence, increase test scores and instil a love of learning in your grandchild that will stay with them for life. More benefits to tutoring include: </p> <ol> <li>Offers personalised attention </li> <li>Helps students become independent learners (learning to learn) </li> <li>Helps gifted children excel </li> <li>Fills learning gaps </li> <li>Gives children the freedom to ask ‘silly’ questions away from their peers </li> <li>Prepares students for exams (NAPLAN, HSC, entrance exams) </li> <li>Can be tailored to a range of needs</li> <li>Increases engagement in school</li> <li>Improves study habits</li> <li>Gives students access to a learning partner who isn’t their parent and isn’t their teacher. </li> </ol> <p><strong>Why Cluey Learning?  </strong></p> <ul> <li>Tutors are knowledgeable, experienced teachers or top ATAR achievers who are put through a rigorous application process so only the top tutors make the cut. </li> <li>They are all vetted, have WWC (working with children) checks, and backed by highly qualified Faculty Leaders.  </li> <li>Each session is mapped to the Australian National Curriculum, and designed to mirror what they learn in class so you know your grandkids are learning what they need to know.  </li> <li>It’s online and it’s safe, with no reason to fear for your grandchild’s safety.  </li> </ul> <p><strong><em>WE’VE HELPED THOUSANDS OF AUSTRALIAN FAMILIES</em> </strong></p> <blockquote> <p><em>“I enrolled my granddaughter last year for Cluey tutoring, still receiving it. Happy to report she earned 100% in one of her tutored subjects” <strong>– <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Lee M. </span></strong></em></p> </blockquote> <p><strong>20% off Offer to share with your grandchild or their parent! </strong></p> <p>If you’d like to support your grandchild with their education, we’re offering 20% off their first session – share <a href="https://clueylearning.com.au/en/grandkids/?utm_source=grandparents&utm_campaign=over60&last_source=grandparents&last_campaign=over60&last_offer=20-percent-off" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this link</a> with your grandchild (or their parents) to claim the discount. To learn more visit <a href="https://clueylearning.com.au/en/grandkids/?utm_source=grandparents&utm_campaign=over60&last_source=grandparents&last_campaign=over60&last_offer=20-percent-off" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cluey Learning</a>.</p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://clueylearning.com.au/en/grandkids/?utm_source=grandparents&utm_campaign=over60&last_source=grandparents&last_campaign=over60&last_offer=20-percent-off" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cluey Learning</a>.</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Readers respond: What are some things your grandkids aren’t allowed to do?

<p dir="ltr">Having the grandkids come round to visit can be such a joy and the perfect way to create some sweet memories with them. </p> <p dir="ltr">As much as it’s a chance to spoil them, there are some things grandkids can’t get away with.</p> <p dir="ltr">From trampolining off the furniture to improper manners, when we asked our readers what they wouldn’t allow their grandkids to do, this is what you had to say.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Shena Wood</strong> - All my grandkids are so good when they come. Only one real rule and that is we eat at the table.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Shirley Gaye Howearth</strong> - Nothing, they are allowed to do whatever pleases them.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Jill Edwards</strong> - No tech while eating! This is for all meals, (whether) at the table or on the couch.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Joy Scott</strong> - Sit at table to eat and little ones wipe hands before leaving. Saves a lot of work.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Dalena Lee</strong> - Jump on the couch. I tell them that when they see me jump on the couch, then they can.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Jan Bradley</strong> - Table manners, respect, no jumping or climbing on furniture! Aside from that I don’t have any rules, just love spending time with them.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Helen Vella</strong> - My kids weren’t allowed to do anything, my grandkids can do whatever they want.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Jennifer Slack-Smith</strong> - I say ‘Whatever happens at Nanny’s stays at Nanny’s.’</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Heather Cassey</strong> - Torment the cat, disrespect me, or anything that will hurt them. Other than that they pretty much have me twisted around their little fingers.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Douglas Jones</strong> - I always send my grandchildren home with a tube of glitter.</p> <p dir="ltr">To read what else you said, head <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtys/posts/3315334072030189" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d7830072-7fff-1194-1c28-11449432a806"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Five reasons to take your grandkids to the Sydney Royal Easter Show

<p dir="ltr">With rides, showbags, animals, and a host of entertaining events, the Sydney Royal Easter Show has plenty on offer that the whole family can enjoy - and there’s even more in store this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">If you’re still deciding whether to take the grandkids along this year, the Show’s celebrations of its 200th anniversary might be enough to convince you.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though there are plenty of reasons to take the grandkids to the Show in any given year, here are five reasons you should consider visiting this year.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>1. Join in celebrating the Show’s past and present</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The street parades are a beloved part of the Easter Show, and this year’s Bicentenary Street Parade is just as special (if not more).</p> <p dir="ltr">The parade, held three times a day everyday, will feature floats devoted to past fads in fashion and entertainment, as well as </p> <p dir="ltr">Other <em>must-see events</em> include:</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d8e28f6-7fff-b0e1-82e8-8397f8c506b4"></span></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">A Tribute to Our Spectacular Past - the nightly show in the main arena, which promises to take you on a trip from the Show’s origins with horse-drawn carriages to the daring stunts of today’s motorcyclists and precision drivers, rounded out with the classic fireworks display.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The Car Parade - cars from some of Australia’s top collectors will be driven around the grounds at 5pm, with a different car club every day. If you miss the parade, you can also catch the cars on display from 8am til 5pm.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The Heritage Pavilion - filled with snapshots and stories from the last 200 years, you can see the history of fashion, shopping, and other marvels on display every day.</p> </li> </ul> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcNdEUNPaLp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcNdEUNPaLp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Wentworth Point 😷 💉💉💉 (@parramattariver)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Daily shows from aeronauts on balloon bikes, the circus-inspired Cyclopod, the humorous penny-farthing duo The Gagliardies, and travelling medicine show called Gandini’s Medical Marvels are perfect from audiences young and old and perfect additions to your itinerary.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>2. Enjoy the thrills and spills of the Kids’ Carnival</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The Easter Show isn’t complete without the rides, and kids (including kids at heart) will find the Kids’ Carnival is the best place to find some fun.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c2d99357-7fff-d20f-3c69-d793e011cb6c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">From the intricately-detailed carousel to the sky-high super slide, the rides operate daily from 9.30am until late.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcP9ptirRHo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcP9ptirRHo/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nicole Jandik (@babymustravel)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Kids Street, designed for younger kids, is home to the iconic Tea Cups, Merry Go Round, Mini Chairs, and Mini Bumper Cars, as well as carnival games and spots to refuel with hot food and coffee.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a first for the Show, tickets will no longer look like the traditional paper coupons and will instead take the form of a Carnival Fun Pass: a digital pass that you load with credits before you visit or top-up at specially marked kiosks in the carnival areas.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>3. Give the kids a taste of some of Australia’s best arts, crafts, and produce</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Along with all the fun rides, carnival food, and jam-packed showbags, the Show can be a perfect place to learn something new about agriculture or take in some of the country’s best arts and crafts.</p> <p dir="ltr">From paintings and flower arranging to novelty cakes and fashion, you’re sure to find something that piques your (or the kids’) interest. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em><strong>Must-see events</strong></em> include the district exhibit displays, a hallmark of the Show that see produce turned into massive, artful displays, and the Bee-Zeebo, where you’ll learn all about how honey goes from the hive to the jar.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>4. Meet the animals and see who’s Best in Show</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-36436adb-7fff-f38b-0405-29a9960480de"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Who doesn’t love getting up close to cats, dogs, cows, horses and other animals? Since the Show is organised by the Royal Agricultural Society, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that farm animals are a major part of what the Show has on offer. It also means that there’s plenty of cuteness to go around.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca3wIfmvoYF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca3wIfmvoYF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by MONDE Photo Credited Images. (@credit_mondephoto)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2040bd21-7fff-0e3d-9be6-335419feff2d"><em><strong>Must-see events</strong></em> include the daily competitions to crown the best in breed and show, and no matter which day you go, you can see goats, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, chickens and even adorable puppies strut their stuff for the judges.</span></p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcP75edPdWZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CcP75edPdWZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mark (@dunn.photography.au)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The grandkids are also sure to enjoy the 10 Shake Farmyard Nursery, where they can meet, pat and even feed any of the 500 animals there, which can be rounded out with the nightly rodeo that pits international cowboys against Australia’s finest.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>5. Spoil the grandkids with goodies they can take home</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7f6f3a05-7fff-2ba1-2fbc-23ebaf7c9fc7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Last, but definitely not least, is the classic showbag. With 392 varieties available this year, from Bertie Beetle to Bluey-themed, there’s heaps of choice.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca4QC2cvPId/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca4QC2cvPId/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by MONDE Photo Credited Images. (@credit_mondephoto)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Bargain bags include the aforementioned Bertie Beetle range, priced between $3-$18.</p> <p dir="ltr">The fun-filled bags aren’t just for kids, either, with the Australian Women’s Weekly bag ($20), the RAS AG bag ($25), Licorice Lovers ($10), Metallica ($26), Darrell Lea ($25) and themed bags for a host of sports teams among the many popular choices.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Sydney Royal Easter Show runs until Tuesday, April 19, with the main gates opening from 8.30am until 9pm every night.</p> <p dir="ltr">Plus, the final day of the Show is Kids’ Day, meaning that entry for kids is just $12 (or free for kids under three).</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4974a222-7fff-653f-92a7-42a1552e41fc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @sydneyroyal_eastershow (Instagram)</em></p>

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