Current Issue - Creative Lives

Feature Stories

Drama Matters

Deb Hunt explores how involvement in theatre and youth arts can make a big difference in young people's lives.

"Are you trying to raise well-adjusted children? Do you hope they'll grow to be self-confident, motivated and happy to voice their opinions? Are you keen for them to collaborate with others? Then put away the parenting books and head to the theatre.

"Evidence suggests involvement in drama and youth arts makes a big difference to the lives of children and young adults. It equips them with greater skills in literacy, self-expression and problem-solving, and provides emotional and creative tools that can help them cope better in later years. And let's face it, we could all do with a helping hand when it comes to "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune". ..."

Stepping Into Culture

Families across Australia are making moves to stay connected to their roots through dance, writes Genevieve Barlow.

"Each Saturday after their Polish reading and writing lessons, the Kilijanska brothers, Nicholas, 10, and Matthew, nine, along with about 10 other children, take to the floor of the Polska Szkola (Polish school) for their weekly Polish-dance lessons. Their mother Iwona Kilijanska moved to Australia 11 years ago, and loves nothing more than to see her Australian-born sons don traditional costume and dance in the way of her home country. Kilijanska says it keeps them connected with her culture, and when the family travels back to Poland every two years, her sons fit right in. For 60 years, children of native-born Poles living in Australia have been coming to the Polish school in Maylands, Perth, to be immersed in Polish culture, including dance.

"Children love dancing, and many families like to pass on their cultural heritage through dance. They do this by teaching their children themselves, taking them to dance lessons or through cultural celebrations. ..."

Arts For All

Sean Mooney reports on a performing-arts program offering opportunities for children with disabilities.

"A Sydney-based theatre company is preparing to offer additional support for children, especially pre-schoolers and primary-school students, through its performing-arts program for people with a disability. As a mainstream theatre company dedicated to the development of opportunities in the arts for people with a disability, Beyond the Square is in a unique position to do so.

"The program is run by professional arts workers and tutors out of Riverside Theatres in Parramatta, offering dance, drama and film programs, as well as workshops and public performances. While its primary aim is to develop participants' performance and theatre-making skills, it is also about opening up new social networks. Many activities run by Beyond the Square already welcome young people, but the program only recently has had the resources to run child-centric activities. ..."

Sound Foundation

Peter Hadfield, Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Children's Music Foundation, explains how young people are being inspired through the power of music.

"The Australian Children's Music Foundation (ACMF) was founded in 2002 by Don Spencer, OAM, accomplished musician and host of Play School for 28 years, and is a not-for-profit organisation using the power of music to inspire young people. "When I was a young boy, life was pretty tough for me and my family," says Spencer. "Music was my solace and fired up my imagination. It changed my life. I thought if I created an organisation that allowed kids to have more access to music, it could change their lives, too."

"Over the past decade, ACMF has worked in disadvantaged, Indigenous, multicultural and isolated schools, providing free tuition to thousands of young people, and donated more than $500,000 worth of free instruments for programs across Australia. ..."

Party Performers

Philippa Macken explores some of the hisses, misses and magic of children's entertainers.

"It's a sunny Saturday morning in Perth as Cassandra Rowles gathers her friends around her, ready for a full day of birthday parties. Cleopatra leans on her shoulder as Rowles gives Fred a friendly pat, and George chews strawberries.

"It's an unusual group of characters, and Rowles draws stares as she loads them into the car. After all, Cleopatra is a two-metre-long python, Fred is a large blue-tongue lizard and George is a rather fat, fruit-munching bobtail lizard. Out of sight are Lisa and Mo, a couple of smaller Stimson's pythons. Together they form a super-slithery entertainment team for children's parties. "I get to combine my two favourite things – reptiles and children – and I always have a captive audience," says Rowles. "The excitement, the children's reactions – it never gets old." ..."

For the full stories, get your copy.

Your Stories

Cutting Remarks

Gemma Hawdon is exasperated that some of her children's teachers have not learnt the art of encouraging creativity.

"My seven-year-old daughter has always enjoyed crazy art projects. Whether decorating our driveway in chalk, pouring syrup faces over her pancakes or making paper airplanes from our unpaid bills, she embraces creativity with wide, excited eyes.

"So imagine my surprise when she slunk into the kitchen one morning, complaining she had art at school that day. "But you love art," I said. "Not with Ms Phillips," she replied, curling her lip at the very mention of the name. ..."

A Happy House

What started as a welcome respite from parenting has become a well-loved family tradition, writes Christina Greenlees.

"For nearly a decade, my son and his cousins have been going to Grandma's house once a week for dinner. It started as a welcome respite from the intense workload of babies and toddlers, developed into a chance for my sister and me to have a date night with our partners, and is now an integral part of all our lives.

"In Grandma's house, the rules and routines are different. Somehow, Grandma weaves a magic spell, and our four strong-minded little people behave, and even sit through a whole meal. The house we knew as children looks the same in many ways (none of the furniture or even wallpaper has changed), however each room now caters to the children. ..."

Birthday Basics

Brooke Tasovac reflects on how the world of children's parties has changed since she was a child.

"After celebrating my daughter's first birthday six months ago, and now having several of my friends planning their babies' first-birthday parties, I've noticed how much children's birthday parties have changed since we were kids in the 1990s. We all had busy parents, and our parties were simple affairs hosted in the backyard, with nothing more than a cake, Pass the Parcel, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, some balloons taped to the mailbox and invitations bought from the newsagent.

"They were still wonderful, but took place before the influence of the internet took over. ..."

Celebration Preparation

Vivienne Pearson resolves to learn from experience and hold a hearty party, free from stress.

"I don't have the energy or vanity to run a perfect children's party, but what I do aspire to is hosting one that's stress free. I don't mean just the party itself; after all, most last a mere two hours. It's the preparation, which can take weeks and get very intense in the final days. For me, a stress-free party starts at the initial idea and ends with the clean-up afterwards.

"I know it's a big call. But something has to change, since my track record is not good. My announcement of my intention to run a stress-free party was met with scoffs from my husband and a declaration from my sister that it's "impossible". Recalling previous parties, I can understand their reactions. ..."

For the full stories, get your copy.

Special Series

Special Series - D3: Diversity, Difference & Diagnosis

Dancing With Joy

After years of not fitting in, Brooke Lumsden's son finally finds his feet.

"Entering the hall, I look around for signs of reassurance. There are only a few children – an upper-primary-age boy practising his spotting, a confident teenager full of rhythm who kicks up his skateboard before stepping into an arabesque, and three young bundles of energy too busy sliding around to fall in line and start their stretches. We are taking our first step into the world of ballet for boys. ..."

For the full stories, get your copy.

Reviews

Book Reviews

This month, David Witt reviews:

The Dark written by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen.

Starring Jules (as Herself) written by Beth Ain, illustrated by Anne Keenan Higgins.

Juliet Nearly A Vet written by Rebecca Johnson, illustrated by Kyla May.

The Little Eskimo written by Davide Cali, illustrated by Maurizio Quarello.

And Veronicah Larkin reviews:

Don't let a Spoonbill in the kitchen! written and illustrated by Narelle Oliver.

Let's Go to Sleep written by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Michelle Dawson.

The Fearsome, Frightening, Ferocious Box written by Frances Watts, illustrated by David Legge.

Somewhere in Australia written by Marcello Pennacchio, illustrated by Danny Snell.

For the full stories, get your copy.

Regulars

Grand Times - Extending The Care

Grandmother Rose O'Reilly writes:

"'I love my grandchildren,' says Glenys, pushing one of them on a swing in the local park. 'According to my husband, I'm besotted with them. But when it comes to providing childcare, I don't do it just for them – I do it to help my own children.'

"I feel the same way, but our motives as grandparents can be much more complex. Some of us want to make up for what we see as our failings as parents by doing an extra good job as grandparents, while others feel pressured to provide childcare. ..."

Family Calendar

You can access our online calendar, which is full of wonderful activities and events for families occurring in Sydney in May.

For the full stories, get your copy.