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Adrienne McRae

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24.01.2022 A SILENT TRAGEDY There is a silent tragedy that is unfolding today in our homes, and concerns our most precious jewels: our children. Our children are in a deva...stating emotional state! In the last 15 years, researchers have given us increasingly alarming statistics on a sharp and steady increase in childhood mental illness that is now reaching epidemic proportions: Statistics do not lie: 1 in 5 children have mental health problems A 43% increase in ADHD has been noted A 37% increase in adolescent depression has been noted There has been a 200% increase in the suicide rate in children aged 10 to 14 What is happening and what are we doing wrong? Today's children are being over-stimulated and over-gifted with material objects, but they are deprived of the fundamentals of a healthy childhood, such as: Emotionally available parents Clearly defined limits Responsibilities Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep Movement in general but especially OUTDOORS Creative play, social interaction, unstructured game opportunities and boredom spaces Instead, in recent years, children have been filled with: Digitally distracted parents Indulgent and permissive parents who let children "rule the world" and whoever sets the rules A sense of right, of deserving everything without earning it or being responsible for obtaining it Inadequate sleep and unbalanced nutrition A sedentary lifestyle Endless stimulation, technological nannies, instant gratification and absence of boring moments What to do? If we want our children to be happy and healthy individuals, we have to wake up and get back to basics. It is still possible! Many families see immediate improvements after weeks of implementing the following recommendations: Set limits and remember that you are the captain of the ship. Your children will feel more confident knowing that you have control of the helm. Offer children a balanced lifestyle full of what children NEED, not just what they WANT. Don't be afraid to say "no" to your children if what they want is not what they need. Provide nutritious food and limit junk food. Spend at least one hour a day outdoors doing activities such as: cycling, walking, fishing, bird / insect watching Enjoy a daily family dinner without smartphones or distracting technology. Play board games as a family or if children are very small for board games, get carried away by their interests and allow them to rule in the game Involve your children in some homework or household chores according to their age (folding clothes, ordering toys, hanging clothes, unpacking food, setting the table, feeding the dog etc.) Implement a consistent sleep routine to ensure your child gets enough sleep. The schedules will be even more important for school-age children. Teach responsibility and independence. Do not overprotect them against all frustration or mistakes. Misunderstanding will help them build resilience and learn to overcome life's challenges, Do not carry your children's backpack, do not carry their backpacks, do not carry the homework they forgot, do not peel bananas or peel oranges if they can do it on their own (4-5 years). Instead of giving them the fish, teach them to fish. Teach them to wait and delay gratification. Provide opportunities for "boredom", since boredom is the moment when creativity awakens. Do not feel responsible for always keeping children entertained. Do not use technology as a cure for boredom, nor offer it at the first second of inactivity. Avoid using technology during meals, in cars, restaurants, shopping centers. Use these moments as opportunities to socialize by training the brains to know how to work when they are in mode: "boredom" Help them create a "bottle of boredom" with activity ideas for when they are bored. Be emotionally available to connect with children and teach them self-regulation and social skills: Turn off the phones at night when children have to go to bed to avoid digital distraction. Become a regulator or emotional trainer for your children. Teach them to recognize and manage their own frustrations and anger. Teach them to greet, to take turns, to share without running out of anything, to say thank you and please, to acknowledge the error and apologize (do not force them), be a model of all those values you instill. Connect emotionally - smile, hug, kiss, tickle, read, dance, jump, play or crawl with them. Article written by Victoria Prooday https://yourot.com//2017/5/24/what-are-we-doing-to-our-chi

21.01.2022 I’m all packed and out of reach for the next month.... I’m walking into Tibet and around Mt Kailash...... preparation has been not dissimilar to preparing for a baby. Enjoying life..

21.01.2022 If you’re wondering whether to vaccinate or not, I encourage you to read this. It’s a description of our son’s last 24 hours on earth, and I truly hope that the... closest you ever get to this story is simply just reading it - and never living through it, like we have. We stood anxiously in the pediatrics intensive care unit (PICU), waiting for an update from Riley’s doctor. We had come down to the PICU earlier that morning, after learning Riley’s suspected whooping cough had now developed into pneumonia. While I knew that it was the best place for him, I couldn’t ignore the anxious faces of the other parents who walked past Riley’s room, or the draw that said baptism gowns. It was a stark reminder that not every child who enters intensive care, leaves. I remember seeing the wall of PICU graduates photos of happy faced kids who had survived and thrived after spending time in the PICU. I imagined the photo we’d send in of Riley, once he was all better. Once he’d learned to smile, once his cough had gone away, once he was all healed. Feeling nervous, hands sweaty, we listened to Riley’s doctors talk. Life support will give his little body a chance to rest and heal we were told. They also described the plasma exchange he would possibly need later that afternoon, where his blood would be manually removed by a syringe and replaced with a donation of plasma a procedure that would take hours. I looked at our beautiful boy, who was already connected to so many tubes and wires. This was starting to feel so serious, the doctors who originally were fairly positive now looked worried and concerned. We called up Greg’s Mum who lived in Adelaide, and asked her to fly to Perth that evening, as things weren’t looking all that good. An hour or two later, one of Riley’s doctors pulled us aside for a chat. She kindly if there is a kind way told us that we needed to prepare ourselves for the fact that Riley could die. I felt shocked and sickened. I think this is one of the first times I cried in hospital; I had been so positive that Riley would get better. Greg and I gripped each other’s hands and tried to comfort each other, but really there is no way to comfort in this situation. We spent the next hour or two pacing the corridors as we waited for them to administer a new cannula, before we were allowed in. I wish I could remember the last time I saw Riley conscious. We made the decision for me to go to my parents’ house for a sleep, since I had been in hospital for four days with hardly any sleep. We thought we were going to be in it for the long haul, and that I would need my energy. As I left, I know they were preparing him for life support and the plasma transfusion. I just have no memory of looking into his eyes for the last time, or letting him know I loved him. I really hope I did. Greg says it’s a good thing I wasn’t there for his last conscious hours. He was screaming and screaming as they got him ready for life support, I don’t know all the fine details, but I know he hadn’t had any milk in a long time, and that he would have been in a lot of pain from the needles and cannulas they were administering. Greg’s last memory of Riley conscious is of him screaming and distraught. That’s how my baby will last remember the world. I woke up with a start at 3am the next morning, to the phone call that nobody would ever want to have. Cath, the doctors say you’ve got to come in, quickly Greg urged. I extracted myself from my daughter’s cuddle, and asked Mum to drive me to the hospital. We were there within 15 minutes, but I got lost trying to find his room, and was in a panic. I was greeted by a social worker, and as lovely as she was, it was clearly a sign that Riley’s chances had diminished. A nurse asked us if we wanted him baptised, and my heart sank. We agreed, and I spent the next couple of minutes choosing out a blanket and christening gown. Due to all his wires and tubes, they could only place the gown on top of him, but he still looked beautiful. Swollen, sick, but beautiful. I remember putting my finger in his hand when he was being baptised, and he still had that reflex were his hand curled around it. Or maybe I imagined it, I’m not sure. But I remember thinking that there was still a chance. At 10 am that morning, we had a meeting with Riley’s doctor, several nurses, and the social worker. Our parents were also there, and supported us as we were told that while they weren’t giving up hope or stopping treatment, it was not looking like Riley was going to survive. His heart was failing, his lungs were filled with thick mucus, as the toxins from the pertussis and the subsequent pneumonia had ravaged his body. My whole world was crumbling, and while I don’t think I was a total mess, inside my heart was breaking. We mentioned that when it was time for him to go, we’d like to be holding and cuddling him, not have him lying alone on the bed. The rest of the morning was spent crying, texting family and friends about what was happening, spending time with Riley, and asking my brother to bring in our three year old daughter so she could say goodbye. We tried to explain to our daughter what was happening. She gave Riley a quick cuddle and kiss, said goodbye, and asked if she could go play now. She never really understood the finality of his death until several months later. When we saw the nurses dragging the big armchair into Riley’s room, we knew that it was time. Time to say goodbye, time to do the last thing on earth I wanted to do, and watch my baby die. We all had last cuddles, and then it was time. I asked the doctor if there was any chance, even the slimmest of chances. He was very upset and told me that unfortunately there was no hope. Pink foamy stuff had started to come up out of his lungs, I forget what it was but I knew it wasn’t good. Riley was placed in my arms, and I was shocked at how burning hot and swollen his tiny body was. Greg crouched next to me, holding Riley’s hands. The tubes were slowly and carefully removed, and we cuddled, cried, kissed him, and sang to him a lullaby as the life slowly drained out of him. At 2pm, our beautiful 32 day old baby left us, left this world, and left us devastated and heartbroken. Riley had been too young to be vaccinated. If I had been offered a whooping cough booster during pregnancy, there is a good chance Riley would still be with us today. Since Riley’s death, whooping cough boosters have become free for pregnant women in Australia, and recommended in every single pregnancy. A systematic review demonstrating the safety and efficacy of this pregnancy vaccine can be found here: http://bit.ly/PertussisVaxReview Anybody who has close, regular contact with a newborn also needs to make sure they are up to date on their vaccinations. Childhood vaccination does not begin when the child is six weeks. It now begins when the mother is pregnant. Please don’t forget to have your pregnancy vaccinations and protect your baby from this terrible disease. Thank you so much to everyone who supports us and helps to get this important message out there to other parents. It means so much to our family and we are so grateful Rest In Peace Riley

20.01.2022 There is no right way, just your way. Happy Wednesday

19.01.2022 Everyone should stay at home unless you have an essential reason to leave. Visitors to your home should also be limited. Visit http://covid19.qld.gov.au for more info. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve

18.01.2022 During the Christmas break I have been making memories with my daughter and some of the whanau. May you continue to make memories in 2020 with your dearest and nearest.

17.01.2022 The start of something new, come and join me

16.01.2022 This weekend I’ve been meeting with not only some wonderful families, but the wonderful team at Amtan medical centre at the mums and bubs expo. This is just the beginning.

15.01.2022 A powerful message.

15.01.2022 I haven’t posted for a while but thought I would share this example of good parenting.

13.01.2022 Sitting in Nepalgunj airport and spotted this sign.

12.01.2022 The start of something new

10.01.2022 Happy new year to you and your family 2020Happy new year to you and your family 2020

09.01.2022 If this video helps one child grow up in a healthier way I'm happy

08.01.2022 Human milk for human babies

03.01.2022 Here it is in writing. Show it to those who tell you otherwise