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How one brave mum is shedding light on postnatal depression through the healing power of music

<p dir="ltr"><em><strong>Warning: This article contains sensitive content which some readers may find distressing.</strong></em></p> <p dir="ltr">It’s no secret that having a baby changes your life in every way. From sleepless nights and feeding routines, to nappy changes and seemingly endless crying, starting a family is, put simply, a life-altering experience. </p> <p dir="ltr">And while the early days of having a newborn can bring love and chaos in equal parts, for some, the days, weeks and months after giving birth can welcome a whole new set of challenges.</p> <p dir="ltr">While most parents are privy to the “baby blues” and a rough day here and there, those struggling with postnatal depression can often be overlooked. </p> <p dir="ltr">Postnatal depression is common, with one in five mums, and one in 10 dads, experiencing postnatal depression symptoms after their baby is born.</p> <p dir="ltr">For Lija (pronounced Le-ah), postnatal depression completely changed her life. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lija, a music teacher from the Central Coast of New South Wales, welcomed her first child, a beautiful daughter named Harper, into the world at the end of 2017. </p> <p dir="ltr">When Lija discovered she was going to become a mum, she was overcome with fear. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lija spoke exclusively with <em>OverSixty</em> about her journey with postnatal depression, and how her feelings of anxiety began as soon as she fell pregnant. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There was this lie in my head that I could not give birth… That I would die. You feel like you can’t make a way through it and you’re predicting all these complications. [Lija’s friends’ traumatic birth experience] confirmed all these feelings and i just thought ‘Maybe you die from this’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As soon as Lija and her husband began to celebrate the news of their growing family, she quickly began to “spiral” into self-doubt and depressive episodes. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When I found out I was pregnant, it was a spiral. I didn’t think I was good enough, I was crying so much… I didn’t feel like I could tell anyone because I was so gripped in fear.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It took me about seven months to accept that I was having a kid.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Over the course of her pregnancy, Lija’s mental health continued to plummet with her feelings of fear and self-doubt, which led her down an even darker path. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The worst part was I was suicidal. There were moments where I wanted to end my life because I just felt like my time was up.”</p> <p dir="ltr">These feelings of helplessness led Lija to reach out to a counsellor, who helped manage her mental health symptoms for the rest of her pregnancy and introduced her to hypnobirthing.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her sessions with a hypnobirthing specialist gave Lija the boost she needed to be in tune with her body, and get her through to Harper’s birth with a sense of confidence. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If I’ve grown a baby, I can give birth to a baby. It was all just focus.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When Harper was born, Lija remembers healthcare professionals warning her husband that her mental health could decline, but she was never spoken to directly.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Apparently nurses were talking to my husband after the birth saying ‘She’s going to be prone to postnatal depression, you need to watch her’, but no one told me I was going to be so lonely.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was so focused on the birth going well that I hadn’t thought about what happens after, and I didn’t know what postnatal depression was.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When Lija and her husband brought baby Harper home, as they encountered perfectly common issues around sleep and breastfeeding, Lija thought she had failed as a first-time mum.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I felt like I failed as a mum because I couldn't give Harper everything she needed. And that started all these terrible thoughts and I just started to mentally spiral down again. But I didn’t know for about six months that I had postnatal depression.”</p> <p dir="ltr">During the first few months of Harper’s life, Lija began to find simple day-to-day tasks very difficult. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My poor husband… I was a psycho. It began when I said no one was allowed to come over because I was constantly in my pyjamas and I felt ashamed that my house wasn’t clean.”  </p> <p dir="ltr">Lija shared that as she began to settle into the reality of being a mum, Harper’s needs always came first. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was just in such a routine. I needed to have my baby follow a good structure, which meant my mental health took a backseat. So I just kept spiralling and spiralling.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As Lija tried to better herself, she quickly found out that comparing yourself to other new parents is a slippery slope that welcomes thoughts of self-doubt. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I tried to go to a mum’s club and they all seemed so perfect. I feel like they weren’t real. It was like Instagram mums. So to try and look good, I was spending all this money to try and keep up appearances.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As Lija’s mental health continued to suffer, she said it wasn’t until a difficult conversation with her husband that she realised she needed professional help. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I wasn’t being the normal me. There was no joy, there was no laughter, and I felt like I failed as a mother and as a wife. So my husband said ‘I’ve booked you in for a therapy session’, and that was the start of it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I wanted to be better for Harper. I wanted to be a good mum for her. So I had to start working on myself.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Now, five years on, Lija is reflecting on her experience with postnatal depression in the best way she knows how: through her music. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lija’s debut single <em>Save Me</em> details her journey of becoming a mum and bettering herself, while painting an honest portrait of the first months of motherhood. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tmHTlybb-rM" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">After being a musician for most of her life, Lija’s passion took a backseat when she became a mother. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I started to miss my music, because I've done music my whole life. It was so hard to walk past my studio and see the guitar going to waste. I started to miss the other half of me as a musician.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After working on <em>Save Me</em> for several years, Lija believes it is the right time to put her story out there in order to help and inspire other parents struggling with postnatal depression.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s okay to be vulnerable. Be real, because you can help others with your honesty.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s also important to remember that babies aren’t going to remember the best outfits they were in, or if they had the best pram. They're going to remember if they were loved or not.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lija has long been a champion of music and its healing power, which became a saviour in her darkest times through her postnatal depression journey.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I went back to teaching music three months after having Harper. I worked one day a week and these kids and teenagers that were singing to me were actually healing me with their music and their talent.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Music is something I have always turned to. It has always spoken to me, and I thought if I write a song about my journey, that could heal me too. I thought ‘It’s time to kick fear in the butt and write about life’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Musical talent is something that runs in the family, with Harper’s singing talents already at “the next level”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I swear she came out singing! Her ability to hear pitch is insane. In lockdown, she would be singing scales while I was teaching music classes over Zoom. She is just so joyous, and she is like my healing.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lija’s debut single <em>Save Me</em> is out on now.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help.</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><em>Lifeline: 13 11 14 or <a href="http://lifeline.org.au/">lifeline.org.au</a></em></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><em>Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or <a href="http://beyondblue.org.au/">beyondblue.org.au</a></em></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><em>Headspace: 1800 650 890 or <a href="http://headspace.org.au/">headspace.org.au</a></em></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><em>PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety &amp; Depression Australia): 1300 726 306 or <a href="https://panda.org.au/">panda.org.au</a></em></strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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Obese yet malnourished toddler mummy sheds light on life in 17th century aristocratic Austria

<p>In a creepy discovery published, a collaboration of German scientists have performed a ‘virtual autopsy’ on a mummified toddler’s body, found in a 17th century Austrian crypt.</p> <p>Buried in a wooden coffin that was slightly too small and deformed the skull, the young child’s body appeared to be both obese and malnourished. Researchers say the findings might provide a rare insight into historical Austrian aristocratic society.</p> <p>By using CT scanning, scientists were able to perform a ‘virtual autopsy’ on the mummy which was naturally mummified in the conditions of the crypt. Well-preserved soft tissue showed the child was a boy, overweight for his age, and radiocarbon dating suggests a date of death between 1550 and 1635 CE.</p> <p>By examining the formation and length of the body’s bones, plus evidence of tooth eruption, the researchers were able to estimate that the child was about one year old when he died. The bones also showed that despite being well-fed, the boy was malnourished, with his malformed ribs displaying signs of rachitic rosary. This condition presents in a pattern of prominent bony knobs at points where the rib joins cartilage and results from diseases associated with specific vitamin deficiencies such as rickets (vitamin D) and scurvy (vitamin C).</p> <p>Vitamin D is found in foods like salmon, tuna, mackerel and beef liver and egg yolks, but we typically only get around 10% of our required Vitamin D from our diets – the rest is made by our bodies when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) from the sun.</p> <p>“The combination of obesity along with a severe vitamin-deficiency can only be explained by a generally ‘good’ nutritional status along with an almost complete lack of sunlight exposure,” said Dr Andreas Nerlich of the Academic Clinic Munich-Bogenhausen and lead researcher.</p> <p>The child appears to have died from pneumonia, judging by the evidence of inflammation in the lungs. Rickets is known to make children more vulnerable to pneumonia, suggesting that, sadly, not only was the child malnourished, but that this condition may have also led to his untimely demise.</p> <p>“We have to reconsider the living conditions of high aristocratic infants of previous populations,” said Nerlich.</p> <p>Relatively little is known about aristocratic childhood in the late Renaissance period, so these mummified remains give key insights into life in Europe of a period generally known for its fervent creativity and intellectual development.</p> <p>“This is only one case,” said Nerlich, “but as we know that the early infant death rates generally were very high at that time, our observations may have considerable impact in the over-all life reconstruction of infants even in higher social classes.”</p> <p>To understand more about this period, researchers scoured historical records of the crypt and the family to whom the crypt belonged. Curiously, the child was buried in a simple, unmarked, wooden coffin, although he was dressed in an expensive silk hooded coat. The unmarked coffin appeared to have been slightly too small for the body such that the skull became deformed and was the only infant buried amongst the identifiable adult metal coffins in the crypt.</p> <p>Historical records of renovations on the crypt confirmed the radiocarbon dating, indicating the child was likely buried sometime after 1600 CE.</p> <p>The crypt belonged to the Counts of Starhemberg and traditionally was kept exclusively for the burial of heirs to their titles, and their wives, making the body likely to be that of the first-born (and only) son, Reichard Wilhelm, of Count Starhemberg.</p> <p>“We have no data on the fate of other infants of the family,” Nerlich said, regarding the unique burial. “According to our data, the infant was most probably [the count’s] first-born son after erection of the family crypt, so special care may have been applied.”</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/toddler-mummy-17thcentury-austria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Clare Kenyon. </strong></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>Andreas et al. (2022)</em></p>

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How an unsolved murder could shed light on an infamous art heist

<p dir="ltr">In the early hours of March 18th 1990, 13 artworks by renowned artists such as Vermeer and Rembrandt were stolen from Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. </p> <p dir="ltr">Collectively valued at $500 million, the artworks were never recovered as investigators failed to pin down one key suspect after the theft. </p> <p dir="ltr">But now, over 30 years on, an unsolved murder of a man in 1991 has given police a new angle on what happened to the art. </p> <p dir="ltr">Jimmy Marks was shot twice on February 20th, the year after the heist, outside his apartment in Massachusetts: 25 minutes northeast of Boston. </p> <p dir="ltr">Jimmy’s murder remains unsolved, and there has not been an arrest made in connection with the high-profile case. </p> <p dir="ltr">Marks was a convicted bank robber and an associate of Robert Guarente, who has long been a person of interest in the case, and who died in 2004. Guarente had been with Marks earlier in the day of his death and is suspected of having been the one to pull the trigger on Marks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[Marks] had connections to subjects suspected of being involved in the Gardner museum heist,” deputy police chief Mark O’Toole of the city of Lynn, Massachusetts, <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/02/27/metro/investigators-suspect-link-between-gardner-museum-heist-an-execution-style-murder-lynn/">told</a> the Boston Globe. “We don’t know what, if any, role he had. But very likely it was related [to his death].”</p> <p dir="ltr">Investigators believe that Guarente was once in possession of two of the stolen works, which he then handed over to another accomplice named Robert Gentile, who died in 2001.</p> <p dir="ltr">A recent tip to investigators said that prior to his death, Marks “was bragging that he was not only in possession of some of the stolen Gardner artwork, he bragged that he had hidden it,” according to Boston 25. Police recently searched the Lynn apartment where Marks once lived, but did not recover anything.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gardner Museum Security Chief Anthony Amore said that the new evidence “needs to be investigated more thoroughly”, as investigators continue their efforts to recover the paintings. </p> <p dir="ltr">Shortly after Marks’ death, investigators first were able to place Guarente and Gentile in the same place. Amore told Boston 25, “The fact that these people converge here around the time of the Marks homicide certainly makes a person hunting for the Gardner paintings sit up and pay attention.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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COVID chaos has shed light on many issues in the Australian childcare sector. Here are 4 of them

<p>Thousands of families are without childcare as <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/resources/national-registers/service-temp-closure-info">hundreds of services</a> have had to close due to a surge in COVID cases, while many more are running at reduced capacity. Many parents dread another <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-covid-control-to-chaos-what-now-for-australia-two-pathways-lie-before-us-174325">chaotic year</a> that may have them jugging <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2022/01/06/executive-functioning-is-much-harder-for-children-from-chaotic-households/">childcare and work</a> at home.</p> <p>The government <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-government-has-again-rescued-the-childcare-sector-from-collapse-but-short-term-fixes-still-leave-it-at-risk-166568">rescued the childcare sector</a> several times over the past two years – making services eligible for a portion of their pre-pandemic payments as families pulled their children out. But these measures were only temporary.</p> <p>The childcare system was already busting at the seams before COVID. I led an <a href="https://uneprofessions.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_38j3CdPsHnM8l81">international survey</a> in 2021, during the pandemic, in which early childhood educators’ gave ideas on how their government could support their work. In Australia, 51 educators participated.</p> <p>Here are four preexisting the issues that have <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/early-childhood-directors-are-carrying-an-exhausting-load-during-covid-19-even-beyond-major-outbreaks-research/">increased during the pandemic</a>.</p> <h2>1. Staff shortages</h2> <p>Currently, many childcare services are closed and others are operating at reduced capacity because staff are either sick with COVID or close contacts that need to isolate. But staffing problems plagued the sector well before the pandemic, with <a href="https://theconversation.com/early-childhood-educators-are-leaving-in-droves-here-are-3-ways-to-keep-them-and-attract-more-153187">more than a 30% staff turnover</a>.</p> <p>The agency responsible for early childhood education and care, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA), released its <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-workforce-strategy">National Workforce Strategy</a> in 2021. It revealed 25% of educators have been at their service for less than a year. This high turnover harms relationships with children who need continuity.</p> <p>In a 2021 <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/73-of-early-educators-plan-to-leave-the-sector-within-three-years/">survey of almost 4,000 Australian educators</a>, 73% said they planned to leave their job within three years. The <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Exhausted-undervalued-and-leaving.pdf">reasons</a> included low pay, overwork and being undervalued.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440392/original/file-20220112-23-1qok3m4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440392/original/file-20220112-23-1qok3m4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Child pouring out sand." /></a> <span class="caption">73% of early childhood educators plan to leave the profession.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/z02yFSgVRbA" class="source">Markus Spiske/Unsplash</a></span></p> <p>Women make up <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/national-workforce-strategy">91% the early childhood education and care workforce</a>. Pay is low in traditionally female occupations, and many educators leave simply because they <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0022185618800351">cannot afford to stay</a>.</p> <p>ACECQA has fast tracked <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/qualifications/requirements/children-preschool-age-or-under/recognition-as-an-equivalent-early-childhood-teacher">quick conversions</a> for primary and secondary school teachers into early childhood education, despite large and important differences in teaching philosophies.</p> <p>But there is unlikely to be a stampede to become one of Australia’s <a href="https://au.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/lowest-paid-jobs-in-australia">13th lowest paid workers</a>, just above a housekeeper. The national average salary for a childcare worker is A$29.63 per hour, but many earn as little as <a href="https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Childcare_Worker/Hourly_Rate">A$23.50</a>. This is in comparison to an average school teacher who earns <a href="https://www.payscale.com/research/AU/Job=Primary_School_Teacher/Salary">A$33.65</a> per hour.</p> <p>One educator in our study called for</p> <blockquote> <p>recognition of the equal value of early childhood educators with primary school teachers, especially for university-trained teachers, who experience a huge pay gap.</p> </blockquote> <p>Casualisation in the sector is another issue leading to high turnover. As part of government COVID rescue packages, permanent staff could receive JobKeeper payments, but casual staff at childcare services were not eligible. Many <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/08/05/hypervigilance-is-wearing-ecec-educators-down-as-the-pandemic-continues/">casual staff left</a> the sector.</p> <p>Government oversight is needed but there is always confusion about which government is responsible. Then there are also differences between community based and private services.</p> <h2>2. Nobody is responsible for the sector</h2> <p>Australia has one of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/quality-childcare-has-become-a-necessity-for-australian-families-and-for-society-its-time-the-government-paid-up-131748">highest levels</a> of privatisation in early childhood education in the world. This makes it harder for governments to control casualisation. However, the government sets the award wages.</p> <p>In a recent speech to the National Press Club, New South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-08/perrottet-bid-to-take-over-childcare-from-commonwealth/100681344">said</a> he wanted states and territories to be able to take over responsibility for childcare from the federal government. This was part of his plan for “reform for a postpandemic world” which he said should be “state led, not Commonwealth led”.</p> <p>The federal government funds childcare, through subsidies, but providers are largely private and set their own fees. The state and territory governments fund community preschools.</p> <p>The federal government is responsible for the sector’s standards, frameworks and curricula, but the state and territory governments regulate them. This messy web makes it more difficult to reform the sector and manage costs for families.</p> <p>One level of government taking responsibility for childcare and preschool services will go some way to fixing the problems.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FIef0mCk7Ao?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <span class="caption">NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet wants the states to take over responsibility for childcare.</span></p> <h2>3. Too much paperwork</h2> <p>In <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">ACECQA’s survey</a>, educators blamed <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2043610615597154">administrative overload</a> as one of the <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">three main reasons</a> they wanted to leave the profession.</p> <p>The increasing paperwork came as governments created <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi86rWw4Jv1AhUTS2wGHSpPD7MQFnoECCYQAQ&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aasw.asn.au%2Fdocument%2Fitem%2F936&amp;usg=AOvVaw0tkTyvOjf6LvcG5WzaJeYG">managerial systems</a> disguised as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2017.1352032">quality assurance</a>, to try to regulate the sector.</p> <p>Now, educators must <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02680939.2014.924561">collect big data</a> every day, including <a href="https://bigsteps.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Exhausted-undervalued-and-leaving.pdf">mountains of checklists</a> for regulation and to document children’s learning. This extra workload <a href="https://educationhq.com/news/managerialism-has-taken-over-in-early-childhood-education-109737/">reduces time</a> spent on quality interactions. It also makes <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/10/25/bound-for-burnout-early-childhood-educators-are-swimming-against-a-gendered-micromanaged-tide/">educators feel micromanaged</a>, affecting their <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293X.2020.1836583">identity and confidence</a>.</p> <p>Echoing the <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/inquiries/completed/childcare/report/childcare-overview.pdf">Productivity Commission’s findings</a> in 2014, educators in our study said governments must “reduce paperwork”, which they described as “ridiculous”, “complex”, “indecipherable”, “frustrating” and “random”. As one educator said: “we need some paperwork, but we also need to be there for the children”.</p> <p>Over 60% felt frustrated three or more times a week. Nearly 40% of educators said the paperwork required for accreditation compliance (assessment and rating) <a href="https://educationhq.com/news/managerialism-has-taken-over-in-early-childhood-education-109737/">decreased the time</a> they spent with children.</p> <h2>4. High burnout, low morale</h2> <p>Despite being an essential worker, <a href="https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/early-childhood-directors-are-carrying-an-exhausting-load-during-covid-19-even-beyond-major-outbreaks-research/">educators are undervalued</a>, struggling for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/18369391211050165">recognition</a>. Their strengths <a href="https://www.iejee.com/index.php/IEJEE/article/view/1447/532">are not mentioned</a> in <a href="https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/belonging_being_and_becoming_the_early_years_learning_framework_for_australia.pdf">curriculum</a> documents.</p> <p>Overwork is the <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/07/26/acecqa-shares-findings-from-national-workforce-strategy-as-recruiting-challenges-persist/">second reason</a> educators want to leave. Our study showed that during the accreditation period, when they need to fill out regulation requirement documents, 50% of staff reported working unpaid hours. <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/09/14/accreditation-effects-on-early-childhood-educator-morale/">Staff morale</a> also suffers during accreditation.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440556/original/file-20220112-21-1sgijcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/440556/original/file-20220112-21-1sgijcd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Childcare worker talking to kids." /></a> <span class="caption">Despite doing essential work, childcare workers are burnt out and suffer from low morale.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/preschool-teacher-talking-group-children-sitting-1214667421" class="source">Shutterstock</a></span></p> <p>During the pandemic, educators reported an <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/18369391211040940">increased burden</a> with extra time needed for cleaning, health requirements, communicating with parents, rearranging work plans and spaces, caring for staff, and constant <a href="https://thesector.com.au/2021/08/05/hypervigilance-is-wearing-ecec-educators-down-as-the-pandemic-continues/">hypervigilance</a>.</p> <p>One said, “I would prefer to work somewhere for the same or similar wage with less stress and take-home work”.</p> <p>Burnout is the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13158-020-00264-6">third reason</a> educators want to leave. “The demand on educators is too high. The pressure is intense”, one told us.</p> <p>The National Workforce Strategy recommends directors give educators links to well-being services and strategies. While this is well-meaning, it is simplistic given the level of crisis.</p> <p>For example, we found 70% of educators felt overtired and 60% felt overwhelmed three or more times in the last week.</p> <p>Recognition of childcare as an <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/18369391211040940">essential service</a> – with assured funding provision and a more streamlined level of government regulation – is key to reforming the sector’s status, and educators’ pay.</p> <p>The sector is in crisis, so we need to stop talking about ideas to change it and take action towards <a href="https://thrivebyfive.org.au/">total reform</a>.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/174404/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marg-rogers-867368">Marg Rogers</a>, Senior Lecturer, Early Childhood Education, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-new-england-919">University of New England</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-chaos-has-shed-light-on-many-issues-in-the-australian-childcare-sector-here-are-4-of-them-174404">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Pixabay</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Damning evidence sheds awful new light on cruise line toddler death

<p>A man who dropped his young granddaughter on a cruise ship “unquestionably” knew the window was open, the cruise operator alleges in a court filing.</p> <p>Royal Caribbean Cruises filed a motion this month asking the federal court in the Southern District of Florida asking to dismiss a lawsuit by the family of Chloe Wiegand, who fell to her death from an 11th floor window on the Freedom of the Seas ship in Puerto Rico in July 2019.</p> <p>The toddler’s parents have accused the cruise liner of negligence in her death by allowing the window in the children’s play area to be open.</p> <p>In the new filing, Royal Caribbean alleged the blame falls on Wiegand’s 51-year-old grandfather Salvatore Anello, who was charged in Puerto Rico with negligent homicide.</p> <p>The company said surveillance video shows Anello leaning out the open window before lifting Wiegand up to it.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 291.941px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7834041/court-document-pic-5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/95e2e7fdf05b45f390375a75efd666ee" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Source: <span>United States District Court of Southern Florida</span></em></p> <p>“Because Mr Anello had himself leaned out the window, he was well aware that the window is open,” the court motion said.</p> <p>“This is a case about an adult man, who, as surveillance footage unquestionably confirms: (1) walked up to a window he was aware was open; (2) leaned his upper body out the window for several seconds; (3) reached down and picked up Chloe; and (4) then held her by and out of the open window for 34 seconds before he lost his grip and dropped Chloe out of the window.</p> <p>“His actions, which no reasonable person could have foreseen, were reckless and irresponsible and the sole reason why Chloe is no longer with her parents.”</p> <p>The family’s attorney Michael Winkleman said the cruise company’s motion is “baseless and deceptive”, <em><span>The Indianapolis Star</span></em><span> reported.</span></p> <p><span>Anello told <em><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/salvatore-anello-grandfather-charged-in-cruise-ship-death-speaks-out-2019-11-25/">CBS This Morning</a> </em>in November that he is colourblind and did not realise the tinted window was open. “I thought there was glass,” he said then. “I still say it to myself, it's just, I kind of relive it all the time and I just thought there was glass there.”</span></p>

Cruising

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Sick of your dog shedding? This leotard stops exactly that

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re tired of vacuuming your dog’s fur, the guys at Shed Defender have a solution for you, although your dog is likely to be less than impressed with the outcome.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s a leotard that’s designed to keep your dog from shedding its fur all over the house and you can see it below.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0bAtoklZHT/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0bAtoklZHT/" target="_blank">@meka_the_shepherd is ready to play #sheddefender . . . . . . . . #gsd #germanshepherd #germanshepherdforever #germanshepherd_corner #gsdforever #gsdfamily #gsdlover #gsdfeature #gsdworld #gsddaily #gsdforlife #gsdcorner</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sheddefender/" target="_blank"> ShedDefender</a> (@sheddefender) on Jul 27, 2019 at 6:34am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Shed Defender has a range of purposes that come with also looking slightly dorky, which include acting as a barrier from mud and dirt if your dog decides to roll around in the backyard as well as protecting your pup from fleas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The leotard can also be used to replace cones around the head if your dog has recently had surgery as they will be unable to lick or bite their new wound.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the leotard is nice and snug against the dog, it’s said to calm down dogs with anxiety and provide them with an easing effect.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re worried that the leotards might be cruel for your dog, it’s made out of breathable, four way stretch eco-friendly mesh fabric and has been approved by vets.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Shed Defender first made its appearance on Shark Tank back in 2018 and since then, the company has seen a 65 per cent growth in revenue.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The idea first came about in 2011 after the founder, Tyson Walters, struggled to find a solution to the shedding of his St. Bernard Harley.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYKTbCFuOH/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzYKTbCFuOH/" target="_blank">Real Dogs Wear Pink @my_bark_is_bigger_than_yours #sheddefender . . . . . . . . #bigdogs #bigdogsofinstagram #stbernards #bigdog #bigdogclothes</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sheddefender/" target="_blank"> ShedDefender</a> (@sheddefender) on Jul 1, 2019 at 7:29am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There is a varied range of sizing starting from “mini” all the way up to “giant” with prices ranging from $72 up to $112. They ship to Australia too all the way from the US.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hero image credit: www.instagram.com/sheddefender/</span></p>

Family & Pets

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Inside the farm shed converted into a luxury rural retreat

<p>At a glance this farm machinery shed might not look like the most comfortable type of accommodation for a holiday in the Kangaroo Valley in NSW, Australia.</p> <p>But a glance at the interior in the gallery above will show you otherwise.</p> <p>Set in a picturesque region, this <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">beautiful, eco-accredited property</span></strong></a> is the perfect venue for a getaway with family and friends, or even larger celebrations.</p> <p>Using recycled and reclaimed materials, this farm machinery shed has been creatively transformed into the perfect B&amp;B with three luxurious bedrooms. The owners have also installed a wood fire, dining space, fully equipped kitchen, outdoor entertaining/dining space, pizza oven and BBQ to cater for all your entertaining needs.</p> <p>Set amongst permaculture gardens, this <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">farm shed offers seclusion and privacy</span></strong></a> in the Kangaroo Valley, but it’s just 10 minutes from the town centre so you won’t feel isolated.</p> <p>Kangaroo Valley is one of the most picturesque regions of Australia and you will love exploring the area for accommodation that is truly unique.</p> <p>To find out more or book the converted shed, <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">click here</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>Even if you’re not headed to the Kangaroo Valley any time soon, make sure you scroll through the gallery above to see just how incredible these properties are.</p> <p>Have you ever visited the Kangaroo Valley before? Do you have a holiday on the cards, and if so where are you planning to go?</p> <p>Please share your story in the comments.</p> <p><a href="https://www.airbnb.com/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Whether you want to make money by renting your place or to find affordable accommodation options and stretch your travel budget further, head over to Airbnb now and have a look around.</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/07/cosiest-winter-retreats-in-the-blue-mountains/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cosiest winter retreats in the Blue Mountains</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/07/converted-bakery-in-kangaroo-valley/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Stay in a converted bakery in the heart of Kangaroo Valley</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/06/french-gypsy-wagon-transformed-into-luxury-cottage/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">French gypsy wagon transformed into luxury cottage</span></em></strong></a></p>

International Travel

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10 dog breeds that don’t shed

<p>No matter what kind of dog you get, you’re going to get an eternally grateful, loving and loyal friend. But as we get older, we don’t want more housework added to the chore list, and some pups add just that.</p> <p>But that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on getting a new best friend. Any one of these breeds (or a delightfully adorable mutt mixed with one of these breeds) will give you all the love and affection you’d expect from a canine companion, sans fur all over the furniture.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see our picks for the 10 best non- or low-shedding dogs and let us know in the comments, do you own one of these pooches? Or another non-shedding dog?</p>

Family & Pets

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Ben Affleck reveals heartbreaking truth about himself to shed light on issue

<p>Ben Affleck has opened up about his secret struggle with alcohol addiction in a candid <a href="https://www.facebook.com/benaffleck/posts/1425085557565867" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Facebook post</span></strong></a>, urging others to seek help if they need it. The Oscar winner reportedly checked himself in to rehab straight after the Oscars, two weeks ago.</p> <p>“I have completed treatment for alcohol addiction, something I've dealt with in the past and will continue to confront,” he wrote. “I want my kids to know there is no shame in getting help when you need it, and to be a source of strength for anyone out there who needs help but is afraid to take the first step.”</p> <p>Affleck also thanked ex-wife Jennifer Garner for her support, amid rumours the couple had chosen to call off their divorce, announced in 2015.</p> <p>“I'm lucky to have the love of my family and friends, including my co-parent, Jen, who has supported me and cared for our kids as I've done the work I set out to do,” the heartfelt post reads. “This was the first of many steps being taken towards a positive recovery.”</p> <p>The actor has battled alcohol abuse for more than 15 years. It’s believed he first entered rehab back in 2001 for one month. “I went to rehab for being 29 and partying too much and not having a lot of boundaries and to clear my head and try to get some idea of who I wanted to be,” he told <em><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ben-affleck-thr-cover-argo-oscar-377611" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Hollywood Reporter</span></strong></a></em>. “It was more a ‘let me get myself straight,’ before it became a rite of passage.”</p>

News

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Concealing your backyard eyesores

<p>What do you do when you’ve got those horrible eyesores in your backyard which you can’t just load into your car and take to the tip?</p> <p>You dress them up!</p> <p>Some components of your backyard design are essential, even if they’re not particularly pretty. Whether it’s just the rubbish bins or an air conditioning unit you want to hide, we’ve got some top-notch tricks to conceal them from sight.</p> <p>Air conditioning units, pool circulation systems, and propane tanks</p> <p>Air con units, pool pumps, and propane tanks are all big enough to attract a fair amount of undeserved attention.</p> <p>They can be tricky to hide, as they need space for ventilation and servicing. Plus the air con unit emits hot air that’s bound to scorch any plants you try to grow nearby.</p> <p>Lattice, trellis, or picket fences are your best bet for concealing these unsightly yet essential contraptions.</p> <p>Build three walls around the device and leave the fourth either as an open space or with a gate to allow easy access. If your contraption backs onto a fence or house wall, build two walls with the opening on the side furthest from your view.</p> <p>Lattice and trellis work particularly well because you can grow climbers such as clematis, honeysuckle, and sweet peas over it to build a thicker partition.</p> <p>If you really want it to blend into your surroundings, paint the fence with your home’s colour theme.</p> <p>Another fantastic idea is to use plants that perform well as fences (though rule it out for air conditioners). High hedges do a good job of sectioning off the area, while bamboo is a natural screen, growing tall and thick to hide your unappealing fixtures.</p> <p><strong>Down spouts, pipes and posts</strong></p> <p>Many houses – especially older ones – come with unattractive yet unavoidable plumbing fixtures. An easy way to conceal them is to sand them and paint them the same colour as the weatherboards or concrete behind them.</p> <p>Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to find the right paint match – or to camouflage pipes against brick.</p> <p>The easiest thing to do in this case is to dress up the plumbing with lightweight climbers (too heavy and they could tear the pipe right off the wall!). Morning glory, ivy or sweet peas are good choices.</p> <p>Attach bird netting, twine, or baling wire around the pipe to help support the climbing plants as they grow.</p> <p>Alternatively, you can turn your downspout into art, with a clever idea such as this one:</p> <p><strong>Garden sheds</strong></p> <p>Your garden shed doesn’t necessarily have to be ugly. Nor does it need to be hidden from view. With the right paint job and some clever additional features, your garden shed could blend in with its surroundings and actually add to your garden design. Who would have thought?</p> <p>To begin with, paint the building the same colour theme as the rest of your property. That helps it look like it belongs.</p> <p>Secondly, if your backyard shed has windows, install some garden boxes and grow cascading plants (you can find some plant inspiration here). Fuchsias, impatiens and petunias are some great options.</p> <p>If your shed lacks windows, that doesn’t mean you can’t green it up a bit. You can turn it into its own little ‘green house’ by building a vertical garden up its side.</p> <p>Add a few quirks to give your shed a bit of personality – a weathervane, for example. You can even be daring and create a charming path leading to the shed. That makes it look like a masterpiece you want to show off, rather than an embarrassment you intend to hide.</p> <p><strong>Tree stumps</strong></p> <p>If you’ve inherited a garden with a pesky tree stump in the middle of the yard, it can be hard to know what to do with it.</p> <p>You can have professionals remove the stump, but it will cost you.</p> <p>Alternatively, you can keep the stump but dress it up either by hollowing out the centre and filling it with cascading plants or simply surrounding it with shrubs and pot plants. If it’s a big stump you could place a few pot plants on top and surround it with tall shrubs.</p> <p>A great idea is to fill some old wine barrels with cascading petunias or day lilies. Gather them around the stump and it will blend right in!</p> <p><em>Written by Alex Kuchel. First appeared on <a href="https://www.australianoutdoorliving.com.au" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Australian Outdoor Living</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/how-to-make-your-home-more-sustainable/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>8 ways to make your home more sustainable today</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/06/tips-for-gardening-on-uneven-ground/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Tips for gardening on uneven ground</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/05/garden-fixes-after-heavy-rain/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Garden fixes after heavy rain</strong></em></span></a></p>

Home & Garden

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Husband and son build “She Shed” for one lucky lady

<p>A father and son spent five tireless weeks building a “she shed” from scratch for the lady of the house, Patricia Smith.</p> <p>The charming box-style garden shed will be the perfect place for the wife and mother to relax in what she calls her “little corner of the world”.</p> <p>And while her husband and son did all the hard work building the shed, Smith also pitched in by doing the landscaping and gardening around the shed.  </p> <p><strong><em>Scroll through the gallery above to see the charming finished product. </em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/homemade-remedies-for-the-garden/">Homemade remedies for the garden</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/01/natural-fertilisers/">5 natural fertilisers that can be found in your house</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2015/12/how-to-create-peaceful-garden/">6 steps to a peaceful garden</a></em></strong></span></p>

News

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