Welcome to my June diary! A new family member!, a girls’ trip to Orange, rushing to the ER, gathering my tax documents and being grateful for Sharesight!, Sex ed for Andy and lots of writing for me!
My Personal Update
The three biggest things to happen to me this month were; Buying a new puppy, going on a mini girls’ break to Orange, and cutting my finger so badly I ended up in the hospital!
Yes, I committed to buying a new puppy! This was an early birthday surprise for Andy. Her name is Missy, she’s a Cavoodle and she’s adorable! Lots of lessons to learn but we are just getting to know each other and enjoying the ride! (more info below about how I surprised Andy).
The mini-break to Orange was exactly what I needed. As a single mum, it can be difficult to get time to yourself, time to just be you, without parenting. I had never been to Orange before and I loved it. I didn’t realise what a huge wine scene it was! More info on my Orange break below, including how much it cost me!
Slicing a loaf of bread with a brand new bread knife last week, I slipped and went straight into my finger! It really hurt. And it was really deep. I took myself to the GP who told me to go to the hospital. I waited in the ER for 6 hours (obviously low priority when it comes to triaging emergencies in the ER) and finally got 3 stitches in my finger, thankfully no nerve or tendon damage.
Money
My biggest purchase this month was my little puppy Cavoodle Missy! She cost $2800 and I budgeted for her! I saved, I had my emergency fund put aside, with extra in there to allow for this purchase. I never would have committed to buying her if I thought I wouldn’t be able to pay other bills or meet other commitments. Buying her simply meant my Emergency fund went from $28,000 down to about $25,000. I felt comfortable with this and then set about spending way too much money on toys and accessories! Hahaha.. K mart have such great prices for pet products – it’s such a saving anyway, compared to buying supplies elsewhere.
I took a mini-break at the start of June, with 2 of my girlfriends, and we stayed in Orange, NSW. I had never been to Orange before and I loved it! It was very cold but the food and wine scene did not disappoint! We stayed in a hotel and shared a room for 2 nights. The best part of this was.. I paid $22 for my accommodation for the 2 nights! This was a hotel that accepted the NSW Govt ‘Stay’ or ‘Parent’ vouchers and they also accepted multiple vouchers per person! This meant that I saved $150 on my accommodation, which meant I could spend more money on food and wine! Haha.. Honestly though, I had more than enough in my Emergency fund to cover any expenses but these NSW Govt vouchers have been amazing to redeem! Have you redeemed multiple govt vouchers in the same place?? I know there’s not many places that will allow this. All up, with accommodation, (shared) petrol costs, food, and wine tastings, I spent just under $300 for 3 days and 2 nights away. Pretty happy with that!
It’s the end of the tax year! Did anyone go and make some last-minute tax-deductible purchases? I didn’t go too crazy but I did buy a new printer, some basic office supplies and some basic tech. Now time to get all my tax papers in order.. ugh, I can’t say I love that job.. I am pleased I have Sharesigt linked to my investments though; it makes tax time SO much easier if you have shares. It’s also FREE! If you want to upgrade in the future, you can get 4 months free by clicking my link this LINK HERE.
Sharesight is an accounting tool which is FREE to use and keeps track of all your investments in one place, which makes tax time SO EASY!! When it’s time to start tracking dividends as well as performance, you can simply print off a report in Sharesight and hand this to your tax accountant. If you do choose to upgrade in the future, you can get 4 months free when signing up to the premium plan, but you can stay on the FREE plan and still make things so much easier for yourself! You can sign up to Sharesight for FREE with my link HERE.
Parenting and Co-parenting
The biggest thing to happen to Andy this month was little Missy! Andy had no idea I was even thinking about getting a puppy as I wanted to keep it as a surprise. I picked her up one day while Andy was at school and when he came home, I hid little Missy in his bedroom with a big red ribbon loosely tied around her neck. I took a short video of Missy and then showed this video to Andy while he was sitting on the couch.. telling him that his birthday surprise was waiting in his bedroom for him. He burst into tears, lunged himself at me in disbelief, shock and joy. He went quickly to his room and discovered her in there.. a moment of pure joy!
The first few weeks of having Missy have been a roller coaster, as any puppy owner would know! We’ve been toilet training, practicing crate training and trying to teach some very important lessons such as NO BITING, Sit, wees and poos on the mat, and so much more. Andy is learning a different level of responsibility he hasn’t previously known, and he is also struggling with some of the biting behaviour, which admittedly, is not easy at all. We know it’s something she will grow out of but those little puppy pin teeth really hurt! Missy started puppy school and LOVED the play time with the other pups! Andy also loved the experience of puppy school and I have to say, seeing the two of them together just fills my heart with love.
Andy had his karate grading this month and achieved his yellow belt! He’s very proud of himself and very committed to his craft! I’m proud to see him work hard towards this and show such dedication. Karate is a wonderful martial art – it teaches self-discipline, respect, self defence skills and improves fitness!
I enrolled Andy in high school this month, ready for next year! Aaaah where did the last 6 and a half years of primary school go?? He’s so excited to start too!
We had the Interrelate sex education evening at Charlie’s school this month and I thought it was wonderful. Interrelate did a wonderful job of covering all the important topics such as:
- Different families and showing love
- Body changes during puberty
- Correct names for genitals and sex organs
- Periods
- Erections
- Consent and child protection
- IVF
- Reproduction and sex
I’ll actually be writing an article about the Interrelate program and exactly what was covered, very soon. Keep an eye out for that one if you’re interested. Although I think Andy knew most of the content as I had the ‘sex’ talk with him last year, there was definitely some new content and stuff we both learned! Hahaha.. (ask me what I learned.. ; )
If you want to take a look at how I had the sex talk with Andy and what was covered, you can check out my article on Birds and The Bees; How to Have the Sex Talk with Kids, HERE.
Professional
Well, I’ve been offered a job as a Director again! A friend who I used to work with has recommended me to her current employer and has organised an interview for me. While I never thought I would return to child care directing, I am very curious as this employer has apparently agreed to above award wages. I am yet to go for the interview but I am very curious to see what they will offer. At this stage, I am merely open-minded. If I did commit to something like this, it would only be on a part-time basis – perhaps 1-2 days per week only – certainly not full-time. Updates to come…
Teaching Brave Update
I enjoyed logging on for the Ebusiness Institute webinar earlier this month, through CaptainFi’s link. I have been doing the Digital Investors course for a while now, slowly working my way through the videos. I love learning more about digital business and how to make money from websites – either by building them – like I have done with TeachingBrave or by buying them, renovating them and selling for a profit. This is definitely something I want to do this year – invest in a website, but I don’t feel like I’m quite ready yet. You can read more about the EBusiness Institute and making money from websites in CaptainFi’s review article HERE. Did anyone else catch this free webinar back in the first week of June?
In June I published the following articles:
Messy Play – Importance + 20 Fun Ideas! – Yes! Messy Play is important for any child’s developing brain. In this article, I highlight the reasons why messy play is so important for kids to participate in, as well as more than 20 ideas for Messy Play activities.
123 Magic; The Best Parenting Program? – This life-changing program uses positive parenting techniques and deliberate, conscious discipline, while still focusing on strengthening relationships. The program helps both parents, caregivers and teachers manage behaviours with a positive, yet firm approach.
In Home Childcare: What Is It, And Am I Eligible? – In Home Childcare is a great alternative for families who need access to early childhood education and care services but who may be in rural or remote locations, who may have variable hours of work, or find themselves with challenging and complex needs when it comes to their family. There is an eligibility criteria however.
Starting On Solids; When, What And How? – The way in which your child is introduced to solid foods will have an impact on their health and eating habits as babies and beyond. Introducing solids is important for helping babies learn how to eat a variety of foods from different food groups and it also exposes them to new tastes and food textures which is important for a healthy and balanced diet as they grow older. This is the ultimate guide.
Selective Mutism In Kids; Definition, Causes And Treatments – Selective mutism is an anxiety communication disorder that is predominately diagnosed during the early years. This condition can disrupt children’s lives. Here I discuss the exact definition, what causes it and how we can treat it.
Childcare EasyPay Review; Pros And Cons – EasyPay is a 100% Australian-owned and operated business dedicated to simplifying the payment process specifically for childcare centres and parents. Here I look at the benefits and the drawbacks.
12 Ways To Get Free Food Or Free Groceries – Yes, that’s right, there are legal ways to get free food or free groceries in Australia, without dumpster diving! Many Australians will already be using some of these methods but you may not be aware of all these tricks!
ODD – What Is Oppositional Defiant Disorder? – ODD, or Oppositional Defiant Disorder is a childhood behaviour problem that involves anger, defiant behavior, and resistance toward adults. In this article, I discuss signs to look for, treatment, and what it means for a child to have ODD.
GUEST POSTS:
During June I wrote 3 Guest Posts:
How Parents Can Help Beat Schoolyard Bullying – savingbrothers.com – It might seem too simple, but simple conversations are powerful! Start with the basics:
- Talk about feelings and building resilience
- Talk about the importance of kindness and mental health
- Talk about what inclusion means as opposed to exclusion
It doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to make sense to kids! You can read the full article HERE.
It’s not your business! (What others think of you) – cbfclothing.com.au – In this day and age, there is so much pressure put on young people to fit in, to live up to images on social media, and to dress or act in a certain way. Here’s the thing; it’s none of your business what other people think of you, and you should live your life the way you want, not in a way that fulfills other people’s expectations of you! In this article I describe 5 tips to help you become more comfortable in your own skin, and to live each day to its fullest, on your own terms. You can find the tips and the full article HERE.
Baby Number 2! Preparing Your First Child – 6 Tips – mumcfos.com.au – Expanding your family from one child to two is a big adjustment for all family members, particularly your first child who doesn’t yet realise how things might change! Here are 6 tips on how to best prepare your first child for this big change and how to make it a positive experience, rather than one where your firstborn feels jealous, left out or threatened. You can read my tips and the full article HERE.
KIDS FIRST AID
Have you had a look at my Kids First Aid review?? I’m a huge advocate for having current, up-to-date First Aid knowledge as it saves lives. For those that don’t need to have an official First Aid qualification but who need to build their First Aid knowledge, this course is perfect. It’s only 2 hours, all online and delivered by paramedics. It covers the 10 most common emergencies involving children and signing up gives you lifetime access. You can read my full review of the Kids First Aid course here. If you’re interested to get started right away, you can sign up HERE. Don’t forget to use my promo code TEACHINGBRAVE for a $10 discount.
As always, you can support my blog by subscribing! This simply means that links to weekly articles will be sent straight to your inbox! No payment involved, no spammy content, just my articles. Thank you to all my readers for your ongoing support!
Liz. : )
Disclaimer:TeachingBrave participates in affiliate marketing and may receive a commission (typically 1-2%) on any products you buy through affiliate links. This is typically a small amount and is not charged to you the customer, but instead comes from the affiliate marketing program not having to pay for conventional advertising.Any commissions made are reinvested into site development to ensure a better user experience. I will never recommend an affiliate link for a product I do not use or vouch for myself.
