Help your children make sense of the natural disasters

Living in Victoria, Australia at the moment we have been struck by many bushfires where hundreds of properties and lives have been lost. After 10 years of drought and extreme hot weather the fires have been incredible. They have affected us all in very different ways. This is an extract from an article by Michael Grose who is a parenting educator. His website is www.paretningideas.com.au

As adults we all want our children to live carefree lives and keep them from the pain and even horror of tragedies such as natural disasters. In reality we can't do this. So what is a parent, teachers, or other caring adult to do when the natural disasters fills the airwaves and the consciousness of society? Here are some ideas:

1. Reassure children they are safe


2. Be available to listen to what they think and feel


3. Help children to process what they see and hear, particularly through television - children are good observers but can be poor interpreters


4. Support children's concerns for others


5. Let them explore feelings beyond fear


6. Help children find a legitimate course of action if they wish


7. Avoid keeping the television on all the time


8. Be aware of your own actions - children take their cues from you and if they see you focusing on it in an unhealthy way then they will focus on it too


9. Take action yourself - children who know their parents, teachers, or other caregivers are working to make a difference, feel hope.

Children's worlds can be affected in ways that we can't even conceive of so adults need to be both sensitive to children's needs and mindful of what they say and how they act in front of children.

LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana on 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.

You’ve got mail - Controlling your Inbox

We all have far too much to do everyday and would love more time to focus on the things we love, so why is it that so many of us double or triple handle our emails?

To control your “Inbox” you have to establish new habits. The following guidelines will assist you to “manage your mail”.

• Set times during the day to check your emails. Perhaps aim for 3 times a day - in the morning, after lunch and before you go home for the day.


• Use the 2 minute rule – action anything that can be done in less than two minutes. Read each email and action it then and there [don't forget to delete it once you have dealt with it]. The majority of our emails can be handled immediately with a quick answer.


• If it is not a quick email place the email into your follow up area and establish time in your day to action the follow up items. Don’t leave them there and forget about them. It is really important to follow up otherwise they will become urgent and take a lot more of your valuable time.


• Set a goal to have not more than 15 emails in your inbox at any one time.


• Try and delete emails every day, don’t forget your sent items, deleted items and junk email folders


• Make folders to place your emails that require further action – limit the number of folders and have meaningful folders like follow up, to read, to phone etc

LifeStyle Refocus is a Melbourne based personal assistant, corporate concierge and lifestyle management consultancy. They are all about saving you TIME. By taking care of your “to do or wish list” so you can spend time doing the things that are truly important to you. For more information go to www.lifestylerefocus.com.au or contact Silvana on 0417 595 744 or Michele on 0437 311 802.