Mum of 13 is pregnant with quads - at age 65: Annegret Raunigk

A 65 year old woman from Berlin, who already has 13 children, is pregnant again with quadruplets, Germany's RTL broadcaster reported on Sunday.

The woman's pregnancy - she is a Russian and English teacher - follows several attempts abroad at artificial insemination over the last year-and-a-half, according to the TV channel.

Annegret Raunigk decided to try to have another child because her youngest daughter, who is nine, wanted a little brother or sister, the channel said on its website.

RTL said it would broadcast an interview with the pregnant mother, who has seven grandchildren, to track her through the pregnancy and afterwards.

Raunigk will be the world's oldest mother of quadruplets.

Newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported the pregnancy, quoting the prospective mother-of-17, whose oldest daughter is reportedly 44, recalling the moment doctors broke the news.

"Certainly that was a shock for me. After the doctor discovered there were four, I had to give it some thought to begin with," Bild quoted her as saying, adding she had not considered it an option to reduce the number of embryos.

"On the scan it was just clear to see,." 

She added:

"I'm not actually afraid. I simply assume I'll remain healthy and fit. In matters of organisation I have enough experience, that's not new for me," she said.

Asked about any moral doubts, RTL quoted her as saying: "How does one have to be at 65? One must apparently always fit some cliches which I find rather tiring.

"I think, one must decide that for oneself."

Her gynaecologist, Kai Hertwig, was quoted on the RTL website as saying that quadruple pregnancies were always a strain but that everything was going well.

The biggest risk for the babies is being born prematurely and doctors are doing all they can to prevent that, the gynaecologist added.

Mrs Raunigk made headlines 10 years ago too, when she gave birth to her 13th child at the age of 55.

"At first, I only wanted one child," Bild quoted her as saying at the time. "Not all were planned, but then things happen. I'm not a planner, but rather spontaneous... and children keep me young."

What are you thoughts?

'One Day Young' - first day of baby's life book by Jenny Lewis

This book, just released: ‘One Day Young’ by Jenny Lewis.

Jenny Lewis's portraits of women and their newborns - all taken within 24 hours of birth in East London - offer a rare glimpse into the beating heart of family life and celebrate the intimacy, joy and resilience of new motherhood.

SO beautiful - the vulnerability, the innocent, the frailty of life. Here's a glimpse:

The book is 112 pages, hardcover, gold foiled, and 145 x 205mm in size.

To buy it, go here.

Dragons: Defenders of Berk Volume 1 DVD - WIN!

The hit TV show inspired by 'How To Train Your Dragon 2' is here! And, you can win the DVD - see below for more.

Called 'Dragons: Defenders of Berk Volume 1', we join Hiccup and his brave Viking friends as they battle surprising new enemies in nine fun-filled animated adventures based on the Academy Award-Nominated hit movie 'How To Train Your Dragon 2'.

It's available now in Big W and good retailers, and the two disc set includes:

- Nine thrilling episodes

- Dragon Tracker Part 3

- Evolution of Screaming Death

- 'Superfly' Dragon Mash-up 

- World of Dreamworks Animation

The Adventure takes flight with all-new episodes of Dragons: Defenders of Berk Volume 1!

AND! We have a giveaway: you can win one of five copies of the this DVD!

To enter, here's all you need to do:

- 'Like' the Josie's Juice Facebook page
- Share this link on your Facebook wall
- Follow me on Instagram and Twitter if you are on those social media platforms
- Comment below or email (josiegags@optusnet.com.au) on why you'd like to win this fabulous DVD
- Email me at josiegags@optusnet.com.au with your address so I know where to send the DVD if you are a winner

Good luck!

Telstra 'Cyber Safety – Balancing Screen Time' Survey

Telstra has released a survey just this week called 'Cyber Safety – Balancing Screen Time' and here is what they say about the topic:

As a parent, it may be difficult to know where to start when it comes to instilling family values in relation to children’s online activity. How much time online is too much? How can you set reasonable limits? And more to the point, how can you enforce them?

The release of our Cyber Safety – Balancing Screen Time survey this week is a timely reminder about the important role parents have in setting a positive digital media example for their children.

‘Balancing screen time’ means being aware of how to balance time spent online with all of life’s other activities such as getting enough sleep, exercise, school work, hobbies, face-to-face time with friends and family, and other important tasks.

The survey asked more than 1000 Australian parents of children aged 3-17 about their own use and their children’s use of devices. In a unique aspect, the Survey also asked more than 500 Australian children aged 12-17 about their own use and perceptions of their parents’ use of devices.

Surprisingly, or maybe it’s not surprising to some, 65 per cent of parents surveyed do not think they’re good technology role models. The survey also revealed that 50 per cent of children say their parents are good technology role models. So while kids have a more positive view of their parents than their parents have of themselves, 10% of kids still believe their parents spend too much time on their devices.

The correlation between parents’ and children’s online behaviours is demonstrated in some further statistics from the survey include:

• 66 per cent of parents admit to using devices in front of the television; compared to 71 per cent of children;
• 50 per cent of parents ‘second screen’ between 7pm-9pm during school nights; compared to 41 per cent of children; and
• 15 per cent of parents use devices during meal times compared to 19 per cent of children.

Maybe it’s a case of do as I say, rather than do as I do, but with millions of Aussie kids about to return to school, we’re encouraging parents to be mindful of the example they set and talk to children about ways they can balance their digital lives.

Here are just some of the ways you can help balance your children’s screen time.

Agree limits

Talk to your children about the amount of digital time they’re living and then, based on what you agree is a healthy balance, set ‘switched off’ times of day. Help your children create a media use roster allocating blocks of time for homework, chores and their screen time.

Be an offline supporter

Support and encourage your kids in activities that don’t involve a digital device. A ball game or reading a book are all great ways to show kids how they can enjoy themselves without a mobile, tablet or computer.

Set family rules

Make sure you’re seen as a positive example. Do you want the dinner table to be a device-free zone? If so, then have everyone (including Mum and Dad) turn off their mobile phones and devices during dinner, or when taking part in family activities. Children are happier following rules if everyone in the family plays by them.

Turn off devices before bedtime

Lack of sleep can affect alertness, concentration and memory. For a better night’s sleep try encouraging children to switch off at least one hour before bedtime. Create a charging station and charge all household devices in the one spot overnight.

Make the most of parental controls

Many parental controls tools allow you to set time-of-day restrictions on children’s device usage. We recommend Telstra Smart Controls® for mobile devices and Telstra Online Security for your home network.

Consider the difference between types of screen time

Not all screen time is created equal. Think about the differences between using a device for homework or creative expression versus using it for passive entertainment.

What do YOU think about the findings?

Seaworld: Autism-Friendly REVIEW + PHOTOS

This post originally appeared on 'Our Autism Adventures' blog page, sister blog to Josie's Juice.

Visting Seaworld in Queensland, Australia as part of our first big family holiday adventure was an event we highly anticipated. However, as a mother of a special needs child (my son Rafael has mild autism), my husband and I were a little worried about how he'd perceive particular attractions at the theme park.

As we were staying at the adjoining Seaworld Nara Resort (an incredibly beautiful, medium-priced hotel), the Seaworld theme park was our first stop, the second we arrived, changing into our cossies and leaving our bags with the wonderfully friendly hotel concierge.

We headed in, armed with the park map and hopping onto the adjacent monorail (the first of its kind opened in Australia by QLD pollie Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen), and there we were in a aqua park heaven.

Heavily themed with all the kiddie fave Nickelodeon characters including Spongebob Square Pants, Dora The Explorer, and many more, it's an instant fave with the kids. And my TV aficionado twins were no exception.

As all good theme park experts will tell you: check the times of all the shows and happening of the day so you maximise your day there. You will become an expert in an instant, and park staff can help you find where everything is, plus all the clearly marked signs around the park.

A little tip: have the kids (and you!) dressed in either swimming costumes with little cover ups, or quick-dry fabric clothes; you'll need to dry up quickly when you go on the famed Castaway Bay and Viking Revenge rides.

Halfway through the day (and I know readers of this blog will relate), it was proving difficult to wrangle my son's demands to be a part of the action. (My son has a mild autism diagnosis, and his perception of what's possible and what he can participate in is sometimes skewed) So, for example, we'd see the amazing daredevil ski-jump show, and he'd want to be a part of it, not understanding that the danger level to participate is very high (and it's not even possible for the audience, bar some audience interaction with the performers on the edge of the water/arena).

The same went for seeing dolphin show - it got tricky with explaining he could not be a part of that show.

I did uncover however, thanks to the super lovely, helpful staff, a daily special needs program run by Seaworld. Here is some information on the program:

 -  the cost is $114.99, and the program duration is 45 minutes in total, with 20 of those minutes in the water. Each participant must have a carer with them (mum or dad or a guardian) who can participate free of charge (as they are there purely to assist).

A photo is included in the price, and the DVD of your experience is an optional extra, at $24.99. (This information is correct as of 14 January 2015, and is subject to change).

Before booking, it's highly recommended guests contact the Seaworld Guest Services team on 07 5588 2423, and they will be able to better assist with further information on the program.

Here are some photos from Seaworld, as well as my own happy snaps (taken on my new iPhone 6 - I am so pleased with the shots).

Oh, and for more on Seaworld including ticketing and accommodation and showtimes, scroll down for link.

Would I recommend Seaworld to families? Absolutely. In a heartbeat. So, so much to do. Get there early, grab a map, and plan your day. If you are staying next door at Seaworld Nara Resort (and I recommend you do), it's a super short stroll to the monorail. The theme park is attached to the hotel. And the hotel itself? Fantastic. Kids will love the nighttime fun in the hotel waterpark, and just quietly, the spa is heaven after-hours.

Keen on seeing the other famed theme parks there (Movieworld, Seaworld, Wet 'n' Wild)? Go the multi pass! Click here to buy.

For questions on marine life at Seaworld and how they're looking after them, click here.

The seal show below! So much fun:

The Dora show! Must-see. And, look out for the meet and greet also available post-show:

Ohhh, Seaworld Nara Resort breakfasts. To-die. Yum:

Hello, breakkie pastries!

The Penguin Encounter! You will love watching how these cute critters interact. Go at feeding time!

The famous Affinity dolphin show:

The truly hilarious 'Fish Detectives':

Dora meet and greet!

My kids at the Dora and Diego meet and greet! They were stoked:

The view from our room:

The truly fun waterpark. Open all day. Closes at night. Then open again for a mini waterpark disco:

The characters pop into the Seaworld Nara Resort hotel lobby for a snap:

More meet and greet!

Helicopter rides. Ask at the hotel desk:

Ninja Turtle fun:

A note on getting the airport: we used Town Cars (see www.towncars.com) - call the 24 hour call centre (Sydney metro area) on 02 8874 5000. Go to this link for more info and to book. It's an affordable, fuss-free way to get to the airport. The best part? You don't need to leave your car in an airport carpark for days, and the bonus is that for kids with special needs, it's a low-stress experience.

For more info on Seaworld, click right here.

Our Autism Adventures was a guest of Gold Coast Tourism. For all your GC needs and questions, click here.

You guys, there is a reason the sunny Gold Coast is famous for families - it is kinda unbeatable, and there are a gazillion things to do. To that end, next up: more QLD theme park reviews, on TwinnieWorld and Josie's Juice. There's so much to do, so much we got up to! Stay tuned for more.

Pat McDermott: 'Family Matters' Book - Interview

One of the Australian Women's Weekly's most adored contributors - 30 years and still going strong! - has released her book called 'Family Matters', based on her three decades of columns for the iconic magazine. Pat McDermott's much-loved 'Family Matters' saga has unfolded on the last page of The Australian Women's Weekly for all these years, much to the delight of dedicated followers. Her hilarious observations on her own family (five kids!) and their dramas, from toilet-training to weddings and beyond (grandchildren!), her long-suffering husband (MOTH, the Man of the House), an endless succession of beloved and badly behaved pets and just about every situation a couple or family can find themselves in, have kept readers amused and entertained every month since 1984.

Now these generations of readers can relive their favourite 'Family Matters' moments and new fans can be charmed by Pat's warm, laugh-out-loud anecdotes and confessions in this book.

This is the perfect book for every imperfect family - a treasure trove of wisdom, love and laughter from one of Australia's most adored chroniclers of family life.

"Children between the ages of twelve and 25 find parents embarrassing 95 per cent of the time. Any younger and they're so uncritical they think you look good in swimmers. Any older and they drop in just long enough to leave their laundry and borrow $50. If you want to embarrass your kids you have to strike when they're teenagers," says Pat.

And here, Pat sits down for Josie's Juice (TwinnieWorld sister site - reproduced her for you, dear readers) to answer questions about family matters, and why family matters.

Interview with Pat McDermott:

You really are an Australian national treasure - do you feel like an Aussie now that you've been here from Canada for all these years? 

      I admit it did take me awhile to find my feet and get used to the summer heat. It seemed that every bit of clothing I had packed was WRONG! But now I’ve been here for 40 years and I cheerfully admit to tearing up when I hear ‘Advance Australia Fair’ ( I really like it!), enjoying a green Christmas and developing a hybrid accent - I use all the right words but probably still sound a little different.  I think having my babies here, going through all their school years, making so many friend along the way has made me a real Aussie. One of my kids is a member of the Australian Defence Forces - and I am very proud of that. It really is possible to love two places and it helps that Canada and Australia are alike in important ways. It’s true…home is where your heart is. My heart and my family is in Australia.

      You have such a huge following as a columnist for AWW - surely this is some kind of publishing record… have you looked into that? 

It has been suggested that 30 years of Family Matters makes me the world’s longest running columnist. However, somewhere in the world there might be another writer bashing away at their keyboard for longer. I don’t like to risk making a grand claim.  I never forget running up with my ticket at a school fundraiser, thinking I had won the raffle with Green B12, only to find the real winner was Yellow B12.  It was a long way back to my table! I will opt for modesty here - but I think deep down…I may be the champ.

What are the systems you had in place to manage the raising of five kids? Some tips and tricks and how you get all those schedules (plus your own) in place. 

Everyone’s family and situation is different. But here are some things that worked for me and still do!

a) A sturdy filing cabinet. We have a red one with five big drawers - one for each child. All their medical records, school reports, most interesting art work, merit awards, ribbons and any other important documents went in their file.  I could put my hands on their vaccination records in 5 seconds flat. No one ever missed a school camp or excursion. It went on to hold passports (GAP years), CV’s, applications, university papers, references and many other important/interesting information.

b) I have a large white board on the wall in my kitchen. ‘If you want to be dropped off or picked up…put it on the board.’ They also listed food or birthday presents to be bought, school concerts, birthday parties, sports days etc. 

c) I have always kept a diary. I carry it everywhere. I learned to do this as a young journalist and I would be lost without it. Every mum should have a diary. It makes life so much easier. 

d) Be organised personally as well as professionally. I remember a teacher telling me he could always tell a kid from a big family - they brought their notes back on time.  Perhaps the more kids you have the more organised you are.  I worked to deadlines in my work life I was used to meeting them elsewhere as well.  I hate missing things or arriving late. I wanted my kids to feel the security of an organised home life. 

e) Buy a collection of good-sized, sturdy plastic bins. I have five with a child’s name on each. This is an updated version of the lovely chests described in the classic ‘Little Women’. One bin per child to be filled with their personal memorabilia. Mine are fully loaded….merit awards, school ties, photos, weird art work, all the lovely stuff from their school years. They don’t want their boxes yet….but they will!

f) Participate. Put your hand up to help with the cake stall, the P&F, the soccer team. When you contribute you learn and grow and I have friends from those days who are still very dear to me and me to them. Your kids will love it and if you do have a criticism or a suggestion it will be much better received if you actually put your shoulder to the wheel as well. PS: put your volunteer experience on your CV.

g) Sort your wardrobe. It’s better to have a small collection of clothes that work that heaps of random stuff on hangers. I want to be able to dress in minutes. I was fanatical about keeping the kids’ clothes in good order and ready to go. Hideous trying to get ready for some function or event and the one thing you (or they) need in the wash. I washed EVERY day for years. I IRONED endlessly while I watched movies at 1am. 

On the whole, the little McDermotts  were in the right place at the right time.  The MOTH?? That’s another story.

      As a grandmother (how many grandkids?), do you impart your tips to your kids?

      

      At this moment I have two little granddaughters.  I am hoping for many, many more!  I follow my late mother-in-law’s advice….zip the lip!  She was a huge support to me over the years but resolutely refused to offer advice. If I asked her for tips or suggestions or just confided a problem I had, she would think quietly, reassure me that all would be well in the end and then, sometimes, gently tell me something that had worked for her.

      Have there been moments when your kids - and even grandkids - have been a little mortified at stories you've recounted?

      I hope not. Perhaps the boys were a little critical at one time or another. Some anecdotes and stories include our own experiences and those of other families and friends.  Sort of a lovely, mushy mix of everyone’s lives.  On occasion, one or the other of my kids would wag a finger at me to say ‘NOT THIS ONE!’ 

      What does MOTH think of all your success? 

      He seems a little bemused. He is a rather quiet, self-contained fellow except when he is telling (and re-telling) very bad ‘DAD’ jokes. He is famous for forgetting punch lines which actually gets him more laughs than his jokes. He thinks I am just a little crazy and over-the-top. Sometimes he winks at the family and blames it all on me being from ‘blizzardly cold Canada.’ 

      How does it feel to have many of your stories now published in a book?

      It’s a lovely feeling to hold a nice, solid, good looking book with your name on the cover. (“Almost as good as a nice cold beer,” says the MOTH.) I have had two other books published some years ago. One of some very early stories and another called Pardon My Parenting - both out of print. But ‘Family Matters’ is by far the best looking and the most comprehensive because it covers many years of columns from older ones to ones just published. Choosing the columns to include was very hard…rather like naming your favourite child….when you love them all the same!  It also makes me feel rather organised to see them all in one place.  I must put a copy in the filing cabinet!

      Pat McDermott is a long-running journalist for The Australian Women's Weekly and author of the weekly column, Family Matters.

Pat McDermott is the author of FAMILY MATTERS, published by Allen & Unwin, RRP $32.99, on sale now

Bobble Art Products + 20% OFF offer!

Gosh I love Bobble Art!

It's cute, it's artsy, and it appeals to all age groups of kiddies - some would say adults and kidults, too!

The brand is a quality range of stylish Australian-designed bags, accessories and stationery for kids. Each unique collection features loveable characters and toys that inspire creativity and imagination.

The Bobble Art range comes in 12 unique collections, each offering stylish and quality collectable products ranging from lunch boxes, drinks bottles, travel and accessories, stationery, hair accessories, jewellery, homewares, umbrellas, craft and creative play items.

Here are just some of the designs (then scroll down for an offer available to readers of TwinnieWorld and Josie's Juice, the sister site to this one):

All collections are of the highest quality, providing adorable solutions for your child’s everyday needs. The pretty and practical creations ensure that school, travel and stationery needs are not just provided for but inspirational; helping reflect your child’s unique personality.

Bobble Art products are made to last from the highest quality materials and are all adorned in loveable designs that are instantly identifiable in the playground; at home and ‘on the go’.

All Bobble Art products are aspirational and highly desirable, enabling children to build a collection from its ten collections.

The Bobble Art collections are available to purchase online at www.bobbleart.com.au and at retail stores located in St Ives Shopping Village (NSW), Rhodes Waterside Shopping Centre (NSW), Melbourne Emporium (VIC), Indooroopilly Shopping Centre (QLD), Highpoint Shopping Centre (VIC), Chermside Shopping Centre (QLD) and Westfield Miranda (NSW).
Prices range from $4.95-$129.95 depending on the product.

And now, for the exclusive offer to readers of this site:

Bobble Art have the kids covered and have kindly offered readers 20% off with your unique code JosiesJuice20 which will be active until midnight on Saturday 24^th January 2015. Go to www.bobbleart.com.au NOW and go shopping, just in time for back to school goodies.