Gender and Sexuality

I know that a lot of people will disagree with my opinion and I am fine with that. Everyone is welcome to their opinion. I will be upfront, and if you’ve read any of my other posts you will know this already, I do not believe in God as such. I am spiritual but not religious. I have not seen, heard, felt proof of God’s existence and am sceptical of the existence of an external omnipotent being judging me for what I believe or how I act.

I believe that sexuality and gender both have a spectrum and each individual falls somewhere along the spectrum. I think at this point it’s important to define the difference between sexuality and gender. Gender is your physical sex: male, female, androgynous, hermaphrodite. Sexuality is what you feel attracted to: heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual. It is where there two cross over or are in opposition to each other that we come up with the rainbow of diversity: transgender or transsexual are the predominant examples of this.

I wonder about what it is gender and sexuality that makes people so uptight. I’ve never understood why someone else’s sexual preference or how they choose to identify themselves is anyone’s business but their own. I know people hide behind religion, use it as proof of their beliefs, but I also know plenty of religious people who believe that God loves all his children equally regardless of gender identity or sexual persuasion.

The statement that really winds me up about this whole topic is that the people who are against anything that is not heterosexual and anyone who is not easily identifiable as male or female based on anatomical structure often say that it is a choice. There is only the choice of whether to reveal your gender dimorphism/sexual orientation or not. I don’t know whether it’s genetic. If it is genetic, I don’t think there is one specific gene that controls it. I think it is probably a combination of genes and identifying that combination could take scientists a lifetime, if not more.

So, my advice to anyone who believes that anything other than heterosexual activity is a sin and that there is no such thing as gender confusion is this: if you keep the peace so will I. I may not agree with what you think but it’s your right to think it. If you tell me I’m going to hell for my opinion, well, then we’re going to have problems.

If after reading this (assuming you don’t know me and haven’t read any of my other posts) you may well hazard a guess that I am perhaps a lesbian. It wouldn’t be the first time. I am happily heterosexual with no desire to change that at any point in the future. The point is, just because I am happy that way doesn’t mean everyone is going to be the same.

Whatever gender you identify with, whatever your sexual preference, I hope you find happiness within yourself and with a life-partner (or several, if that’s your thing).

Bullying

Bullying comes in a variety of forms (social, emotional, physical) but the results are often the same. There is a distinct lack of self-esteem, which can persist well into adulthood and sometimes throughout an entire lifetime. There can also be backlash behaviours such as acting out or “passing on” the bullying behaviours.

Spotting bullying can be quite difficult, especially in the teen years when the perpetrators are more savvy. In young children it tends to be more physical or blatant name-calling. In teens, they have learnt what buttons to press but can do so far more subtly and have branched out into other forms of social intimidation and psychological torture, isolation being one example of this type of behaviour.

It is unfair to think that teachers can be the only ones to stop bullying in the school. Parents must take some responsibility for their child’s actions. However, especially in primary school, teachers spend a lot of time with their students and should be tuning in on their emotional state and any unexplained changes in patterns of behaviour. The once quiet, placid child who is now always getting trouble might be a sign that they are being bullied, either at home or at school. The child might be trying to fit in so they don’t get bullied or they would rather get in trouble and “sit out” at lunchtime rather than face the children who are bullying them.

There are some strategies for dealing with bullies that can be adopted. Not every strategy will work for every situation. It can be a bit of trial an error, which is not helpful for the person being bullied. Having as much knowledge about what bullying is and how it can be triggered is an important step in combating it. I am not going to list the strategies here, nor am I going to go through the pros and cons of each strategy. That is something everyone should do for themselves because then you have learnt it, I haven’t told you it.

It is foolish to think that there is any social grouping that does not experience some type of bullying. Even in supposedly intelligent, adult social structures it exists. It annoys me when principals of schools or heads of departments in workplaces turn around and say, “We have an anti-bullying policy, we don’t have bullies at our school.” The anti-bullying policies being there doesn’t stop the bully, putting them into action helps to prevent it but it still happens because people are afraid to report it.

Sometimes I think back to my own school experience and wonder why I never spoke up about people making fun of the way I looked. I think it was because I was afraid of being rejected even more. In the end, it didn’t even matter because I spent most of my lunchtimes alone or in the staff room of one of the departments. Perhaps if I had said something when it first started, then it wouldn’t have got that far.

The help I needed wasn’t the help I wanted and I rejected the only help ever offered to me. Admittedly it was probably too little too late, but part of the responsibility for that lay squarely on my shoulders for not saying something earlier. Taking responsibility for your own actions is, unfortunately, something most teenagers don’t learn until they become adults, and even then the lesson is sometimes lost.

The result of my experience at school was this attitude: I am not attractive and nothing I do will make me attractive so why bother. It was a vicious cycle. The more people drew attention to the small imperfections, the greater my general hatred of how I looked grew and the less I bothered with my appearance. It was completely opposed to how I wanted to be seen, because I wanted to be that girl all the boys wanted and all the girls envied. The knowledge that I wasn’t, nor ever would be, that girl fuelled the cycle as well.

Another result of my experience was that I would allow any boy/man who showed an interest to do whatever they wanted because I figured that was the best I could do. Even today, I fall “in love” at the drop of a hat. If I am shown any affection, I obsess over that person. Any of my ex’s who are reading this will know what I am talking about. It’s also part of the reason why I can’t make it to that year mark of a relationship. The burn out effect is huge.

But we’re getting off topic. My point is that the effects a bully has can be far-reaching and incredibly detrimental psychologically if not dealt with early enough. Ideally, if it can be stopped before it starts then none of this need happen. In reality, early intervention is the best option because it is impossible to stop every single instance of bullying before it starts.

My advice to any parent or teacher who suspects bullying is to talk to the child. Even if they reject the help initially, keep reminding them that you are there, to talk and to listen and to act if they need or want it. The knowledge that someone is there may not fix the problem but it goes a long way in allowing the child to open up about it.

Truth be told, many victims of your run of the mill schoolyard bullying will grow up and forgive the people who did them damage, especially if the ones who treated them so badly make amends. This doesn’t mean that they condone the actions, just that they understand. Saying “I’m sorry” goes a long way to righting a wrong, no matter what the situation. It doesn’t wipe out what happened or what was said. It doesn’t change the way you see yourself when you look in the mirror. It does change how you see the other person though.

So to anyone who feels I did them wrong at some point, my most heartfelt apologies so any distress caused, especially “T” who I called stupid when we were in year 6 at school and “K” who I called a bitch in year 10 at school.

Significant Events in 1980

 Why did I choose
1980 and what happened that was so significant? It's is the year I was born. What could be more significant than that? J

Quite a few things actually but I’ve selected one event from each month which I think are significant. I have tried to be international in choosing events, and to pick a variety of subjects, from natural disasters, politics, entertainment and sports. I hope you find it interesting and feel free to let me know your significant event from 1980 in the comments section below.

January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.

Despite GPS project being developed in 1973 and the network not being fully operational until 1994, this date is marked as the beginning of the GPS age as it is when the GPS time and UTC time were correlated. GPS has been of signifcance to the military and civilians in day to day life for many years. Thanks to GPS tracking of military craft is easier and civilians need never be lost again, though every system has its glitches and my car’s GPS has been known to think I was 100m away from where I actually was, making driving down the road an interesting prospect, what with the GPS telling me to stop driving down the middle of a Golf Course.

February 19 – Bon Scott of AC/DC dies of alcohol poisoning.

Bon joined AC/DC in 1974 as son writer and lead vocalist. He was instrumental in the production of some of the biggest AC/DC albums, including “High Voltage”, “T.N.T.”, “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”, “Let There Be Rock”, “Powerage” and “Highway to Hell”. Following a night of heavy drinking in a London club called the Music Machine, Bon passed out in a friends car and was discovered lifeless the next morning. Official cause of death is listed as acute alcohol poisoning and death by misadventure. Bon was cremated and interred in Fremantle Cemetery. His grave has been listed as a heritage site by the National trust of Australia due to its cutural significance. Although the remaining band members considered quitting, they decided to continue after receiving blessings from the Scott family. I have had a very strange relationship with AC/DC music over the years (as a little kid I didn’t like them but I had terrible taste back then) but now I hear them every day and I can’t get enough.

March 21 – US President Jimmy Carter announces that the US will boycott the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.

Along with a number of other countries, the United States announced it would boycott the games due to the Soviet invasion of Afganistan. They held their own games, entitled the Olympic Boycott Games (also known as the Liberty Bell Classic). The Soviets then led a return boycott of the 1984 Games held in Los Angeles. I feel for the athletes who trained so hard to make the team only to be told they couldn’t go because of a political statement. There would have been no danger for the athletes and it’s just another case of using sport to push a political agenda.

April 10 – Spain and the United Kingdom agree to reopen the border between Gibraltar and Spain.

The border was ultimately closed in 1969 following a referendum in 1967 in Gibraltar to decide whether to return to Spanish rule or to remain under British rule which overwhelmingly favoured remaining under the British. Although the agreement was made in 1980, the border was not fully opened until 1985, following a partial reopening in 1982, proving once again that countries are quick to act in the negative and slow to act in the positive.

May 17 – a Tampa, Florida court acquits white police officers of killing Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance executive.

McDuffie initially led police on an 8-minute high speed chase through residential streets before apparently losing control of the motorbike he was riding and being subdued by chasing officers. The police accused McDuffie of kicking them. McDuffie sustained multiple skull fractures, the result of being hit with clubs and fists. The police attempted to cover up the attack by running over McDuffie’s motorbike and claiming the injuries he’d sustained were the result of an accident.

• Veverka – immunity – testified that officers hit McDuffie 10-12 times until motionless and that they attempted to cover this up by running over McDuffie’s motorbike.
• William Hanlon – immunity – testified he had choked McDuffie to the ground and that Marrero struck McDuffie with a flashlight. Also testified that he ran over McDuffie’s motorbike.
• Meier – immunity – testified that McDuffie had slowed down to 25mph and shouted “I give up” and that 3 to 8 officers surrounded McDuffie, pulled off his helmet and proceeded to beat him. Testified that Marrero had struck McDuffie at least twice.
• Ubaldo Del Toro – acquitted by the judge as he said the state failed to prove it’s case
• Alex Marrero – aquitted by all white jury as the murder weapon was never correctly identified.
• Ira Diggs – aquitted by all white jury
• Michael Watts – aquitted by all white jury
• Herbert Evans – aquitted by all white jury

The lack of any convictions led 5,000 people to take to the Miami streets in protest. By nightfall the protest had turned into a riot. Over course of the next few days 3,500 National Guard Troops had been sent in to quell the violence and 15 people were killed. The next year the McDuffie family were awarded a $1.1million settlement in return for dropping their civil suit against the police for wrongful death. Unfortunately, the lessons learned here did not stick. Maybe one day people will learn to get along with each other, regardless of the differences between them.

June 25 – a Muslim Brotherhood assasination attempt against Syrian President Hafez al-Assad fails.

After the 1963 coup by the Ba’thist military, political freedoms were restricted and the Brotherhood were outlawed in 1964. In March, stikes and protests were made all over Syria in reaction to the 17^th anniversary of the Ba’thist coup. The regime of Hafez al-Assad sent tens of thousands of troops, along with tanks and hilcopters, in to disperse the demonstrators, in the process killing hundreds and arresting over 8,000. It took Syrian intelligence almost two years to infiltrate the Brotherhood. In 1982, the so-called Hama Massacre too place in which as many as 40,000 people were killed in the town of Hama when Assad ordered the Syrian Army to bambard the town to quell a revolt by the Brotherhood. Despite this atrocity and it’s leadership being forced into exile, the Brotherhood has continued to advocate for democracy in Syria.

July 9 – Pope John Paul II visits Brazil.

This may not seem like a significant event except for the fact that 7 people were crushed to death in a crowd metting him. More than 1.5 million people turned out to see the Pope on his first visit to Brazil and for it to turn out like it did is tragic. I have never understood the stampede effect. Why do people rush forward? I can understand if you’re in the second row, maybe leaning forward over the first row to shake the Pope’s hand or whatever, but if you’re any further back, what is gained by pushing forward? Why would you risk other people’s lives for a non-existent reward? This goes for any celebrity, not just the Pope.

August 17 – baby Azaria Chamberlain disappears from a campsite at Uluru (then known as Ayers Rock).

I grew up with this story hanging over me. Even though I was only 8 months old when it happened, it was always in the news when I was little because of the conviction of her mother and the subsequent appeals and finally release in 1988 after new evidence came to light. While it is generall accepted that she was perhaps taken by a dingo, especially as there have been other attacks and deaths, there are still those who believe that Lindy killed her 9-week-old daughter. The truth of what happened to baby Azaria will be lost to the rock forever and maybe that’s how it was always meant to be.

September 12 – Kenan Evran stages a military coup in Turkey.

Leading up to the 80s, Turkey was facing strikes and the partial paralysis of the political system thanks to a myriad of economic and social problems. The pretext of the coup was to resolve these problems. The coup put a halt to the rampant inflation which had seen the economy on the verge of collapse and the coup also resulted in a complete re-writing of the constitution which was put to a referendum in 1982 and was accepted with 92% of the vote, though evidence would suggest that the referendum was not held with any other result but this in mind. The coup also rounded up between 250,000 and 600,000 people or which 230 were tried, 14,000 were stripped of their citizenship and 50 were executed. Hundreds were tortured and thousands went missing, many of whom are still missing, presumed dead. Hundreds of members of the paramilitary group the Grey Wolves were also imprisoned to prevent them from staging their own coup. Kenan Evran organised general elections to be held in November 1983 however they were hardly democratic in the true sense of the word as parties had to be appoved and the prevailing party was led by one of the instigators of the initial coup. After this election, however, the military regime dissolved itself and the country has’? been relatively free from political trouble and has enjoyed democratic elections ever since.

October 10 - El Asnam, Algeria is destroyed by an earthquake, which claims more than 2,600 lives.

Previously known as Orléansville, the town had previously been almost destroyed by an earthquake in 1954, which took the lives of over 1,500 inhabitants. The 1980 quake claims 2,600 lives (though reports have put the number as high as 3,000). After El Asnam was rebuilt it changed its name to the city of Chlef. Though this earthquake was devastating, with many people losing lives, loved ones and homes, it did show the need to rethink how buildings were constructed in Algeria generally and, more specifically, in the Atlas Mountains, though it also begs the question as to why these lessons weren’t learnt after the 1954 quake. Maybe the construction technologies weren’t available, maybe the communication technologies to get the information through weren’t available. Whatever the reason, if they had rebuilt after the 1954 quake in a shock-resistant method then maybe a lot of lives would have been saved and a lot of people wouldn’t have had to suffer such economic hardship.

November 23 – a magnitude 7 earthquake hits southern Italy.

The quake and its subsequent 90 aftershocks killed approximately 4,800 people and left 300,000 homeless. The Italian government, as well as many other nations, spent millions on reconstructing the affected area, though a major corruption scandal broke in the early 1990s claiming that much of the money earmarked for construction and reliefe efforts actually lined the pockets of the power-hungry and corrupt officials and politicians, meaning only approximately one quarter of the money actually went where it was supposed to. The fact that people can be so selfish saddens me beyond words. I cannot bear the fact that lining ones own pockets is of greater importance than the welfare of your fellow man.

Dec 8 – John Lennon is murdered in New York City.

After the Beatles broke up and John Lennon and Yoko moved to New York, life seemed pretty good. They had two sons, Sean and Julian. John’s solo efforts had been successful. Yet one man saw Lennon as a sell out and a phony. Mark David Chapman, a somewhat sanity challenged individual who (after becoming obsessed with the novel The Catcher in the Rye) saw himself as a real life equivalent of the books protagonist. While he originally entered a not guilty by reason of insanity, he later withdrew this plea and entered a plea of guilty. Discussion has raged over whether Chapman was schizophrenic, sociopathic or just delusional. Being a celebrity attracts the attention of a lot of different people, some good and some bad. The more outspoken you are the more attention you receive. Lennon was not only a member of one of the most famous and successful bands of all time, he was also a passionate activist for world peace. His untimely death perhaps made him a bigger character than he would have been had he either survived the assassination or not been the target in the first place. It’s not the first time this has happened and it certainly won’t be the last but maybe we can learn something from this event to make the world a better and safer place for future generations of popular activists.

Toddlers and Tiaras … and Tears and Tantrums …

PLEASE NOTE: This post contains adult themes that may not be suitable for young readers. Parental guidance is recommended.

Recently Eden Wood, star of the show Toddlers and Tiaras and winner of many beauty pageants, visited Australia. I have to say two things upfront about this girl (and the other little girls like her):

1. I think, without make-up and fancy clothes, she is probably a very cute little girl (I say “probably” because I have never seen her without make up or fancy clothes on).
2. I feel sorry for her because once she loses the cute factor, what’s going to happen to her?

I also have to say that this is not going to be a glowing endorsement of the child beauty pageant industry. I am not a fan. I think it’s only fair to state this upfront. I have nothing against children modeling clothes, being in ads, on TV, in movies, etc. I do have a problem with the way the children are treated in the attempts by the parents to win these things.

Maybe Eden likes doing the pageants but I’m sure she’d like doing them just as much if she was dressed in a cute summer dress and sandals and singing “Mary had a little lamb” as she does being dressed head to toe in sequins and feathers and singing some song that is ten years too old for her, not to mention moves that are twenty years too old.

''If you are looking at children in a sexual way, you should be ashamed of yourself and something is wrong with you. It's all about a beautiful dress, a beautiful child with lots of personality performing on stage.'' Annette Hill, owner of the Texas parent company Universal Royalty Beauty Pageant.

What a joke! If you dress a child up to look like an adult and coach them how to act like an adult then you have to expect that people are going to see them that way; except that they don’t see an adult, they see a child being made to seem like an adult.

The parents of the contestants claim that their precious little commodity can sometimes have a “diva” moment. You say diva moment, I say tantrum. If a child is screaming and crying (and kicking and hitting, I might add) because they don’t want to go on stage, let alone perform, then that’s a tantrum and that’s telling you something.

To be honest, I wouldn't mind so much if they were showing actual beauty, but there's nothing beautiful about smothering your daughter in make up, dressing her up like a drag queen or showgirl and making her dance like a stripper. It’s bad enough that kids see their music idols and film stars doing this, let alone their peers.

One of the Australian television networks followed Eden and her mother as they went touring around. The poor child was dolled up as if she should be on a catwalk with make up, faux fur coat, the works. A part of me died when I saw that. She was at the zoo, for goodness sake! She should be running around in jeans and a t-shirt or a simple skirt and top.

Just because you have a TV crew following you doesn’t mean that she’s given up any claim she has to a normal childhood. You would certainly get a better reaction from the public if they saw you allowing her to be a normal child instead of “on” 24/7.

Some pageant directors liken them to a protracted game of dress up. I have to strongly disagree with this. The child is not dressing up in mum’s clothes and tottering around in heels that are five sizes too big. The child is being dressed by their parents in clothes that would make many adults blush, and if they’re not being sexualised, they are being turned into porcelain dolls.

The whole idea of the porcelain doll look is the lack of imperfection. The young girls where make thicker than most runway models. There have been accusations of Botox and plastic surgery being performed on children as young at 7 years old. Whether these are true or not, it scares me that people are thinking these procedures have been done in the first place.

The Jonbenét Ramsey case, while not directly linked to beauty pageants, did raise some questions about the industry, especially following the investigation into the possible sexual assault motivation for her death. While, in this case, there was no evidence to support a sexual assault claim against any of the men in her life the fear was realised in the public mind that these little girls could be in danger from paedophiles and other sexual predators because of the way in which they are portrayed.

Pageant directors all claim that their event is family friendly and free from paedophiles because sex offenders are registered and not allowed within cooee of a child. What they fail to take into account is the paedophile that hasn’t been caught yet and, therefore, is not on the sex offenders register. They also fail to take into account the ones at home who are watching the videos online or the documentaries on the television. Parading a child around in skimpy clothes and make up is all fun and games until the child turns up dead because a paedophile has tried to abduct them, or the child is sexually assaulted (possibly raped) and has to live with that for the rest of their lives.

I’m pretty sure that if I had a daughter I would think she was the most beautiful little thing on the face of the planet, but there is no way in hell I would subject her to half of what most of the little “beauty queens” go through. I would want her to climb trees. I would want her to play at dress ups. I would want her to not worry if she got a graze on her knee.

And, most of all, I would want her to know that it doesn’t matter what she looks like because she would always be the most beautiful girl in the world to me.

A Week in the Life of Me

Firstly, a bit about what I do and who I am. For anyone who doesn’t know, I am a single mother. I live with my mother. I teach gymnastics for a living. I also help run a roller skating club.

My daily roster changes from school term to school term and is completely different in school holidays, so to do this properly I’d have to do a new one each time. Suffice to say I’m not going to do that, I'm far too lazy and my attention span wouldn't last that long. I’m going to take a fairly average week and go with that.

Monday

I’m not sure anyone is a fan of Monday mornings. I think they should be banned. Even when I’ve had a quiet weekend I still can’t get motivated for Monday morning. I know it’s just in my head but it’s there and I don’t like getting up on Monday morning.

The one thing I don’t have to worry about, living with my mum, is meals. When I get up, my son is usually already up and started on breakfast. Mum is making hers and mine. Then it’s time to get ready for work. I’m glad we have a uniform otherwise I’d be standing in front of the wardrobe staring at it blankly wondering what to wear, whereas with a uniform I just grab things and throw them on, I really don’t need to be all that awake to do it.

My mum takes my son to school as he doesn’t start until half and hour after I start work. Luckily we live within walking distance because mum doesn’t have a car. Actually, she doesn’t drive at all. Without mum, my son would have to go to before school care and it can get pretty expensive even with government assistance.

I usually start my working week with a Preschool group that comes into the centre. They are aged between 3 and 5 years old and very cute (naturally). They can also be little terrors (also very natural). I quite like preschool age children. They are very raw in their emotions. If they like you, then they’ll give you a hug. If they don’t like you, they will ignore you. Setting up the gym usually takes about 30 minutes. I’m lucky that I don’t have to set up the entire gym, as it is permanently set up, it’s just the Kindergym equipment that needs to go out. The class goes for an hour. We do a game, stretching, 2 circuits and a group activity. The Preschool sends a couple of teachers with the group and they help out with the kids as they go around the circuits.

After the Preschool we have a Kindergym class. Again, the age is 3 to 5 years old. There is parental involment in this class and it’a always nice to see parents and children interacting and having fun together. Of course, you’re always going to get the parents who like to socialise instead of play with their child. You’re also going to have the parents which insist on doing everything for their child, insteading of allowing the child to try (and possibly fail).

The next class (or should I say series of classes) is another Preschool with kids aged between 3 and 5 years which comes into the centre. This preschool brings three separate classes of 20 children each. They do a half hour Kindergym for each class consisting of a game or group activity, stretch and one circuit. They also bring teachers with them who help out with the kids.

Then it’s time for lunch! It’s also time to catch up on emails and things like that. It’s the only time I get without distraction from a little one at home.

In the afternoon and evening we have our school children come in. The first class is our beginner class and goes for an hour. They are generally 5 to 8 years old. They have a bit more personality which can be good and bad. They are also more independent and don’t need their parents to help them on the equipment. The class is also more structured. The second class is an intermediate class and goes for two hours. They are generally 7 to 12 years old. Some of these kids have attitude to burn but they are generally good kids.

After starting my work day at 9am, I’ve finally reached the end at 7pm and it’s time to go home. You might be wondering what’s happened to my son since he’s finished school for the day but I’ve been at work. Well, mum has picked him up and taken him to his swimming lesson and, if it’s not raining, a play in the park. This is also within walking distance of home so easy for mum to do. Again, thank goodness for mum doing this because without her, my son wouldn’t do many of his after school activities.

Tuesday

At the moment I have Tuesday mornings off work Richard is in the school’s junior dance group and they have before school rehearsals. It’s nice to see the boys and girls bopping around and having a great time. They really seem to get a kick out of it.

Over the last few years I have gone back to swimming, not seriously training but just doing laps at the same pool where my son does his swimming class. I’ve been a bit slack this term about getting to the pool, but this is my dedicated time to go to the pool. It’s my “me” time. I can turn off my brain for an hour and just be.

Unfortunately, it’s then back to work. Fortunately, it’s my favourite kids. I know, I know, I’m not meant to have favourites but I do. The two classes I have are both disability groups. They are all reasonably high functioning physically or they would have trouble with the skills. They are lovely kids. Even though many of them have language and/or comprehension difficulties they still enjoy themselves. It’s wonderful seeing their faces light up when they achieve something new, especially if they have been struggling with it previously. It’s so rewarding for me to be able to form bonds with these kids and share in their successes.

After lunch it’s back for more beginner and intermediate classes. In my beginners class I do one-on-one coaching with a special needs child. She is in the mainstream class and does the same activities as the other children but because of her disability she needs a little help with some things and that’s where I come in. Working with special needs kids in a mainstream environment can be quite frustrating as it’s easy to forget that, while they should be treated the same as every other child in the class, there are some things that make them different. This can be a physical aspect, a learning aspect or a personality aspect, depending on the child.

Meanwhile, mum has picked my son up from school and has taken him to footy training. Actually, I should specify … AFL training. To get there she has to take a train and a bus which takes about 30 minutes when it only takes about 10 minutes in the car. Got to love mums and I certainly love mine.

Wednesday

I also have a later start on Wednesday morning so once again I get to take my son to school and it’s nice to be able to catch up with the other mums and dads who are there. Sometimes it’s just a passing “hello”, other times it’s a whimsical conversation about the silly thing one or other of the children has done over the last few days, sometimes it’s a deep and meaningful discussion. Whatever it is, it’s nice to talk with an adult.

Afterwards I head off to one of the Preschools that I do out of centre. This means I take a crate of equipment to the Preschool and teach either in their playground or in their room. This particular one is quite a small preschool but the children are lovely and the teachers are very helpful in clearing space for me. The only problem I have is when it rains because all the children are inside and it cuts into the space I have available but it’s just one of the challenges of working in a preschool setting.

The second preschool I have is also out of centre. They have a separate room which I use. It is called the music room but it’s a bit of a multi-purpose room. Each week I take half of the students from the class which means, instead of a ten week program, they run a five week alternating program. It’s nice having a dedicated space because it doesn’t matter if it rains or the children have art works spread around their room, the space I have is always clear.

After this I get to pick up my son from school. I then take him to work with me as it’s also his gymnastics class. He started gymnastics when he was 18 months old. He’s been through the Kindergym and Recreational programs. He’s now 6 years old and doing 3 hours of training (1 hour of sports acrobatics and 2 hours of men’s gymnastics). Working where I do, everyone on staff knows everyone else’s children so it can probably be a bit tough for the kids of the staff as they not only have their own parent telling them off if they do something wrong but all the other staff are watching them too and telling them off if need be.

I only have a beginners class on a Wednesday. It’s nice to be able to finish early and either sit with one of the other parents and have a chin-wag or go walk on a treadmill for an hour or so, until my son finishes his class.

Prior to this term I was also doing a hip hop and funk dance class after dropping my son home. Unfortunately, throwing my back out has put paid to that for a little while but hopefully I will be able to get back into it before too long.

Thursday

It’s my big day today. It’s only just over 8 hours of work but it’s exhausting dealing with children for 8 hours. I start off with our Kindergym classes. The first is our Tots class for kids 18 months to 3 years. It’s a free play based program with a few group activites throughout the hour to break it up a bit. It can be quite a challenging class to do as some of the children have separation issues meaning they are permanently attached to their parent’s leg and refuse to do anything without being in physical contact with their parent. Trying to break this bond often results in uncontrolled crying. The other challenge is the daredevil child who will climb anything, jump off anything and generally has no sense of danger either to themselves or others. Thankfully, most grow out of this, though a few are still like this in their teenage years and beyond. The second is a Kinder class which I have already outlined above (see Monday).

After these two classes we quickly rearrange the gym ready for the Preschool to come in. They are the same preschool which came in on Monday after Kindergym, only with different children. Then it’s another quick rearrange ready for the high school kids.

High school kids who have to do gymnastics as part of their PE program can be some of the hardest to teach, mainly because they don’t want to be there. There are two main camps of these kids: the boys who think it’s too girlie to do gymnastics and the girls who think they are too cool to do gymnastics. The girls attitude is hard to change but the boys generally respond well when you show them that you’ve included things which challenge them or that they can show off their manliness doing. I am always amused by the boys who think they are so good because they can do a few push ups more than their mates, only to be smashed by the girls who do gymnastics outside of school. Explaining to them that being flexible and agile will help them with their footy (or whatever other sport they play) is also a good way to get to the boys.

After a late lunch (and, boy, am I starving by the time I get to it, seeing as it’s after 2pm when I finally sit down and eat) it’s back to work doing the beginners and intermediate classes. Then home again to spend an hour or so with my son before he goes to bed. I don’t get a lot of time with him during the week so don’t like to make him do a lot of homesowrk throughout the week. A bit here and a bit there is fine and it soon adds up. What’s more important at his age is having cuddles, playing silly games and having a laugh.

Friday

The weekend is just around the corner but it’s no time to relax. Off to work for Tots and Kindergym followed by the Preschool I started the week with, again with a different bunch of children. I like that this preschool is very relaxed about their parents being involved with their children’s activities. They always ask it’s ok if the parents occassionally come in an watch. I have no problem with it. I don’t treat their kids any differently from how I do when they’re not there, except I might get their child to do the demonstration. I think it’s good to see that even though their child might make a mistake they are still encouraged and if they are naughty or do the wrong thing then they are pulled up for it. There are those parents who think their child can do no wrong but, generally, the parents who come in to watch are supportive and full of praise.

After a quick lunch it’s time for school sport, this time with a primary school. We have two that come in on a staggered start time and juggling them has become a fine art form. The kids are really good though and, mostly, they haven’t yet developed the attitude of their high school counterparts.

I have just enough time to go to pick up my boy from school then take him with me to work again. Our Friday beginners class has been turned into a special needs class. A few of the kids in it are from my school groups that I have on Tuesday. The parents and carers of these kids are really good and very supportive. We have other special needs kids who come throughout the week but this dedicated class gives the coaches an opportunity to work together to help the kids, where they might not always get that when working one-on-one with a special needs child in a mainstream class. It’s not unusual for the kids who do the dedicated class to be more severe than the special needs kids who do the mainstream classes. It’s also not unusal to come away from the class having had hair pulled or been kicked, hit, bitten or scratched. It’s one of the aspects of working with more severe special needs kids but I’d rather deal with that than when they are sick or soil themselves.

My son is a helper in this class, he demonstrates the circuits and goes around with one of the less severe kids as a buddy. He enjoys the interaction and learns a lot from the experience about being compassionate and respectful and not treating people with special needs differently from other people.

Immediately after this class my son and I do the dash to one of the venues where my skating club holds it’s training. As club president and co-ordinator for this particular venue, it’s my job to collect the weekly fees, mark the rolls and pay the court hire fees. I also communicate with the venue staff about upcoming club events. We have a really good relationship with the venue staff and management. They help us with advertising for our school holiday programs and facilitate bookings for birthday parties for us, even though we operate it as a private function.

It’s also take away dinner night. It varies from week to week, but it’s the one night of indulgence for my son. Every other night we choose what he eats. Friday nights he gets to choose what he gets, though there are a few rules. He has to choose a main and he can have a desert if he wants one, though if he doesn’t eat all his main then desert gets put in the fridge or cupboard.

Every weeknight ends pretty much the same way … my son goes to bed, he reads his home reader from school, I read a story to him if he’s in bed early enough and we do questions. I started questions when he was in Kindergarten. He gets to ask me three questions and I get to ask him three questions. They can be about anything, from what the other’s favourite colour is, to what the other did that day, to religion and science questions. It was my way of getting him to tell me what he did at school because the only rule was that you had to answer truthfully (therefore, if I asked him what he did at school and he said, “nothing” it would break the rules and he would forfeit his next question).

After my son is tucked up in bed I am free to settle in to watch some TV … can’t miss my daily dose of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (see my post on why I love Craig for further details) … and catch up on Facebook, blogging and everything else that isn’t work.

Saturday and Sunday … The Weekend !!!

It’s coming up to the end of the footy season so it’s an ealy start to Saturday with 8am games every weekend (depend, of course, on the weather … half the season got washed out with rain this year). If I don’t have to do canteen duty then I’m on the field helping the kids out, being a combination of goal umpire and crowd control (not for the parents who are really well behaved but for the kids as they tend to be easily distracted). My son loves it, he is so competitive, and this is his third season as he played his first year when he was four. He loves getting there are kicking a goal or helping his team to score. It makes me proud, as a parent, watch him improve and to succeed and to enjoy himself.

We always have a bit of a break between his footy finishing and his dancing starting so we usually head to a park where he can run around, kick his footy around and generally burn off some energy. If you think that an hour of footy then another hour and half at the park would make him tired for dancing, you’ve never met my son. Even another hour later, after he’s done his dancing class, he’s still full of beans.

My son loves to dance. He is the only boy in his class and he is the eldest boy in the studio (he’s only 6 years old remember). His dance teacher calls the rest of his class his harem. He has his little girlfriend who follows him around and it’s very cute. My son keeps her in line and makes sure she does the right steps. How long this ability to boss her around will last is anyone’s guess but he’s enjoying it while it does.

Depending on when and where the Sydney Swans are playing, we ar either having a very relaxing weekend or out cheering on our team. My son has been a member since before he was born and went to his first game at 3 months old. He cheers and gets carried away with the game just like everyone else. And he has his other girlfriend who sits behind us (he seems to have one wherever he goes). I love spending time with my son and this is something we can enjoy together, not me watching him or him following me to work but both us enjoying the same thing.

Weekends can be interrupted by work though, either gymanstics or skating birthday parties. Though I don’t mind doing them occassionally, I like to have the weekends to spend with my son and to relax, to turn off the brain as much as possible and just be me.

So …

There you have an insight into my world. It’s not all that exciting. It’s not all that adventurous. It’s probably not all that interesting to anyone but me. That doesn’t bother me at all. It’s not my ambition to be exciting, adventurous or interesting. It’s my ambition to have a family I love and a job I enjoy. What more can I ask for than that?

Be afraid, be very … cautious, repectful and diligent? The truth about Australia’s “deadly” wildlife.

I can just hear the announcement in some stereotypical American accent aboard the incoming flight. “Welcome to Australia. On disembarking from the plane, please be aware of the deadly creatures which inhabit this beautiful country. Protective bubbles are available from staff at the front of the plane. Should you choose not to purchase one of these lifesaving devices, the airline bears no repsonsibility for any spider or snake bite, stings by any marine creatures, shark or crocodile attacks or any other malady which may afflict you in your travels. Should you return alive we hope you’ll fly with us, PanicStriken Airways.”

It’s a wonder any tourists visit Australia at all with all the horrow stories they hear of death and serious injury suffered by the locals and visitors alike. Of course, the stories are usually hugely exaggerated, misrepresented or just plain baloney. You’re more likely to get hit by a car, struck by lightening or fall from a great height than die as a result of any of the creatures listed below.

The following is not meant to scare anyone. It is not filled with horror stories. It is a series of lists, containing creatures which should be avoided. It also provides some useful tips for helping you do just that. Let’s start off with the biggies:

Crocodiles

Crocodiles are something you’re most likely to see either in a zoo or a preserve in most of Australia. It’s only in the nothern states and, even then, the further south in those states you get (and the further inland) the fewer crocodiles you tend to find. There are two types of crocodile: saltwater and freshwater.

 

Freshwater Crocodile

In Australia we have Johnson’s Crocodile which lives predominantly in freshwater but can ventrue into saltwater. According to the Queensland Parks and Widlife Service “…there is no record of an unprovoked attack on any person by a freshwater crocodile.”

Saltwater Crocodile

We also have the Estuarine Crocodile which is of the salterwater variety and can grow up to 7m long. These can take down horses and cattle when fully grown and even though a human is the same size as the prey for crocodiles 3m and larger most attack occur because the victim did not follow rules and regulations surrounding entering known crocodile habitats.

The following advice, summarized from the Queensland State Government’s “croc-wise” guidelines (courtesy of www.divethereef.com), should be taken regardless of whether you are dealing with freshwater or saltwater crocodiles:

• Don’t swim where crocodiles live.
• Fish a few meters back from the edge of the water. Don’t stand on logs or branches over deep water. Crocodiles are ambush hunters, and able to lunge out of the water.
• Avoid activities near the water’s edge or on sloping banks. Do your dishes, clean fish, and do other activities away from the bank and off of boat ramps.
• When boating for fishing from a boat, don’t dangle arms and legs over the boat or into the water. If you fall out of a boat, get back in as soon as possible.
• Stay back from slide marks. Slide marks are bare smooth spots on banks of rivers, lagoons and wetlands: they are the spots where crocodiles habitually haul themselves on shore.
• Don’t provoke or interfere with crocodiles. This includes small hatchlings. While cute by reptilian standards, the little squeaky noise they make can often attract a very large mother, who is very capable of defending her offspring.
• Don’t feed crocodiles, either directly, or by leaving fish and food scraps on boat ramps or campsites. Habituating crocodiles to feeding near areas of human activities is a dangerous thing to do.
• Camp 2m above the high water mark and 50m from water's edge in crocodile country.
• Avoid livestock and wildlife drinking spots. Crocodiles are patient and learned hunters, they know these spots are likely places to find a meal.
• Be especially careful during the September to April breeding season, crocodiles are often more aggressive, territorial, and hungry during this time of the year.
• If camping at a site for a long time don’t form a pattern with your near-the-water activities. If you fish or take water from the river, don’t always do it at the same place at the same time. A crocodile can learn your pattern and arrange to “meet you” after figuring out where and when to next find you near the water’s edge.

Unless you’re a trained professional it’s best to stay well clear of any crocodile infested areas.

Sharks

Tiger Shark

Sharks have a pretty poor reputation. Especially following the movies “Jaws”, “Open Water” and “Deep Blue Sea” to name a few. They are seen as man eaters who actively prey on humans, especially if you happen to be a surfer. This is not the case. Yes, there are shark attacks in Australian waters. Yes, people do die as a result of their injuries. No, the locals are not afraid to go into the water because they know what to expect. In fact, many survivors are very much against the hunting down and killing of the shark that attacked them for one reason: they were in the shark’s environment and the shark behaved as it naturally would, there was no malice-afore-thought.



Great White Shark

There are some easy and commonsense precautions to take that can help reduce the risk of a shark attack. This risk minimisation advice is reproduced from the Australian Shark Attack File:

·         Do not swim, dive or surf where dangerous sharks are known to congregate.

·         Always swim, dive or surf with other people.

·         Do not swim in dirty or turbid water.

·         Avoid swimming well offshore, near deep channels, at river mouths or along drop-offs to deeper water.

·         If schooling fish start to behave erratically or congregate in large numbers, leave the water.

·         Do not swim with pets and domestic animals.

·         Look carefully before jumping into the water from a boat or wharf.

·         If possible do not swim a dusk or at night.

·         Do not swim near people fishing or spear fishing.

·         If a shark is sighted in the area leave the water as quickly and calmly as possible.



Bull Shark

The following is a list of the most common sharks found in Australian waters. There are, however, over 300 species of shark of which over 150 visit Australian waters throughout the year. The ones in bold are considered dangerous to humans and/or have a history of attacks on humans. As you can see, considering the numbers of shark species, the ones that do occassionally attack humans are few.

• Great White (found in water between 12 and 24 degrees, esp. NSW and SA; can grow up to 6m in length)
• Tiger Shark (found in most Australian waters, except those of SA, VIC and TAS; can grow up to 5.5m in length)
• Bull Shark (found in most Australian waters, except those of SA, VIC and TAS; can grown up to 3.5m in length)
• Oceanic Whitetip (found in most Australian waters, except those of SA, VIC and TAS; can grow up to 4m in length)
• Shortfin Mako; Longfin Mako
• Thresher; Pelagic Thresher; Bigeye Thresher
• Lemon Shark
• Blacktip Shark
• Silky Shark
• Gray Reef Shark
• Great Hammerhead; Scallopped Hammerhead; Smooth Hammerhead
• Broadnose Sevengill; Sharpnose Sevengill
• Bluntnose Sixgill; Bigeye Sixgill
• Grey Nurse
• Sand Tiger Shark
• Banded Wobbegong; Ornate Wobbegong; Spotted Wobbegong
• Draughtboard Shark
• Saddled Swellshark; Whitefin Swellshark
• Port Jackson Shark
• Crested Hornshark
• Southern Sawshark; Common Sawshark
• Spinner Shark
• Bronze Whaler; Dusky Whaler
• Leopard Shark
• Whale Shark
• Sandbar Shark
• Bignose Shark
• Blue Shark
• Sliteye Shark
• Weasel Shark
• Gummy Shark
• Pencil Shark
• School Shark
• Porbeagle Shark
• Eastern Angleshark; Australian Angleshark

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Sharks should be given the respect they deserve but should not be hunted like common criminals. There are safe methods for controlling shark behaviour near popular swimming beaches and most patrolled beaches where shark sightings have occurred will have some sort of alarm system to warn everyone to get out of the water until the danger has passed. If a lifeguard tells you to get out of the water, listen to them, they know what they’re talking about … and you’ll have a cool story to tell your mates when you get home about how you were “swimming with sharks”. The truth is that Australia has very few fatal shark attacks annually (1 or 2 per year on average) and perhaps a dozen non-fatal attacks per annum.

Other Sea Critters

The waters around Australia do contain some of the most venomous creatures in the world. They are regarded as very dangerous but if you are aware of what you are looking for, where you can find it and the precautions you can take to avoid it, then the Australian beach lifestyle is one of the best to be found anywhere.

There are many species of Box Jellfish but it is the species Chironex fleckeri that is the most dangerous (and also the largest) and the one that everyone fears. They can grow up to 30cm in diameter at the bell and their tentacles can reach lengths of up to 3m. They can also move up to 2m per second (3-4 knots). There have been 63 known deaths in Australia due to this species of Box Jellyfish but this is over the space of approximately 130 years, making the annual rate 1 or 2 deaths. The sting has a cardiotoxic, neurotoxic and dermtonecrotic effect. This means it affects the heart, nerves and skin. Victims can die from shock, cardiac arrest or secondary infections due to the necrotic effects. If stung, victims should seek immediate and urgent medical attention, usually the lifeguard on duty will be your first port of call, they will have a stings first aid kit and will call the ambulance if necessary, which will bring the antivenom. Box Jellyfish can be found in the waters of Northern Austalia from Gladstone, QLD to Broome, WA (except on the Great Barrier Reef).



Box Jellyfish

There is another species of Box Jellyfish. It is about the size of your thumbnail but packs one hell of a punch. It is known as the Irukandji. The pain from this little critter is said to be excutiating and a quarter of all those stung require hospitalization. Symptoms may include lower back pain, muscle cramps, sweating, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, anxiety and palpitations. In the most severe cases people developed pulmonary oedema (water in the lungs), hypertension and toxic heart failure. There are two known deaths from this creature. They are found in the same waters as their larger cousin but deeper, making it less likely that snorkellers will come into contact but more likely that divers will.



Irukandji

I know there are Blue Ring Octopus living in the rocks and rock pools at my local beach. I’ve seen a couple. They are the smaller of the two varieties, a couple of inches fully outstretched, and nestled into the rock so you’d hardly know they were there. They are extremely venemous with enough poison within them to kill easily. Their beak can piece through a wet suit and though the bite iself may be relatively painless the resulting envenomation can be deadly. It does however give you warning of it’s danger. The bright, electric-blue rings are only displayed when the octopus feels threatened and most attack only when picked up, stood on or otherwise provoked. If stung, seek immediate and urgent medical attention from trained professionals. The venom will kill in minutes and there is no known antidote. Blue Ring Octopus are widely distributed being found in all Australian waters.



Blue Ring Octopus

Stone Fish are arguably the most venomous fish in the world and are reported to have killed many people, usually divers and swimmers who have accidently trodden on their spines, which inject a toxin into the victim. While they are popular aquarium fish they should be handled with extreme care as anyone of it’s thriteen spines can deliver enough toxin to kill an average human within two hours unless medical treatment is sought and the pain is said to be such that victims have asked that their limb be amputated rather than put up with the pain. The good news is that there is an antivenom. Stone fish can be found on coral reefs, around dull coloured plants, near and about rocks, or can be found dormant in the mud or sand, and are extremely adept at camoflage. It is advised that when walking on coral or submerged rocks to wear joggers as this may restict the spines entry into the foot. They are found in all northern Australian waters.



Stonefish

Although Cone Shellfish only grow, on average, to 10cm (with the largest recorded being 20cm) they pack one hell of a punch. They have been labelled one of the most dangerous creatures in Australian waters. Inside their mouth they have 20-30 hollow darts, each filled with a poison that attacks the central nervous system, in turn causing paralysis, nausea, dizziness, weakness of voluntary and involuntary muscle movement and eventually death if left untreated. These darts, in the larger species, are capable of piercing not only human skin but wetsuits and gloves. There is no antivenom and, though the creature is beautiful, please look but do not touch. If stung, seek immediate and urgent medical treatment. Cone Shellfish can be found in all northern Australian waters.



Cone Shellfish

Snakes



Beaked Sea Snake

Australia has the dubious distinction of being home to many of the most venomous snakes in the world. Depending on which report you read this ranges from 6 to 9 of the top 10. Whichever way you look at it, we have some deadly snakes slithering about the place.

Tiger Snake

The most dangerous snake I have ever encountered is the red-bellied black (it doesn’t even rate a mention in the top ten of Australia’s most venomous snakes) and that was while bushwalking. Mostly, that’s where you’ll find the snakes: either in the bush or in the suburbs closest to the bush. The best thing to do if you see a snake is to avoid it.

Coastal Taipan

Regardless of whether you think you can identify it, any snake bite is going to be painful, even without envenomation. Below is a list of snakes found in Australia which are commonly regarded as the top 10 most dangerous to humans due to envenomation. The number in brackets is their LD50 rating. This is the amount of venom that a snake would need to cause death. The lower the rating the less venom the snake needs to kill, ie. the more deadly it is.



Black Tiger Snake

• Gwardir/Western Brown Snake (0.473) – found in WA, NT, SA, most of QLD, predominantly western NSW
• Death Adder (0.400) – found along most of the eastern and southern coastal areas.


Gwardir

• Spotted Brown Snake (0.360) – found in central QLD and central NT
• Black Tiger Snake, Chappel Island ssp (0.194-0.338) – found on Chappel Island

Brown Spotted Snake

• Beaked Sea Snake (0.164) – found along the WA, NT, QLD, NSW coastline
• Black Tiger Snake (0.131) – found in TAS, southern WA and isolated patches of SA

Eastern Brown Snake

• Tiger Snake (0.118) – found in VIC, southern and eastern NSW, south-east QLD

  Inland Taipan

• Eastern Brown Snake (0.053) – found in QLD, NSW, VIC, southern SA and isolated patches of NT


• Inland Taipan (0.025) – found in central Australia (predominantly SA and QLD)


• Coastal Taipan (0.099) – found in eastern QLD, northern NT and northern WA

Death Adder

Spiders



Black House Spider

While Australian spiders have a reputation for being highly venemous and extremely dangerous, there are few cases of bites causing death. For those spiders which can inflict potentially life threatening envenomation, if treatment is sought promptly then the victim is left with a painful wound but otherwise unharmed. Generally the deaths caused by spider bites in Australia are due to lack of treatment or allergic reaction to the venom, rather than the venom itself. The spiders listed below should be avoided as they are the most likely to cause severe bites, however, being vigilant when in their natural habitat should ensure that you and the spiders can co-exist.



Funnel Web Spider

• Red-Back Spider – distribution is Australia-wide
• Funnel Web Spider – distribution is limited mainly to east coast to mid-QLD

White Tail Spider

• Mouse Spider – distribution is limited to mainland Australia
• White-Tailed Spider – distribution is Australia-wide

Wolf Spider

• Black House Spider – distribution is Australia-wide
• Wolf Spider – distribution is Australia-wide

Mouse Spider

For a more deatiled pictorial overview of the whole range of Australian spiders (of which there are many!) please visit the following site:

http://ednieuw.home.xs4all.nl/australian/Spidaus.html

Redback Spider

Other Less Obvious Creatures

While the Platypus might look harmless as it swims around the river bed looking for food, don’t be tempted to pick it up and give it a cuddle. The males of this shy species posses ankles spurs which can pierce the skin. This in itself should be deterent enough but if you should be misfortunate enough to pick one up you may well be delivered a dose of venom that, while not lethal to humans, is painful enough as to incapacitate. The distribution of this unique animal is limited to the east coast of the mainland and Tasmania.



Platypus

There are 3 species of Wombat: the common wombat which is found predominantly down the east coast of southern Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, as well as tasmania and a small section of South Australia; the southern hairy-nosed wombat which is found along the coast of the Great Australian Bite; and the norther hairy-nosed wombat which is only found in one small section of central Queensland. None of these species is vicious. They don’t have poisoned claws or venemous saliva. They are just big lumps of relatively slow-moving meat. The reason they are dangerous to humans is that when you hit one in your car, your car may come off second best, though this is so rare it almost comes under the urban myth umbrella. There have been recorded cases of common wombats (the largest of the 3 on average) being 130cm long and weighing 45kg. At this size it is likely that they will do serious damage to your car, though the wombat will probably also be injured. You should take care when driving in known wombat areas, especially at night, so as to avoid an accident, either through impact with one or by swerving to avoid one.

Common Wombat

Likewise, the Kangaroo is liable to do a lot of damage to your car if you hit one. Different species of Kangaroo (and their cousins the Wallaby, Wallaroo, Pademelon, Tree Kangaroo, Forest Wallaby, Rat Kangaroo, Potoroo and Bettong) can be found in almost every corner of Australia, though different species prefer different habitats. The one that is going to do the most damage to your car is the Red Kangaroo, which lives in the interior of Australia. Growing up to a massive 2m tall and weighing up to 90kg, they can reach speeds of 60kph (40mph). If that hits your little hatchback, say goodbye to your hatchback because it’s going to be a write off. Even impact with an Eastern Grey Kangaroo (180cm, 60kg, 50kph/30mph) will do some serious damage.

Grey Kangaroo

You may well have also heard of the boxing kangaroo. It has been adopted as an unofficial mascot for international sporting teams from Australia. While this image, of the kangaroo wearing boxing gloves is humorous, real kangaroos “box” with their front and hind legs. While the front legs are relatively harmless, there being more danger of a scratch from their claws, the hind legs can break ribs and disembowel an opponent, whether that be another kangaroo, a predator, or a human who has ventured to near.



Boxing Kangaroo Flag

My suggestion when dealing with wild kangaroos is this: stay at a safe distance, preferably in your car. Remember, if a kangaroo feels threatened in can put on a great amount of speed and can leap fences up to 3m tall, as well as covering a distance of up to 8-9m along the ground in a single bound. If you want an up close and personal experience with a Kangaroo, visit a wildlife sanctuary or zoo which offers interactive enclosures and feeding opportunities. The Kangaroos housed there are usually either rescued as joeys or born in captivity and have been aclimbatized to having humans in close proximity.



Red Kangaroo

The Dingo is the last of the creatures I am going to write about. It is fairly safe to say that since the Azaria Chamberlain case 1980 (incidentally the year I was born) Dingos have had a fairly bad rap overseas. Locally, most people thought her mother had done it and just blamed the dingo. Linda (the mother) was convicted of the crime and spent four years in jail. It wasn’t until the baby’s jacket was found in a dingo den that Linda was found not guilty. There is still doubt over this case but there is no doubt over two other attacks which both happened in 2001 and both involved children, one of which was fatal.

Dingo

It has to be remembered that dingoes are wild animals. They may look like domesticated dogs but they are not domesticated and are, in fact, their own subspecies (Canis lupis dingo) separate from domestic dogs (Canis lupis familiaris). Some dingoes have been domesticated by aboriginal people and some farmers, but generally, dingoes are still relatively wild, with the encroachment of humans into their territory only familarising them with humans not domesticating them. Dingoes are distributed widely across northern, northwest, and central Australia. They are rare in the south and northeast of Australia and possibly extinct in the southeast and southwest (occassional sightings are made, though these may be staying in from other parts of the country). There are plenty of signs in areas where dingoes are known to be present, advising people to keep close to their children (as they are the ones more likely to be attacked), and asking people not to feed the wild populations of dingoes and to keep their food and rubbish locked up as it encourages dingoes to come into camp sites to forage if it is left out. It is thought that many attacks are due to the dingoes regarding people as competition for “their” food.

Like bears and wolves in other countries, Dingoes should be treated with respect and not antagonised as they are an apex predator. They might look like your dog at home and you might want to go up and pat one but this is actively discouraged. If you want to pat a dingo there are plenty of wildlife sanctuaries and zoos around the country with this facility.

In Conclusion …

Don’t let the fear of being killed by one of our animals deter you from visiting our beautiful country. Other countries have many of their own “deadly” creatures. If you worried about what might get you all the time, you’d never leave your house. Remember, statistically, you’re more likely to be struck by lightening than die from any of the creatures listed above. And the most dangerous creature on the planet is also the one you’re going to meet wherever you go in the world … homo sapiens.