Sasha and Luca Gibbon: 6 years old

November 2015: Twins Luca and Sasha have started school and are developing their own interests. Luca is super keen on football and Sasha loves drawing and crafts. The family underwent an upheaval when dad Gary was made redundant and they all moved in with their mother Melinda's dad for a year. During that time, Gary started a new job as an operations manager and Melinda started her own consultancy business and older sister Jessica (13) started secondary school.

School
Luca and Sasha attend St Ignatius, a small Catholic school with about 250 students. It was their mum's school when she was a child.

Sasha has Irlens Syndrome and struggles with reading. She’s been in the school’s Reading Recovery programme and has had a Kit McGrath tutor. She is now reading Billy B Brown – a series of books for emerging readers by Sally Rippin. Gary and Melinda now spend more time reading with both their children. There is a wide range of books in the children’s room – including picture books and books by Roald Dahl.

Mostly Melinda looks after the children after school, but sometimes Gary’s mum and dad help out. They also look after the children in the school holidays.

Free time
Luca likes outdoor activities such as kicking a ball about, scooting, and biking. He has developed a love of football, but it didn’t come easily – Melinda used to pay him $5 per goal to encourage him, but had to stop because he got too good and it was getting expensive. Gary is a Sunderland supporter, something he has passed on to Luca.

Luca also likes computer games, Lego, Monopoly, and cooking (he has a special banana chocolate chip muffin recipe). He is very keen on animals and likes what he calls ‘jumpy dogs’. He has a special giraffe soft toy.

Sasha has a large number of special ‘cuddlies’ rather than a particular favourite toy. She likes dancing, and art and craft activities such as making bracelets with Rainbow Looms (small plastic looms on which you can weave colourful rubber bands), knitting, finger knitting, making cards, drawing, and painting. She drew a series of animals she called ‘God’s Creatures’, which are going to be published in the School Journal. Her mum says she’s the family ‘clown’ and enjoys joking around. She makes big sister Jessica and Luca laugh a lot.

Both children enjoy collecting supermarket collectables (New World minis and Countdown dominoes).

TV and movies
The children mostly watch DVDs. Their favourite movies include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Lego Movie, and Star Wars.

Family television watching usually centres on home improvement shows. The children’s TV viewing is restricted to set times.

Screen time
Luca is particularly drawn to computer games, so his screen time is limited to Friday to Sunday only. He is only allowed to play in 15 minute blocks for a maximum of 30 minutes per day. He plays Minecraft,  Hay Day, and a racing car game. 

Sasha is not so interested in computer activities, and usually tires of them quickly. If she does watch something, it will be a YouTube cupcake making video.

Food
The children don’t have particular favourite foods. Sasha eats almost anything. Luca doesn’t like fruit much, but will eat bananas, oranges, and frozen berries. Both children are in good health.

Religion
The family are Roman Catholics , and Luca and Sasha attend a Catholic school. Confirmation, First Holy Communion, and First Reconciliation are three important events coming up in their religious upbringing.