Happy mother's day, mums! I'm celebrating my 16th MD this year. My first was the day after my son was born, way back in 2004. I was recovering from a 40-hour labour and Max was already showing signs of being a "non-sleeper" (as the midwives so mildly put it). To say I...
These here are troubled times and many of us have some very troubled kids on our hands. It's hard to shield them from the COVID-19 news, and as the kids get older we need to ask ourselves if it's even wise to. "COVID-19 is contagious ... and so is mood," says...
Some parents worry a lot about which high school to send their child to, while most don’t have a choice and go local. Parents analyse schools for their results, attitudes, cohort, reputation, ‘values’, uniforms and much more. Just remember what’s important to you...
There is no such thing as stress-free parenting. Peaceful parenting isn’t a place with no stress, but a place where you take the stress as it comes, in stride, and don’t let it rule you. You let it flow through you, and then smile, and breathe, and give your child a...
It's no doubt the #1 response parents make when they ask what they want for their kids in life: "I just want my child to be happy." “I just want my child to be happy.” We mean it wholeheartedly when we say it. Then we leave that happiness to chance. We talk to our...
Every mum has got something in her life that she is struggling to manage. Any day of the year, that is true for the majority - if not all - of us. A lot of the time that stems from something that our kids are going through. It's never quiet when they are acting out,...
It can be very confronting to learn that your teen is self harming - that is, they are deliberately hurting themselves. The term 'self harm' is now generally referred to as "non-suicidal self-injury" or NSSI. It's a really important distinction, because it reminds us...
It's World Mental Health Day, an important time to reflect on our own mental wellbeing and advocate for the good mental health of others. It got me thinking about mental health versus mental illness. We talk a lot about our 'mental health', but is being mentally...
Yesterday a young friend alerted me to a teen 'support' group that she belongs to. The group is mostly Aussie girls - a few boys, some kids from other countries, but mostly Australian teen girls. The group is a place for them to ask the kinds of questions they are not...
This article lists help for teens in Australia, but if you, or someone you know, are in crisis and urgently need help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. If you are in immediate danger, call 000 right now. List of crisis help for teens in...
While everyone is very keen to get back to 'normal' schooling, reduced classroom attendance can also offer a wonderful opportunity to catch up on some reading. Margot Hillel, Professor of Children's Literature at the Australian Catholic University, has prepared a...
Next week, across Australia, kids are due to return to the classroom. Most will go back one day a week, building up to five days by the end of the term (this varies from state to state and school to school - for example, at the time of writing, there is no date set...
Like so many of us, I'm beyond ready for lockdown to be over. Businesses need to be able to business again. Jobs are needed, space is needed. Many people are desperately lonely and need to get the $%#! out of their homes. Like them, I'm yearning to travel across town...
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