‘Shhhh… not in front of the kids!’ We’ve all been there: In the car with a captive audience… or at the dinner table. An argument erupts and the question is: do you save it for later? Or just let it all out in front of the kids? Studies conducted at the University of Rochester, NY, found that it’s okay for your kids to see you argue, as long you work it ...

‘Fess up — did you skip breakfast this morning? If so (whether it was a pure mistake and your cereal’s still sitting on your bench going soggy, or you make a point of skipping what’s been hailed the most important meal of the day), you’re not alone. More than half of all Aussie adults and one in seven Aussie kids start their day without cereal, toast, yoghurt, fruit or a smoothie ...

Have you heard of snowplough or lawnmower parents? They’re the ones who push all the obstacles out of the way of their children. Isn’t that a good thing? We don’t want our children to endure unnecessary hardship. We want the best for our kids — and we want to help them get it. Building Resilience I once heard a radio guest describe how organic vegetables are more nutrient-dense than commercially grown ...

We all have dreams: to start a business… volunteer in a third-world country… write a book… Dreams are important. And then God answered: Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. – Habakkuk 2:2 (The Message) I’ve recently learnt a valuable lesson — to not get too attached to my dreams. Let me tell you my story… ...

If I wasn’t there when she said it, I wouldn’t have believed it. When my boss asked his 7-year-old daughter what she’d like for her birthday, she said she didn’t want any gifts. Could everyone make a donation to the Leukaemia Foundation instead? Excuse me? After a lengthy conversation, she convinced her parents to have a ‘gift-free’ birthday party and instead, set up an online donation form with the Leukaemia Foundation. ...

Focus on Effort, Not Outcome Do you get excited when your children get everything right? Or do you get excited when your children make mistakes and feel like what they’re doing is hard? Studies show that when we praise or reward kids for being brilliant, they get caught up in ‘proving’ how good they are. And this leads to them avoiding things they could fail at — because failure might mean ...

The culture of your family will be based on 3 things: What you allow What you don’t allow What you demonstrate/how you live your life I know what you’re thinking: that is way too simple, and way too obvious. Yes! Just the way I like things. At least when things are simple, I can pretend to understand most of them. Although these 3 elements are simple and seem obvious, the number ...

Some of the most fascinating research being done right now to help kids be positive and resilient deals with the idea of strengths. Do you know what your children’s strengths are? Can you name them? Take a minute and think about that. Do you ever talk with your children about their strengths? Children who know their strengths and use them regularly are more resilient, less likely to experience depression or anxiety, ...

A recent visit to our local park turned into a day of exploring a previously undiscovered (by us) bush track along the river, complete with swimming holes, waterfalls and a ‘wibbly wobbly’ bridge. Once we started meandering, just couldn’t stop! We soon had to leave the pram wedged between bushes for this little ‘off-road’ adventure, as our curiosity kept driving us forward, the kids wildly excited at every turn. Rope swings ...

Ahhh… reminiscing. Remember when your first child was born, and you held that precious bundle of possibility? Remember the emotions that welled up inside, the pride and joy of this beautiful new life? The thoughts that passed through your mind that you really weren’t sure what to do, because this brand new baby was completely reliant upon you. But at the same time, the dreams you had for him/her you were ...

It’s become one of the major focuses for business in the last few years. Sports teams are constantly talking about it and whenever there are issues in society, it becomes a major focus. So what about the family? The basic building block of a strong society? It’s interesting that the majority of us have never given it a second thought. It is possible to have the family you want — the ...

It might seem harmless — a quick drive-through on the run home to pick up a cheap meal that satisfies hordes of hungry tummies and delays dirty dishes for another night. Yes, it might be fast and convenient — but the truth is, takeaway food can come at a huge cost to our health. What should be a rare treat is fast becoming a frequent meal — with many Queenslanders consuming ...

Homeschooling has enriched this family’s life, reducing stress and creating room for personal flourishing. My name is Heidi; my husband Ben and I are currently on a homeschool journey with our three children aged 7, 10 and 12. I am a qualified teacher and I was teaching casually at the school that my three children attended until late 2021. My husband and I decided that our lives needed to change; we ...

One twin wakes up from his afternoon nap and is inconsolable. He doesn’t want his bottle or pillow pet. A cuddle does nothing. As I work through all the possibilities, I keep my cool, constantly just trying to find a way to help my son through this moment. Things eventually settle and all is well. Volteface Two hours later, the same twin pauses to pick up a rock when I’m in ...

This Father’s Day Chocolate Plane Craft is easy for kids to make as an edible gift for Dad! Am I the only one who sometimes struggles to find the right gift for Father’s Day? Whether it’s for my dad or my husband, they both like practical gifts, but sometimes I want to give them something a bit more special. I asked my dad while we were working if he wanted anything ...

‘Shhhhh,’ I whispered. ‘Don’t spoil the surprise.’ ‘Okay.’ He whispered back, conspiratorially, as we tucked hubby’s Father’s Day present away in the storage room. ‘Remember, it’s our secret, okay? Don’t spoil the surprise.’ I continued, shutting the door. Only to hear his excited footsteps on the stairs before I’d even had time to turn around! Letting Loose ‘Don’t spoil the surprise, Daddy!’ he called out, running as fast as his little ...

I was driving to a playdate with the two-year-old twins in the car, having just dropped off my four-year-old at kindy, when ka-klunk! Something was wrong with the back passenger-side wheel. I knew it was looking dodgy beforehand, so suspected it had gone flat. But I wasn’t really sure. After a quick, illogical thought process, my decision was to slow down my pace and carefully drive 2km to my local service ...

“For an increasing number of long-term marriages, it’s no longer a case of ‘until death do us part,’ it’s a matter of until the children depart from the family nest,” writes Rachel Browne in a Sydney Morning Herald article, “Parents wait until children go, then do the same thing.” Suddenly finding your busy life full of activities attached to children, and a home in a constant state of noise, and endless ...

It’s one of the most powerful movie moments in history — in my opinion. Not because of special effects, cinematography, eloquent scripting or romantic fervour. It happened deep within the ruins of the World Trade Centre, during the 2006 Olive Stone movie of the same name. Sergeant John McLoughlin is trapped, losing all hope of rescue, when he has a vision of his wife. I can’t find it anywhere on YouTube, ...

Whether it fizzes, gives you wings or opens happiness — the truth is, it’s packed with sugar and it could be causing serious health problems in children. Figures show 1 in 6 Queensland kids are drinking at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily. That’s not limited to soft drink either — it includes energy drinks, fruit drinks, cordial and sports drinks too. The 2012 Queensland Chief Health Officer’s Report revealed 16 per ...