Believe it or not, any victory for mothers is also a victory for fathers, and ultimately for children. Sall Dover, a new young mother, after protesting on Twitter about the forced use of the Orwellian phrase “birthing parent”, has scored a victory for motherhood. It takes a man and a woman to create a child, and a mother and a father to raise a child. All the social science research shows ...

A concerned mother reflects on how she can best protect her young sons from the lure of internet pornography. I don’t have a blueprint for this brave new online world, where just typing ‘breastfeeding’ into a search engine produces a minefield of lurid possibilities. Steve Biddulph, author of Raising Boys and Raising Girls, wrote an article in the Sydney Morning Herald that really resonated with me. He highlighted the fact that ...

All right, all right… I admit it… I’m a perfectionist. I take pride in a job well done. I’m a mum, I’m a wife, I’m a worker, a house cleaner, a seamstress, a medic, a teacher — the list is a mile long. And somewhere in amongst all of these roles, I need to find the one that magically helps me to find balance… and then I need to excel at ...

Shield your children from the malign effects of tobacco smoke, which can infiltrate all corners of a family home. The stats are shocking. Almost one Queenslander a day will die from inhaling tobacco smoke this year, without ever having smoked a cigarette in their life. The effects of secondhand smoke are so often understated — and so alarming. Around 3,000 Queenslanders will die from a tobacco-related disease this year. The World ...

Being a mum can be a challenging role, but we parents have been entrusted with the vital task of raising the next generation, and it is totally worth it. Here are 5 life lessons about parenting and family life. 1. Tomorrow is a New Day! Cue little red-haired, ringlet-topped Annie singing, “The sun’ll come out tomorrow… so ya gotta hang on tïll tomorrow… I love ya Tomorrow! You’re always a day ...

It started with an alarm I forgot to set the night before. That meant I was awoken unceremoniously by my little boy precisely half an hour late. Of course, this was the day I had a 9 am deadline and an 8.45 am start at playgroup (where I help set up). Flinging clothes in the general direction of two wriggling bodies, I managed to get the boys dressed between ‘computer stops,’ ...

During the first year of my daughter’s life, I found motherhood quite difficult. I felt swamped by my new role, and somewhere along the way, I lost myself. I felt I had been transformed into a breastfeeding, nappy-changing, baby-burping robot. I had put on about 30 kilos while pregnant and although I lost 15 kilos in the first 8 months post-birth, the other 15 didn’t look like it was ever going ...

Life is full of situations that cause stress! However, stress isn’t always a bad thing. It can be the motivation to get us moving — to write that report, make the ballet costume, perform in the play or make that important speech, etc. But when you are constantly functioning with your foot on the stress pedal, your mind and body will eventually feel the effects. Stress Signals When we’re facing something ...

Gratitude is one way to ensure that life is always experienced in the positive. It’s a choice that takes practice and as such, is a skill that can be taught. I believe that learning the basics of good old-fashioned “please” and “thank you” is the foundation for learning gratitude. When you have to say thank you for everything, you teach yourself to be grateful for everything. Early Days So, we start ...

Modelling gratitude to your children helps them form the habit of being thankful and displaying appreciation to those around them. I am sure you have all witnessed your own child or someone else’s at Christmas, receiving so many gifts that they are not even excited or thankful by the end of the paper-ripping and gift-opening frenzy! Babies are not born grateful and toddlers are fully self-obsessed, so the art of gratefulness ...

When you’re feeling low, exercise is often far from your imagination. But, if you can get yourself started — maybe ask a friend, family member or your partner to join you, the benefits are amazing! Like: You’ll feel better about yourself. Meeting small goals along the way and watching your body become strong will surely give your self-confidence a terrific boost; Doing exercise can take your mind off the issues that ...

Getting used to your post-birth body can be challenging — here is a video to see it in a whole new perspective, appreciating its true beauty. I would never have called myself ‘skinny,’ even before kids. But my new ‘post-baby’ body has taken some getting used to. I think a lot of women struggle to accept what they see in the mirror after becoming a mum. Some things have changed… possibly ...

Happy Mother’s Day! James E Faust said, “The influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation.” Film star Leonardo DiCaprio said, “My mother is a walking miracle.” Did you know the word “mother” is the most beautiful word in the English language? A British Council survey of 40,000 people in 102 non-English-speaking countries has put the word at the top of a 70-strong list. Last year ...

A lovely video to share as we celebrate mums this Mother’s Day weekend. Any mother will tell you that being a mum is a full-time job. And sometimes, the job can really test you. Some feel as though they have no patience left, or that they’re somehow failing as a parent. But what’s the other side of the story? Originally published at SmartLoving.

Is television dumbing down our children, or improving their knowledge and manners? It depends on how you utilise the medium. (I know I’ll sound like my Nana when I use this opening line) When I was a little girl (see, told you!), I was only allowed to watch TV on weekends and during school holidays. This was excruciating for me, because every morning before school, all my friends would be talking ...

Aussie mum Fiona lives in Switzerland with her hubby and beautiful 15-month-old girl. This Q&A reveals her struggle with postnatal depression and what helped her get through it: What do you love most about being a mum? Being my own boss — no rules to follow except my own Cuddles Dressing my child in adorable outfits What do you find most difficult? I find childcare and housework incredibly boring. This used ...

Life as a parent can get terribly busy and overwhelming, but taking a pause to re-focus can help you attend to your responsibilities in a more peaceful and joyful frame of mind. Your “normal” doesn’t have to be frantic. Sometimes it takes a weekend away to give you a new perspective. As you know, I have been struggling to give the best of myself in all the roles I play. And ...

Watching movies at the drive-in is a great family-friendly endeavour! Even those with babies can have fun and a nice break at the drive-in. While I was at my niece’s first birthday party, I was chatting with a friend who randomly asked the question, “Do you ever go to the drive-in?” At that moment, I had a flashback to the one and only time that I had, as a 10-year-old — ...

Good sleep is required for good mental health, but it can be very difficult for a parent of young children to get enough of it to function properly. Having family support in the parenting journey can make all the difference in the world! Feeling blue? The scientific cure may also be my favourite thing in the whole world… sleep. According to this New York Times article, if you get less than ...

Children are in the process of learning how to coordinate their bodies and they are naturally curious about exploring the world around them, hence accident-prone. Their immune systems are developing, and they can become very ill. Knowing how to do first aid on your child — or his friends — can save a life. Whenever I hear about a tragic accident involving a baby or child on the news, my heart ...