Honour Your Kids’ Mum Every Day — Not Just Once a Year
Gang members won't bother you if you know their mum. This Mother's Day, here's why dads should go beyond flowers — and mean it.
The Innate Difference Between a Mother and a Father
What Angie and I are learning during this season is just how differently the two of us are wired. Motherly instinct is an incredibly powerful force, and this holds just as true for an adoptive mother as for a biological one.
Become a Morning Person and Do Life Better
Fast forward to parenthood, and things have changed somewhat. I’ve become a reluctant morning person, but it’s had some surprising benefits.
The World’s Toughest Job
Last week, I wanted to quit. I have never felt quite so unqualified for a position. Drowning in failure and frustration. Last week was a tough week in my motherhood journey.
Are We Born Competitive?
My kids are only 2 and 3 1/2 and, already, their competitive spirit is alive and well. I think it’s important to nurture it in a healthy way and teach them how to use it properly.
Life Lessons at the Bike Park
One day, I won’t be there to catch them, and I need for them to know how to dust themselves off and keep going.
A Beautiful Message from Our Baby’s Birth Mother
As an adopted daughter myself and now a birth mother, I will always be an advocate for adoption. I want women to know that there is an option.
Bedtime Blues
Boys are more prone to separation anxiety than girls and struggle more with understanding that mama loves them and is coming back. Thus, the genuine, gut-wrenching cries both my boys have subjected me to at bedtime.
You Get What You Look For
What do you believe about your children? Are you speaking and acting in a way that will build and train the children that you really want?
Do You Speak ‘Childrenese’?
Our children are, in many ways, strangers in the world of adults. They don’t speak our language particularly well – and we seem to have forgotten how to speak their language as we’ve aged.
7 Proven Tips for a Happy Home
I love this article, published by Time, to help parents like me make the most of these short years we have with our kids: "How to Have a Happy Family – 7 Tips Backed by Research".
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is marriage enemy number one in our book. When sleep-deprived, everything can appear miserable and beyond redemption.
Stop Blaming My iPhone
I was checking emails on my phone the other day when, out of nowhere, something swooped by at lightning speed and ripped it out of my hands. They were so fast, I didn’t even see who it was.
Why Can’t He Use the Dishwasher Properly?
I find myself huffing in annoyance when sorting out his attempt to pack the dishwasher. He has seemingly not calculated the maximised available space-to-ickiness-of-surface ratio.
Temper Tantrum, Aisle 3
Before I had kids, I would have known exactly how to deal with this situation: Jack, my 2-year-old son, is crying for reasons known only to himself as we make our way through Woolworths. Tyson, my 3 1/2-year-old, is good as gold… until we reach the cleaning aisle, of all ...
Who I Am Instead
A Mum Daily reader and new mum wrote to me: "I have to admit, no one can tell you what its like to be a new mum until you’ve been there. I had no idea. I have a dream baby, who only fusses when there is something wrong like hunger ...
Who is Leading Whom?
Recently, we met some friends at a local area at Mermaid Beach called “The Marketta”. I had never been there before; Kylie had been a few times. We won’t take that any further… Anyway, it’s a fun place in an old industrial area, that has been outfitted with slightly alternative-style ...
Happy Couple or Happy Parents
A recent study has found that couples without kids are much happier in their marriage than those with kids. Should I be worried? Thankfully, the same study showed that mums were happiest of all, but dads were amongst the unhappiest -- perhaps because of the strain parenting has put on ...
Making Playtime a Priority
The other day, I found myself hurtling down a hill, way too fast, out of control. It was terrifying, exhilarating and hilarious! ‘Do it again, mummy!’ Tyson laughed hysterically at the sight of his dishevelled mum, lying on the grass, regaining my composure, after a pretty spectacular stack. If you ...
A Night Off
I’ve found a solution to my perceived marital problems: it’s easy, you can do this too. Have a night away with the man of your dreams (this is not a reference to Ryan Gosling). I’m talking about your husband – remember when you used to dream about him? It was ...
Choose Your Battles
As a parent, we have so many things to look after; Making sure our kids actually eat, then also making sure it's something that will actually benefit them; Having somewhere to sleep, preferably in a bed -- warm and dry is great; and then, of course, education in our Western ...
Apps That Will Help Your Teen Get Organised
If your teenager struggles to stay organised, let me assure you they are not alone. They are joined by thousands of others who don’t keep a diary, don’t know when their assignments are due and don’t keep on top of their schoolwork. This week, I met a mother who came ...
How Ryan Gosling is Going to Save Your Marriage
It’s true! And now there’s a study that proves it. Finally, I have the ammunition I need to convince hubby that our next date night movie should be a rom-com, rather than an action flick. Researchers who conducted a study involving 174 couples found that those who discussed five movies ...
Shop Well, Stay Well
If it’s in the pantry, you’ll eat it. I know it sounds like common sense, but it’s true! If we shop well and keep tempting treats out of our reach, it makes it far easier to make healthier choices every day. It’s a fact that one in three cancer cases ...
King of the Sandcastle
Absolute perfection. Blue sky, soft sand and inviting surf. Day 1 of our beach holiday, and all was well with the world. That was, until Tyson spotted the seemingly abandoned sandcastle. Front and centre, between the red and yellow flags on the busy foreshore. Instinct took over, and he did ...
