Fun Around the Neighbourhood
For toddler parents with active and curious children, there are free or affordable activities you can find in your local Aussie neighbourhood to exercise their imagination and boost their confidence.
Never, Never Never, Never Give In
It’s the middle of Winter. It’s cold. The TV is jampacked full of all your favourite shows. It’s cold. The aroma of lasagne or hot chocolate wafts through the house. Did I mention it’s cold? This is when you have to make a choice: dressing gown and comfort food… or ...
Victory for Mothers and Fathers
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 ...
Boys and Internet Pornography
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 ...
The Best Me I Can Be
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 ...
Families – Don’t Open the Door to Secondhand Smoke
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 ...
Top 5 Things I’ve Learnt Since Becoming a Mum
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 ...
One of Those Days
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 ...
My Unlikely Journey Toward Happiness
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 ...
Stress Signals
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 ...
Teaching Gratitude
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 ...
The Gift of Gratitude
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 ...
Fit Mum, Healthy Mind
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 ...
Making Peace with My Post-Birth Body
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 ...
The Incredible Importance of Mothers
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 ...
Video: A New Perspective For Mums
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 ...
TV – The New Education Hero?
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 ...
Making It Through Postnatal Depression
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 ...
A Different Type of Normal
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 ...
A Night at the Drive-in
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 ...
Longing for Sleep
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 ...
Kids’ First Aid – I Know How to Save a Child’s Life
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 -- ...
Hope for New Mums
Postnatal depression is real, but take heart -- support is available. We need to support new mothers and fathers in their parenting journey. Parenting is challenging, and it takes a village to nurture a family. I remember watching an ad on TV a few weeks before I had my first ...
How to React to a No
Are you able to graciously accept a "no", or would you be cross and upset about it? I find it hard to say no to a lot of the opportunities in my life. The big opportunities that are life-changing, I pray about and give some thought to before saying yes. ...
Road Trip Tips
I consider myself an expert in road tripping with small kids -- having survived numerous flights and 2 car trips to Broken Hill of 18 hours each way. Yes, that’s right, 18 hours! First time with a 10-month-old; the second time with a 2-year-old and 7-month-old. It wasn’t pretty. So, ...
Own Your Unique Position and Giftings
There is only one of you in the whole world. Take the opportunity to hone your talents and grow where you are planted. I have always believed God places the right people at the right time in your life to counsel you and offer guidance and encouragement when you need ...
