If you want to be good at something, it’s best to get a coach. The best sportspeople, businesspeople, and musicians in the world usually have coaches, teachers, or guides. They know that to be the best they can be, they need someone to help analyse what they’re doing, find space for improvement, and guide them to it. But many parents go it alone. They figure it out as they go along, ...

It’s no mistake that the modern celebration of Mothers’ Day occurs in May – the month of Mary. She is a model of motherhood from whom all – men and women alike – take inspiration. We’ve often joked that it takes mere seconds to conceive a child but years of sleeplessness and self-denial to raise one. While that’s no exaggeration for fathers, it’s not quite true for mothers; their biological contribution ...

Today, Sunday 14 May, is Mother’s Day but this coming, Tuesday 16 May, is International Boys’ Day. What do these two days have in common? #1. Without mothers, we would not have any boys to celebrate. #2. The greatest defenders and promoters of boys are mothers. For that we are grateful. Take for example Kirralie Smith, 2023 Mother of the Year for Family Voice. Kirralie is the founder of ‘Binary‘ who ...

Edited extract from her latest book expected to be published in late 2023. During a brief one-hour interstate flight I sat beside a young man (whom I shall call Ben) in his late twenties. He was married with a seven-month-old son. He’d recently started his own business in construction but now needed his wife to return to work for a year or so – “Just so that we can get on ...

Mother’s Day is next Sunday. As well as appreciating the mother of your own children, think of how you can love on your own mum. Gifts are an option, but sharing a loving memory you have of her would make her day.

Making the most of Mother’s Day is as simple as bringing your A-game, and plenty of back-up. Carrying out a successful Mother’s Day Op. is about coordination, planning, and having the right headspace. Although a cache of cliché gifts suits the nature of the op, they don’t guarantee operational success.   “Be all you can be, and be all there” – so goes my take on the U.S. Army slogan. Alongside ...

If there is one thing that makes motherhood so worth celebrating, it’s a mother’s capacity for love for her children. Whether it’s her willingness to give over her body to nourish a newborn, her patience with the endless ‘but why’ questions of a toddler, or the testing rebellion of a teenager, mothers seem to have a special empathy for the heart of their children. But most mothers will admit that they ...

I send out a warm Mother’s Day wish for my mum to be blessed with genuine pride in having raised three awesome men. I admire the example of care she set in her nursing work, especially with the elderly. I saw Mum argue the case for patients to be treated with the utmost dignity and respect when the frailty of the aged patients prevented them from advocating for themselves. I hold ...

No wonder I’m so tired! A UK study found that the average child asks around 300 questions a day. How on earth did our parents ever get by before Google? What made me smile was that the research revealed kids were more likely to ask their mother questions because their father was likely to say, ‘Ask your mother.’ Here are my tips for being the best ‘source of all knowledge’ you ...

Silly giggles, 3 am feeds, bedtime cuddles, wiped tears and heart-to-hearts. These are the moments you’ll treasure when your little one is all grown up. I reckon that if anyone ever does invent a time machine, it’ll be a mum. After all, wouldn’t you give everything you own to have one last snuggle with your little one, while they still think you’re the most amazing person they know? Losing Time A ...

Helicopter parents are well-meaning parents who hover over their kids. If something happens, heaven forbid, such as falling over, fighting over a toy, or getting a bad grade, helicopter parents swoop in and do everything they can to make things better. Sometimes being a helicopter parent is a good thing — in crowds, near water, or anywhere that physical danger exists. Stunted Growth But helicopter parenting when it’s playtime, sports time, ...

Now I’m a Nonna and have raised my own children, I can relax and watch as my son parents his little girl. I think back to myself as a young mum and I wonder what words of wisdom I could share with her. The things I know now — hmmm… I’m always learning and growing, so I guess even these words will change as I continue my life’s path. However, here’s ...

One of my happiest childhood memories is snuggling in bed with mum or dad each night as they read to me. It was these moments that instilled in me a lifelong love of reading. It’s still one of my absolute favourite things to do, even though it’s a rare treat for me these days. What I didn’t realise back then was that this simple habit gave me so much more than ...

OK, confession time… I’m not sure where, or how it started, but surprisingly, it was at a very young age. I’ve always loved kids. I’ve looked after kids and worked with kids, in both professional and voluntary capacities since I was about eleven. Spoilt Those who thought the whole world should revolve around them though, in all honesty, I wasn’t always as enthusiastic about looking after them. You know the ones; ...

There’s nothing like biting into a wedge of crispy cold watermelon on a hot summer’s day. For me, it brings back vivid childhood memories of being with my family during scorching heat waves in Australia. My dad would always make sure to pick the ripest watermelon by tapping it. If it made a hollow sound all around, then it was perfect to be devoured on the beach during the day, or ...

The words and gestures you use have the power to either lift people up or bring them down. Choose wisely, especially in your daily interactions with your family. Yesterday I went to get my watch battery replaced at the local shopping centre’s Mr Repairman Service and received a surprise. The man who served me did a great job. He had 18 years’ experience. You could tell he really knew his job. ...

It happened in the shoe section at Big W. Casually browsing through the sandals, Tyson kneeling at my feet. He dropped a heel, paused and said: ‘b@&&er.’ Mortified. Where on earth did he learn…? Oh. Confession time: Amongst my many and varied flaws is a weakness for the odd expletive. Something that seemed harmless enough… until I heard that word come out of my ‘epitome-of-innocence’ 3-year-old’s mouth. The other customers in ...

The big question is: “How do you create a happy home?” I think a lot of people wished they had come from one. Working with young people and families with both older and younger children, I’ve noticed that a happy home can come from any race, occupation, economic status, political persuasion and any other variation you wish to throw into the mix. When you have a strong culture in a home, ...

‘I’m just a mum,’ she said, actually looking embarrassed. ‘What does that mean?’ I asked, confused. I’d only been married a few months and kids weren’t on the agenda for us yet. ‘I used to be a sales rep for a medical company,’ she quickly added. ‘And I plan to get back into it as soon as my baby’s old enough.’ ‘Sooo, you’re a stay-at-home mum,’ I said. ‘Yeah, I know. ...

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 ...