The school holidays don’t have to cost a fortune

Across Australia, parents are facing the school holidays against a backdrop of soaring prices and economic pessimism. The doom and gloom is not without reason.

What do parents want when it comes to childcare safety?

When all parents talked about safety, they weren’t thinking equally about every type of risk. Their biggest concerns centred on staff-to-child conduct and supervision ratios.

Have kids’ birthday parties become too complicated?

Once, a children’s birthday party meant cake, a few games and a handful of friends. Now parents can find themselves navigating guest-list politics, RSVP etiquette, food allergies, sibling requests, gift rules and even school policies about how invitations are handed out.

EDITOR’S PICKS

School Holiday Survival Guide
School holidays are a welcome change of pace — and a good chance to spend time together, try something new and break up the usual routine.
Editor
17 September, 2026
Healthy, low-waste and actually eaten: why packing a school lunchbox isn’t so simple
For busy families, the “best” lunch may not be the one that looks perfect on paper. It may simply be the one that is reasonably nutritious, manageable to pack, fits the school day — and comes home mostly empty.
Editor
10 September, 2026
Year 12 Final exams are coming: what teenagers really need from parents
As Year 12 students head towards final exams, Professor Ken Purnell writes that it can be tempting for parents to push harder on study. But protecting sleep, keeping pressure in check and offering steady support may be far more useful. For many Australian Year 12...
Editor
03 September, 2026
Puberty at Eight? What Parents Need to Know
When her eight-year-old daughter developed her first breast bud, Donna Reis wasn't quite ready for the answer. She set out to find out more about early puberty – and discovered that children don't always develop according to the timetable parents expect.
Editor
27 August, 2026
Your library card could save your family money!
Looking for free family entertainment? Your local library may offer books, audiobooks, magazines, movies, internet access, kids’ activities and more.
Editor
20 August, 2026
Endometriosis: why a new musical is getting people talking about a painful condition
Endometriosis affects one in seven Australian women. We look at current support and the musical putting this often-misunderstood condition centre stage.
Editor
13 August, 2026

Celebrating Mothers

What’s a doula? What do – and don’t – they do during childbirth?
A birth doula is a support person a woman can privately hire during pregnancy. They usually attend the birth and provide non-clinical comfort measures such as massage, assistance getting into different birth positions, and emotional reassurance.
Editor
17 September, 2026
How motherhood reshapes the brain
Becoming a mother also brings about an extraordinary shift in priorities. As the late British psychotherapist and author Naomi Stadlen wrote, “motherhood can be relentless. The dependency, the need, the constant pull of being someone’s entire world…”
Editor
17 September, 2026
What drives women to have a ‘freebirth’ without a midwife or doctor?
While the decision is often framed around autonomy, trust and control, the death of wellness influencer Stacey Warnecke after a home birth has highlighted the serious risks when complications arise and urgent medical care is delayed.
Editor
09 July, 2026
13 Pregnancy myths: what’s true, what’s not, and what parents-to-be should know
When you're expecting, everyone offers you advice, and it's hard to know what's true. We've debunked 13 of the most common pregnancy myths, from bump shapes to hair dye, so you can stop second-guessing and start enjoying the ride. The best part? Some of the things you thought were off-limits are actually perfectly fine.
Editor
08 July, 2026