When it comes to stepping out, Alex A. G. Taub’s son refuses to toe the line. Last year, my son gave me my first Father’s Day gift – some insight into his future sense of humour. As a ‘professional’ father, I found the lesson that accompanied...

From Donna Hay's Easy Weeknight Dinners, a very healthy, simple and tasty meal for the whole family: Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Fritters Ingredients 500g chicken mince 2 cups (320g) cooked quinoa, cooled 2 cups (100g) trimmed and finely shredded kale leaves 200g firm feta, crumbled 2 eggs 2 teaspoons finely...

Lisa Johnson comes to the realisation that she is reliving her own past disappointments through her son. The Dance, the Awards, and the Quiet Fury Every second year at my son’s school, there is a dance. Each child attends a series of lessons to learn dances such...

Jennifer Dudding reflects on the competitive undercurrent of modern-day children's parties. The Cake That Broke Me My legs were aching, pins and needles creeping through the soles of my feet, and my upper arms were starting to seize up. I felt elation and exhaustion in equal measure,...

John Hughes’s temporary experience of being a stay-at-home dad enables him finally to understand why parents ask teachers so many questions. Juggling Roles at School and at Home I am in the unusual, but not unique, situation of having my daughter attend Kindergarten at the school where...

 Creative, Budget-Friendly Party Ideas Kids (and parents) Will Love When the party's over and the cake crumbs have settled, there's still one final surprise that keeps the fun going—party bags! But forget the same old sugar-filled goodie bags. With a little creativity (and a modest budget),...

Sonja Walker’s minute-by-minute planning means that her parties pass muster with all the troops. Navigating the Birthday Party Minefield Birthday parties can be a minefield for unsuspecting parents. Who should be invited and who shouldn’t be invited? How many kids is too many? How long should it last?...

It was a close-run thing, but his son’s fifth-birthday party ended up being a treasured event, writes Daniel Prokop. The Pressure of the First Real Party When my wife, Beth, and I celebrated five years of being parents, we received the official thumbs up from our son,...