Jane Elder no longer wonders whether her son is ‘gifted’ – she is just relieved that he has found his own niche. For two years, I stood by helplessly watching a vital and clever little boy transform into a bored and lonely, apathetic child who was...
It’s still unclear whether a shorter or longer gap between pregnancies increases the risk of complications. Amanda Henry reports Women often wonder what the “right” length of time is after giving birth before getting pregnant again. A recent Canadian study suggests 12-18 months between pregnancies is...
When her daughter was eventually diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, Sue McLachlan finally understood the reason for her daughter’s many rituals. When my daughter was about four years old, I was impressed that she had a genuine concern for hygiene. She loved to have her bath each...
Tara Lister is determined to enjoy every second of every first before they become lasts. The day my baby came home was a rude awakening. Until then I had been surrounded by midwives, advice and meals on demand, and I felt invincible. Cool, calm and collected;...
Adolescent years can be a turbulent time for children and parents, as teenagers lack the skills and maturity to handle emotional stressors....
An attentive canine can boost a shy reader’s confidence reports Helen Lewis Since COVID-19 hit British shores, 3.2 million pets have reportedly been purchased. Animals provide a valuable sense of companionship and a wide variety of species, including dogs, cats, fish, birds and horses have helped...
The arrival of two guinea pigs marks the end of Jodie McEwen’s pet procrastination. I’m just not an animal person; love of creatures is not in my nature. My dad tried to pass on his love of animals, so we had rabbits, guinea pigs, fish, birds,...
When a beloved family pet disappears, the hardest thing to cope with is not knowing what happened, explains Gill Canning. It was the first day of the school holidays. “Has anyone seen Ziggy?” I asked my three boys at lunchtime. They shook their heads. No one had...
Not every student needs senior maths, but we can make maths more engaging in the earlier school years, writes John Fischetti. In late 2019, New South Wales announced it would make maths compulsory all through school. Victoria will have an additional, easier, year 12 maths subject...
Australians like their pets, and for most of us by far, the dog remains our best friend, write Associate Professor Luke Smillie and Dr Ferdi Botha For the first time, the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey that covers 17,000 Australians annually, has...
