Kate Gorringe-Smith considers the qualities of the mental images we hold of our own families, and how others remember our children. Parents see daily change, but it’s relatives who hold vivid snapshots. Why memory works this way—and how to treasure your child’s fleeting stages. The Familiar Family...
Carmel Hobbs reports that Australian teens need adults to help them recognise red flags for potentially abusive relationships. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates 2.2 million adults have been victims of physical and/or sexual violence from a partner since the age of 15. Almost one in three...
Emphasising function over form will help to encourage a positive body image in children, writes clinical psychologist Renee Mill. Why Body Image Matters At a mums’ group late last year, Grace shared she had read the government was planning to monitor magazines for their depiction of skinny...
‘Thriving Kids’ could help secure the future of the NDIS, report Helen Dickinson, Anne Kavanagh and Catherine Smith Mark Butler, the minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), announced a new plan to “secure the future” of the NDIS. Central to this plan is...
Australian children are being robbed of their childhood, according to Barnardos Australia, as new research reveals that more than one in three children in single-parent families are living in poverty. The latest Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey shows that 36.2% of children...
Parents don’t need to try harder to ease parenting stress, writes Elizabeth Sharda. Forget self-reliance and look for ways to share the care. I wrap up my workday and head for home, making a quick stop to grab the supplies my sixth grader needs for a...
Coercive control: the silent abuse harming children nationwide Barnardos Australia is warning that children across rural and regional Australia are becoming the hidden victims of coercive control — a form of domestic violence that uses intimidation, surveillance and financial restriction rather than physical assault. Although often invisible...
Lisa Burling looks at outdated myths and the new awareness of advanced wound dressings. Every parent knows the routine: a tumble in the playground, a grazed knee, and a dash to the bathroom cabinet. For generations, we’ve reached for a plaster, dabbed on some antiseptic cream,...
Martha Wegner is often a reluctant audience to her family of extroverts. A Constant Stream of Stories “Mum, are you listening to me?” I turn around once again to face my youngest child. “Of course I’m listening to you. Aren’t I always listening to you?” Undaunted by...
Dr YooMi Byun reports on her study of the association between 8 years of fathers’ psychological problems and children’s social and emotional wellbeing. The Changing Role of Fathers in Children’s Lives The role of fathers has changed significantly in most developed societies over time. As mothers have...
