Children’s songs are meant to be comforting, imaginative and timeless. But during one ordinary bedtime singalong, John Hershey realises that some of our most beloved classics might be quietly preparing kids for a world of sealing wax, string… and very low expectations from dragons. A Bedtime...
When the school gate finally closes behind your youngest child, the emotions can be surprisingly complicated. Chaley Scott reflects on the quiet ache, shifting identity and unexpected question many parents face: what happens now? Everyone said it. “You’ll be fine.” “You won’t have enough hours in...
Coffee first entered human lives and veins over 600 years ago, writes Clare Collins. Here’s how much it’s OK to drink. Now we consume an average of almost two kilos per person each year – sometimes with very specific preferences about blends and preparation methods. How...
According to new research in the modern workplace, by Melissa A. Wheeler, Anne Bardoel, Asanka Gunasekara and Lindsie Arthur, flexible arrangements can be as important as salary for some. For many employees, flexibility is no longer a nice-to-have luxury. It has become a fundamental requirement for...
School is back and, with it, the daily task of packing a lunchbox, writes Margaret Murray. If your child is coming home with uneaten sandwiches, you’re not alone. They’re easy to make and transport, but sometimes the last thing kids (or adults) want to eat. The food...
Financial abuse is one of the most common — and least recognised — forms of domestic and family violence. It often hides in everyday money decisions, quietly stripping women of independence, safety and choice. Experts from UNSW Sydney say financial abuse is frequently invisible — even to the...
Nicholas Wood and Debra Kennedy look at what the science says about the link with autism United States President Donald Trump urged pregnant women to avoid paracetamol except in cases of extremely high fever, because of a possible link to autism. Paracetamol – known as acetaminophen or...
‘I had a recurring dream I was shot in the head’ said one male principle. Lucas Walsh, Christine Grice, Jane Wilkinson and Tim Delany report on the current position in Australian schools. Principals’ jobs have always been stressful, involving a constant juggle to meet the needs...
With the wealthiest kids most likely to be medicated, report Brenton Prosser and Yogi Vidyattama The number of young people in Australia prescribed medication for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increased more that tenfold in 20 years, our new research shows, while it is no longer most...
Chelsea Mobbs reports that physio at 3 months old – or even earlier – can really help babies with cerebral palsy Physiotherapy isn’t just for adults recovering from injuries. Physiotherapists can help babies and children, too – including babies with, or at high risk of, cerebral...
