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;...
Elizabeth Bate is surprised when an unconventional entertainer becomes the hit of the party. My daughter, Rosie, was desperate to have a fairy party for her fourth birthday. She’s always loved frills, glitter and ribbons; new skirts are assessed on their ability to twirl and everything...
Claire Yezbak Fadden outlines her plan for the perfect party. One month before Set a budget. Determine the number of guests you plan to invite. Choose a location for the event. Decide on a theme. Three weeks before Send out your invitations, be certain to include: – the...
Schools are no different from any other part of society, writes Jane Wilkinson. They have their issues, challenges and a wide variety of human nature. In late October 2019, Victorians were shocked to hear of sustained anti-Semitic bullying occurring in two public schools. The Victorian Education...
Yang Yang shares how encouraging her daughter to ‘live bilingual’ carries on her culture. Communication has become difficult since my daughter Yolanda turned four last year. She switches to English when she feels she isn’t understood or can’t find the right Chinese word to convey her...
The family that eats and plays together, stays together. What are your family traditions?...
’Tis the season to be jolly, but the spirit of giving at Christmas can get lost in the spirit of ‘expanding our wish list’, writes Kater Symons. This festive season, we celebrate the kids whose number one wish is to spread joy through the gift...
It’s just over a week until Christmas, which means in about seven-and-a-half days, not long after Christmas lunch, there’ll be a good number of people slumping into chairs and loosening their waistbands before falling into a festive food coma. The condition’s less common, scientific name is...
Politics and religion at the dinner table, over a Christmas meal with all the relatives – what could possibly go wrong? Writes Peter Ellerton. If the thought doesn’t appeal to you, it’s worth considering how this potentially fraught situation could be understood with a view to...
The holiday season doesn’t always have to be stressful. Freya Higgins-Desbiolles suggests ways you can enjoy it a bit more. Holidays are a time of high stress. Despite the delight of not having to work for several days or even weeks, holidays come with pressures. These can...
