Natalie Ritchie asks, “Would you leave your 10 year old home alone?” When Petra Chapman’s* two sons, aged nine and 11, spent three nights a week at their father’s place, she assumed he was hiring a babysitter for them after school. That was until her sons...
It’s not just the obvious, writes Nathan Kilah When shopping for a laundry detergent, the array of choices is baffling. All of the products will likely get your laundry somewhat cleaner. But what gets the best outcome for your clothes and your budget? Do you want whiter...
Andrew Woods and Willa Maguire prepare 10 essentials for your first aid kit≥ Summer is here and for many that means going to the beach. You grab your swimmers, beach towel and sunscreen then maybe check the weather forecast. Did you think to grab a first aid...
The legacy of Kate King’s grandmother looms large over her family. My grandma died this year. I always considered myself very lucky to have my maternal grandmother in my life for so long, and now she isn’t. I was there when she suffered heart failure, and...
A festive favourite enjoyed by all ages, write Paul Allam & David McGuinness An old school friend of Paul’s, Daniel Zanello, of Italian heritage, told him his nonna swore that you could judge good nougat by its chewiness. It should be soft and chewy in just...
Seventy per cent of us experience a spike in stress over the festive season, but some understanding of why we get anxious and the effect on our bodies can help us relax this Christmas Dr Jared Cooney Horvath Here we go again. It’s that time of...
We need to move beyond consumerism primarily because of its effects on the environment, on families and on our happiness, argues Emma Rush What does your child want for Christmas: Video games, a mobile phone, or the latest fad in toys or fashion? Consumerism as a...
Amid the Christmas crazy, how can parents teach kids what really matters this festive season? writes Catriona May As a mum of a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old, positive psychology expert Professor Lea Waters knows all about the challenges of staying focused on what’s important at Christmas. “Whenever...
Elizabeth Westrupp and Christiane Kehoe, have 5 tips to help them cope. For many children, Christmas and other festivities are a time of excitement and joy. But for those dealing with separation – whether their parents have split up or a loved one has died –...
Around this time of year, reports Melissa Starling, pet owners across the country are scrambling to finalise holiday care arrangements. Some lucky animals go to the home of a familiar family member, pet-sitter or friend. Others may have a pet sitter mind them in their own...
