Kylie Ladd reflects on the relief, guilt and quiet joy that can come with reclaiming working time after the intense early years of parenting. When my youngest child started school, for the first time in almost nine years, large chunks of each weekday belonged solely to...
When Australia banned under 16-year-olds from using social media in December 2025, it became a test case for a policy now being pursued by governments around the world...
During Men’s Health Week (15-21 June), parenting experts were encouraging dads, granddads and father figures to talk more openly about stress and family life — for their own wellbeing and their children’s too. A simple way dads can support their wellbeing Many parents and carers are feeling...
Bruce M Smyth looks at what’s changing – and what’s been missed Many parts of the federal government’s budget have been hotly debated in recent weeks. But budgets are dense documents. There are always important measures that receive very little attention. One of these is planned changes...
Your toddler demands a Bluey-themed yoghurt and has a tantrum when offered something else. If it’s not a Nutella sandwich, your child’s lunchbox comes home uneaten. Researchers Juliet Bennett, Alex Broomand David Raubenheimer look at fussy eating and the food industry. And the dinner table can become...
On International Day of Play (June 11), early childhood experts say it may be time to rethink how families talk about technology, learning and screen time. For many parents, screens and play can feel like opposites. One is often seen as active, imaginative and social; the...
Teeth brushing can feel like one more daily battle for tired parents, especially when children wriggle, stall or clamp their mouths shut. But with the right approach, brushing can become calmer, quicker and more consistent — and help protect children’s teeth from early decay. Why kids...
Paediatrician Dr Scott Dunlop believes parents thinking of taking their baby or child to a chiropractor should ask two important questions first: is it safe, and is it effective? As a general paediatrician, I see children of all ages, including many newborns. It is not unusual...
Here’s what you need to know, report Amit Arora, Hannah Dahlen, Jessica Appleton and Lynn Kemp If you’ve ever taken your child to a maternal, child and family health nurse for a growth check, you might have felt a mix of curiosity and anxiety. As health professionals,...
From childcare and paid parental leave to child support, health costs and tax relief, the 2026–27 Federal Budget includes several measures that may affect parents, carers and children. Here’s what families need to know. The 2026–27 Federal Budget has put family cost-of-living pressure firmly in the...
