Kylie Ladd contemplates her son’s gentle nature and wonders how he will cope with the harshness of life. A Boyhood Shaped by Indiana Jones Yesterday I taught my nine-year-old son about the Nazis. It wasn’t planned, and it certainly wasn’t well executed, but I had no warning...
Facing The Mirror: Nicole Ryan is momentarily overwhelmed by the mediocrity of motherhood. Mirror Moments and Midlife Questions Is this what a midlife crisis feels like? At 37 years old? Is this considered midlife? If 40 is the new 30, then I’m still in my prime. But...
When Kathy Muhlhan moves her family interstate, she takes on the invisible load of helping everyone settle in—while trying to feel at home herself. Taking on More Than Just the Move I like to think of myself as the house manager. I keep everything running smoothly. The...
New research shows how domestic violence harms young people’s schooling, report Steven Roberts, Kate Fitz-Gibbon and Rebecca Stewart Every school around Australia is almost certain to have students who are victim-survivors of family and domestic violence. Taiki Ishikawa/ Unsplash, CC BY The 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study found...
In Australia, an estimated one in ten men experience mental health issues such as anxiety and depression before and after their child is born (the perinatal period). Tackling mental distress early can help, report researchers Delyse Hutchinson, Genevieve Le Bas, Jacqui Macdonald, Samantha Teague and ...
Forming a healthy emotional connection is key for a child’s development, sense of security and future wellbeing, writes Lily Trew From the earliest days, the emotional bonds or attachment that develop between a child and a parent are key. That attachment lays the foundations of how...
John Hughes’s temporary experience of being a stay-at-home dad enables him finally to understand why parents ask teachers so many questions. Juggling Roles at School and at Home I am in the unusual, but not unique, situation of having my daughter attend Kindergarten at the school where...
New pet custody rules, stronger financial protections and easier divorces – what Australia’s 2025 family law reforms mean for parents and pet lovers. A major shift in Australia’s family law could affect everything from your finances to who gets to keep the family dog. If you’re separating...
So your primary school child has a ‘boyfriend’ or ‘girlfriend’. Should you be worried? asks Cher McGillivray If you have a child in primary school, you may not be expecting to help them manage romantic relationships. Surely this is an issue for the high school years? While...
How can you help your child make friends? Gretchen Geng and Phillip Slee have some ideas that may help. One of the things children (and parents) may worry about at the start of the new school year is, will I have friends? This could be true for...
