There is one part of her stepdaughter’s life about which Anne Walker knows very little. I have a stepdaughter who lives two lives. One life I know all about – I like to think so, anyway. Her second life, I know nothing about. My stepdaughter goes...
A chance encounter leads Steve Biddulph to reflect on the nature of families and the challenges we all face. It’s morning in Dorrigo, northern NSW, a town of such loveliness that I can never quite believe it. A dramatic backdrop of rainforest ranges sets off old-style...
It's a mix of emotions – like excitement, nervousness, or uncertainty - in the lead-up to big changes, writes Shelley Lipshut The leap from primary to secondary school marks a profound milestone in a child's educational journey. It is a juncture teaming with anticipation and trepidation....
Mother of two, Louisa Gibson, discovers how grounded she can be as she copes with the impact of her husband’s fly-in, fly-out employment. I live in the twilight zone between wife and single mother. Like many others, my husband is a fly-in fly-out (FIFO) worker, and...
Clare Wishart experiences a sea change in her attitude to holidays. Before I had kids, I belonged to that rare breed of adults who didn’t like holidays. Don’t get me wrong; I liked the idea of going away, I really did. It’s just that once I...
It’s beginning to look a lot like burnout, write Sophie Scott and Gordon Parker It’s getting towards the time of the year when you might feel more overwhelmed than usual. There are work projects to finish and perhaps exams in the family. Not to mention the...
With so much data released about family, domestic and sexual violence, it can be difficult to see how it all fits together, writes researcher Daryl Higgins The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has attempted to do this with a new website that tells the...
While the 'Elf on the Shelf' has been criticised, it's meant to be light-hearted and to encourage kids to be kind at a time of the year when anxiety is high. The Elf on the Shelf is a new Christmas tradition that originated from a children's...
This year, many of us have come to appreciate, perhaps more than before, the incredible work teachers do, writes Daniella J. Forster You may wish to show our appreciation with a gift. But what kind of gift will show our gratitude while ensuring we’re being ethical...
There are going to be many times in your child's life when you won't have control of stopping bad influences. But there are a few solutions that may help some of today's modern-day problems....
