THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Do you carve out one-on-one time for each of your kids?
One of the things I get asked the most in relation to having a big family is whether I'm able to spend enough quality time with each of my kids. And my response to this question usually surprises people... The thing is that no, I don't really spend quality one-on-one time with each of my ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
At what age do you leave your kids home alone at night?
I had a revelation the other day when my youngest daughter told me that she had spent the evening entertaining the guest. The guest in this case was the 19-year-old babysitter whom I was paying good money to! This is when I realized that my kids were probably fine at staying home alone and very ...
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PARENTING
When teens get upset -- how best to respond
My mom sent this New York Times article to me last week, and I found it both comforting and incredibly helpful. Reading it, I had one of these 'aha!' moments of parenting clarity. I realised that whenever Easton has come to me upset lately, I have this urge to immediately try to say something or get ...
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PARENTING
Maintaining your friendships -- how do you prioritise your friends?
A longtime reader (seven years she said!) recently sent an email asking for advice on maintaining friendships and making new ones. She shared that she already feels pulled in so many directions (kids, husband, work, life in general!) and that she admittedly hasn't been able to focus on her own friendships. She wondered if we ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Thursday Thoughts: The benefits of boredom
I know we've touched on the topic of boredom in the past (in this post about after-school activities), but this new opinion piece on boredom in the New York Times really resonated with me and I thought it makes for an interesting discussion. The article touches on the fact that boredom spawns creativity and self-sufficiency, and ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
How many Christmas gifts do you give your kids?
Having recently moved house and packed all our belongings up into boxes, I have come to the realisation (once again!) that our kids really don't need anything for Christmas. As I packed up the children's bedrooms a few months ago, I found lots of broken knick-knacks and toys that I had stuck in their Christmas ...
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FOR MUMS
The Sock Solution
So I have given up! With the pairing of matching socks that is. The lost sock is a problem that I am sure has existed since the beginning of time and no one has ever found a satisfactory solution. No matter how much we catch up with our washing, at any given time there is ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Making your marriage a priority
I was asked to sit on a panel at the recent Business Chicks event in Brisbane last weekend along with four other inspiring business women and mothers. We chatted and shared tips about the juggle -- juggling motherhood and careers, taking time for yourself, carving out time for your husband, learning to say 'no', learning ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Do you argue in front of your children?
Yesterday afternoon Michael and I got in a heated argument whilst the kids were nearby in the adjacent room. As much as I tried to control my temper and stay calm, I ended up shouting and storming out of the room. Within minutes, Quin was in tears, followed by Ivy, and they both walked into ...
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GOOD READS
The Montessori Toddler, by Amsterdam Montessori teacher Simone Davies
Toddlers can be a handful. The expression 'the terrible twos' says enough: toddlers are known to be difficult and obstinate. They won't eat, won't sleep, won't listen, and in general go left when you want them to go right! Simone Davies, Montessori teacher and writer of the new publication 'The Montessori Toddler', sees things in ...
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PARENTING TIPS
Teenagers -- let them vent!
When my girls were small, their problems seemed smaller. A cuddle and a kiss solved most problems. But as they grow bigger, so does the complexity of their problems. I cannot just rush in like Batman anymore and make everything okay. One new development I have noticed as my kids getting older is the need ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Teens - Navigating the rocky waters of social media
Teens and social media is a 'hot potato' topic (as we say in French). The fact is: as much as I love the idea of a totally unplugged childhood, we will not be able to avoid social media forever. We ourselves use social media, and for good reason -- it is a simple way to ...
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TUESDAY TIPS
Dealing with teenage negativity. Tips please!
Easton will turn 13 next month, and in perfect timing, he is beginning to act like a teenager. Suddenly, it seems that I can't do anything right, and he feels compelled to complain about everything: The specific t-shirt he wants to wear isn't clean. We're not leaving on time; we'll definitely be late. The music in ...
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PARENTING
Weaning your baby -- tips for the end of your breastfeeding journey
I've received a few messages lately asking for my advice on how to wean your baby from breastfeeding. Mothers have written asking for me to share how I weaned Wilkie, how I knew it was the right time, how long I think they should breastfeed their own baby, and some even asking me why, at ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
What are your house rules?
I was comparing house rules with a friend the other day and I found it interesting how different our rules are, and how we prioritise different rules over others. Sometimes, as I discovered while chatting about it, we might even have rules that we enforce without really thinking about why -- perhaps they are rules we ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
After school activities: when is it too much?
After school activities can be great for keeping your kids active and entertained beyond the school day. They can encourage your children to hone skills they might not necessarily have the chance to practice in school, and it can be a wonderful opportunity for kids to make new friends outside of their classroom. However, having ...
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TUESDAY TIPS
When teenagers challenge -- a tip for how to respond
I have a dear friend who is a mentor and life coach in all senses of the word, offering advice to everyone at all stages of life -- from how to develop healthy sleep habits with your baby to dealing with the death of a loved one. She's also a mother of four, including two ...
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INTERVIEWS
Life as a deaf mother, an interview with Uzma from Mabel Child
Parenting can be a challenge for us all, there is no doubt. Being able to hear and communicate with our children is something we take for granted. We rely on our hearing to keep our children safe and to meet their practical needs, not to mention communicating with them! First words, learning to read, conversations ...
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PARENTING
What chores do you give your kids?
Growing up, my siblings and I had loads of chores. Beyond the usual daily chores, my dad even assigned bigger project-based chores for us to do, especially in the summer time when we were home from school. He believed we should be kept busy working and helping around the house. We were given chores like ...
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FOOD
Lactation Biscuits -- for increasing your milk supply
Wilkie weighed 3.8 kilos at birth (a big, tall baby!), and after the initial weight loss that most newborns experience, it took him nearly three weeks to put back on his birth weight. The midwives weren't overly concerned, especially knowing I had successfully breastfed four other babies, but they did start suggesting natural ways to ...
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PARENTING
Two weeks with Wilkie
Hello from baby love bubble land!! Oooh my goodness, you guys! The past two weeks have been the most wonderful, magical, sleepy, messy, happy, dreamy....! These really are the best moments of life, aren't they? I haven't opened up my computer for the past couple weeks, but I just wanted to quickly check in and say ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
Would you let your children watch your birth?
I have always loved the idea of a homebirth -- the thought of staying in the comfort and cosiness of my own space, of lighting candles and playing music, of never having to leave my family, of snacking on food from my cupboards, and of crawling back into my own bed once the baby has ...
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THURSDAY THOUGHTS
What to name our 5th baby?!?
I have four weeks until our baby is due… and we still haven’t made any firm decisions on names. I am sure we are overcomplicating things and being far too picky, however this being our fifth baby, it feels extra difficult to come up with names we love. Also, when you don’t know the gender, it ...
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