In the past month, both my husband and I turned forty. This milestone triggered a lot of navel-gazing on my part as I’ve tried to figure out what forty years on this planet means to me. Forty isn’t shiny and pretty. It’s not naive and perfectly laid out. It’s the beginning of wrinkles, the slowing… Read More
This is what depression looks like.
You may be wondering where I’ve been since my last post. The honest answer is that I have spent the best part of the year wondering the same thing. I was lost. Every time I sat down to write, I simply froze. I had nothing. I felt nothing. It scared me. I’m writing today because… Read More
Dr Drew Agrees, Fifty Shades Of Grey is Abuse
What's your opinion?
Last week, I posted a Letter to My Children About Fifty Shades of Grey. Within hours it went viral – I’m talking millions of views and comments and shares – and BOY did people have strong views. Yesterday, I was contacted by a CNN Headline News producer and asked to appear, via Skype call, on… Read More
A Letter to my Children About Fifty Shades of Grey
My precious children, Tonight, I succumbed to peer pressure (exactly what I caution you NEVER to do) and went with a bunch of girlfriends to see Fifty Shades of Grey. I ignored the little voice in my head that implored me to just say “no!” because, after all, it’s just a silly movie, right? Well,… Read More
The Little Swimmer Who Could
A story about a little hero
This year, Miss M left her small community-based Primary School and began her High School career at a school four times the size. As she disappeared into an intimidating sea of girls on the first day, I marvelled at how very small she still is and how confidently she joined the student body. Today, just… Read More
Raising a Mighty Girl
My little girl wrote a story that blew me away.
A few weeks ago, Baby G came to me with a proud grin on her face and presented me with a piece of paper. She informed me that she was writing a chapter book and that this was her first chapter. Relishing this stage in her life, where the joy of reading and writing is… Read More
Trials and tribulations of Adult ADHD
(Or How I Am Learning to Tame Stoned Ducks)
As an adult ADHD sufferer with severe organizational and time management issues (and by severe, I mean crippling, suffocating, chaos-causing issues), I have found myself becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the volume of housework, kids’ school organizing and personal to-dos in the past few months. In true ADHD style, I find myself dealing with a zillion… Read More
10 Ways to Empower Our Kids Against Predators
The past week, for us Australians, has been traumatic. We’ve been glued to our TVs as we’ve watched the final days of the Brett Peter Cowan trial. We’ve cried for the Morcombe family as they’ve had to face the monster who murdered their young son, Daniel, in court day after day. This monster, Brett Cowan,… Read More
The “Perfect” Spray Tan
(An unexpected Life Lesson)
“Here ya go, just undress and put this on”, she nonchalantly said as she handed me a minuscule ziploc bag which contained what looked suspiciously like a tissue. “Um, by undress, do you mean all my clothes?”, I stammered, nervously and naively hoping I was misunderstanding her words. “Of course! But don’t worry, you will… Read More
37 Lessons From the Internet
The internet is an incredible resource for learning. Also for watching wedding flash mobs and cats falling over. These 37 lessons are what I learned from the internet this week. If you liked this post, please share it with your friends using the icons below, and I’ll love you intensely if you comment, so please don’t be shy… Read More
Insensitive Things That People Say When You Have an Invisible Condition
Yesterday, I saw a woman at the grocery store. She was in a wheelchair and was struggling to manoeuvre around and between other shoppers but, with a smile on her face, she got on with her shopping. Every now and then, she would ask for assistance from a fellow shopper when something was out of… Read More
The Masturbation Conversation
Masturbation. This word strikes fear in the heart of most parents. It’s the kryptonite of the parenting fraternity. When most parents look at their children, the last thing they want to think about is that they – gulp – masturbate. Because there seem to be such taboos connected with this topic, many parents are unaware… Read More
Exciting News: Mama’s Getting Published.
What I’ve Learned… (A Roundup)
Today I want to share with you my last two weeks’ weekly columns at BonBon Break Magazine. In a series called, “What I’ve Learned…”, I explore the little lessons motherhood throws at me each week. I hope you’ll enjoy them! Two weeks ago, I wrote about how we speak to our kids using accidental… Read More