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
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 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
Myth of the perfect mother.
This morning, the most beautiful picture found its way on to my Facebook newsfeed. It made me smile. It grounded me. It made me proud to be privileged enough to be called “Mum”. Here it is: I was all loved up and happy until I read the horrific caption that went with it: “This picture… Read More
Enough Mylie!
If you were an alien visiting the Earth and found yourself in a Western country this past week, you’d have learnt the following things about the People Of Earth: ONE: Miley Cyrus is Very Important and has magic powers. With a few shakes of her rear (accompanied by an unnaturally long extension of her tongue), this… Read More
Oh, my nuts!
Rude words and why Baby G thinks we can’t say them at school. Last week, my big kids each had a friend over to play. Baby G was feeling left out because the big girls wanted alone time sans little sister, so I suggested she go play with the boys, who are good-natured and would… Read More
Kid-versations
Living with my kids is like house-sharing with a comedy trio. The conversations in my house make me routinely shoot coffee out of my nose. I’m pretty sure their comic dialogue is some kind of evolutionary survival instinct thing…it certainly saves our sanity on those “Mama is losing her mind” days. (Let’s be honest –… Read More
Where did I come from?
(How not to answer the question.)
Little Man: Where did I come from, Mummy? Gulp. This conversation had been threatening to ambush me for weeks. I could feel it. This was my moment and I had only one chance not to stuff it up. I remembered the advice I’d been given by a much wiser mum-friend to give just… Read More