Show and Tell

I remember Show and Tell from primary school days. It was one morning a week, or maybe a fortnight. Big worry each time – what would I take to school? One kid totally pwnd us by bringing her cat in a cat cage (her mum collected the cat at lunchtime so the poor critter didn’t [...]

Gifted child

It used to be that every mother thought her baby was beautiful and that was it. Now, (nearly) every mother seems to think her preschooler is gifted. I’m not kidding. Have a look at this BabyCenter poll on gifted children. A grand total of 74% of respondents believe their child is gifted.
As a former [...]

Mind your own business

Well, that’s what I feel like saying to people when they decide to “help” me by criticising my choices that I make for my daughter regarding food, entertainment, activities, bedtimes, sleeping patterns, clothing, and more. Sometimes it’s so-called experts (all that OMG your television will ROT your child’s BRAIN), sometimes it’s pretend-friendly acquaintances who [...]

Caring for Kids

Who gets to look after the baby? It’s not always the mum, though I have to say I am still to see any couples in my neighbourhood doing the “Dad stay home and Mum go out to work” thing.
BBC program on women’s issues in the workplace sounds interesting. Hope it is shown on Australian TV.
While [...]

More blog love

Although I have had to cut down on knitting and crocheting because of RSI (dratted darn thing that cuts into good hobbies), I have to satisfy my yarn itch. I love Yarn Harlot, the excitement of seeing her creations come to life, reading how she works out patterns, the thrill of the chase [...]

Suck it up, princess!

Rotten thing to say to a kid? You bet. But apparently one bloke thinks it’s fine to say that to his young son if he looks like he’s going to start blubbering.
I was fascinated by Kylie Orr’s blog entry Pressure to raise a ‘tough boy’. She’s the mother of three boys and a good [...]

Birth order

OK, I don’t believe in everything in your life being determined by your birth order, whether you’re first, last, middle, or only. But I know that I am also coloured by my notion that I was hard done by as the eldest (by seven years!) and had a huuuuuge amount of extra work to do [...]

Punish parents for smacking children

Article here.
Smacking of children by parents is currently legal under the common law, as long as reasonable force is used and the sole intention is to correct behaviour.
But Sydney University Associate Professor Judy Cashmore wants the defence struck out.
As of this moment, there are 312 comments made at the article’s page. Wow! Talk about [...]

What do little girls like?

I have to say that this opinion piece from The Sydney Morning Herald today disturbs me. It’s meant to disturb me, and it taps into several of my fears as a mother to a little daughter.
Shona Snowden asks What do we teach our little girls?
Their cheeks glow with all the health of peach blusher [...]

How to tire a mother

A Guide for Toddlers
1. Ensure you wake 30 minutes after your mother has fallen asleep. Make sure you use the tone of whimper that is never noticed by fathers, or cough, or call out for a missing toy.
2. Keep on the act even after your mother has looked after you, thus making her so thoroughly [...]