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“I’ve got nothing to do, Mum,” my youngest said, approximately 57 seconds after arriving home from a two-night school excursion. “Why don’t you just sit on the front verandah and watch the evening fall?” I suggested gently, fighting the urge to launch into a “kids today can’t amuse themselves for one second” lecture. Her face …

Read More about Being more by doing less

The teenage years can be among the trickiest times for a parent. You have been used to being your child’s voice of reason. Then, all of a sudden, your authority is challenged by their peers, social media and huge developmental changes. But the good news is children aged ten to 12 are still more influenced …

Read More about Why the tween years are a golden opportunity to get set for the teen years

It can be hard to accept as an adult parenting teens that perhaps you are part of the problem. The ‘problem’ being the repetitive arguments that start with a niggle (bedroom a bombsite, clean laundry chucked into the bottom of the wardrobe), and escalate to a full-blown blue. The kind that leaves you reeling, feeling …

Read More about Parenting teens: “I was part of the problem”

A parenting switch might be just the thing you need in your life right now. Every parent knows the sinking feeling of defeat when you suddenly realise that whatever it is you’re doing to try to guide your child just isn’t working. Just. not. working. It’s that feeling of beating your head against a brick …

Read More about The parenting switch: If what you’re doing isn’t working, try a different parenting style

Sometime around the age of 11 – or possibly younger, if you are particularly unlucky – the back talk begins. Suddenly, your kid morphs from a reasonably compliant child into a sassy, sighing, why-me teen back talk machine. As much as we adore our kids, there are moments when we can’t help but feel frustrated. …

Read More about How to put a stop to the endless $%#*@ teen back talk

Gosh, here we are again. I’ve completely lost track of what year it is, but I believe it’s sometime in the 21st century… or so. I think one of my top new year’s resolutions for parents (well, me) is to keep better track of time. You see, my kids were 7, 9 and 10 years …

Read More about New year’s resolutions for parents that will really make a difference