Mum’s Stuff...

I’m not precious about stuff.  Stuff gets old, stuff gets broken, stuff gets lost.  It’s all just stuff.  I’m usually quick to say, “Never mind.  No big deal…” to the kids when accidents happen.  Usually.  Not this time.  I could have cried. There are very few things in our home which are solely mine, and my laptop is one of them.  It got a special mention in my 100th post,...

Raising Readers with Literacy Lava...

If you’re a parent with young kids, and you’re interested in raising readers – you’ll definitely want to check this out.  Literacy Lava is a FREE publication put together by Susan Stephensen (aka The Book Chook) and a bunch of teachers, writers, bloggers and literacy advocates.  I have contributed an article on Book Loving Boys to this issue, full of practical suggestions for reading aloud with...

Side by Side...

Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend. (Albert Camus)

Hi-Tech Play School...

If you visit my blog regularly, follow my tweets or read my facebook updates you’ll know I’m a Play School fan.  A big one.  Partly because after more than 40 years on Australian television screens it remains the #1 program in the hearts of Aussie mum and kids – and partly because I secretly wonder if I’ve missed my calling in life by not being a presenter. Yesterday the show opened with regular...

My Little Postman...

There once was a boy who loved to post. He could post anything, anywhere. He posted things in the bin and the toilet and the dishwasher and the laundry basket and the sink. He posted through the verandah slats and out of windows. The boy’s mother made him a postbox so that he could post sensibly, but the boy was not interested in sensible. He was interested in interesting. It’s interesting to post necklaces...

Teeny-Agers (Parenting Aus)...

I’m having a bit of a rant over at Parenting Australia this week regarding fashion for young girls.  I didn’t mean to get up on my soap box, but I feel so strongly about some of the clothes that we are “supposed” to be dressing our kids in and the messages we are giving them. When did we decide to skip childhood and fast track our babes from tots to teens? This week’s junk mail catalogues are...

Handbag Of Tricks...

If you have to take your children out to a place where they need to sit still and be quiet, a bag of tricks is a prerequisite!  I’ve often been amazed at the small items mums have tucked into the pockets of their handbags and nappy bags to entertain their littlies.  I have seen some mums with mini crayon packets and notebooks, and others with a stash of small cars.  One creative mum I know has a transparent scarf...

The Perfect First Cut...

1.  Invite the hairdresser to your house 2.  Let big sis go first so you can see it’s totally safe 3.  Pick the coolest cape 4.  Have your best buddy on hand for moral support 5.  Soak up the attention when Mummy says you’re handsome!

The Rainbow Skirt...

I’ve had so many comments or emails asking about the skirt my daughter was wearing in the Mooo Giveaway photos that I thought I should just dedicate a post to the story of the rainbow skirt. It was her first fashion lust.  We were looking for a skirt to wear with tights and boots, and I found a nice corduroy layered skirt at a good price in Myer that did the job nicely.  Of course as it was mid-winter, the new...

Painted Love...

My daughter seems to have had another spurt in her drawing and painting ability lately.  Little drawings of people with round tummies, funny shaped heads, stick arms and legs, and happy faces keep popping up all over the place!  The other day she asked to do some painting while her brother was asleep, so I set her up with paints and brushes and let her go for it (while I, ahem, caught up on emails). When she called...