Wednesday 16 February 2011
Did you watch the fascinating documentary Life at 5 last night on ABC1?. The third installment of the Life Series saw the eleven Aussie kids involvied in the longitudinal study now aged 5. Australia has already met these children and their families in Life at 1 and Life at 3. (If you missed these ones you can iview them over at the Life Series site.)
(Shine: at age 1, age 3 and age 5.)
Over two episodes, Life at 5 tracks our group of children against contemporary scientific discoveries and findings from two areas of child development: childhood resilience, and the factors which enhance...
Wednesday 02 February 2011 -
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As the South-East part of the state recovers and rebuilds following the floods, the North and Far-North Queensland communities are bracing for the most severe cyclone we have ever seen. Tropical Cyclone Yasi will hit tonight. Schools have been closed for the rest of the week. Hospitals have been evacuated. Airports shut. Roads closed. Thousands and thousands of residents told to flee. This is a very, very serious...
Saturday 15 January 2011 -
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The waters are already receding and the cleanup has begun, but the effects of this disaster will be felt for a long time. I hadn’t intended to post again about the 2011 Brisbane floods. However, I have had requests from readers across Australia and around the world!
My supermarket shelves!
Whether you have a four year old or a fourteen year old, they are probably asking you the same question: Why? Some...
Wednesday 12 January 2011 -
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This week hasn’t gone as I planned. It hasn’t gone as anyone in Brisbane planned. How do you plan for a once-in-a-hundred-year event?
Today, 75% of the state of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone, with flooding widespread, deaths confirmed and many people still missing. It is a grim day in this beautiful part of the world. The Brisbane River is swelling… spilling over its banks and swallowing...
Thursday 23 December 2010 -
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We are always busy, busy on Christmas Day. Two excited kids will rush to stockings at dawn, we’ll be off to church at 7am where I’ll be singing, and then we’ll be sharing with friends and family all day. Lots of presents to give, and food to eat, and love to share.
But Christmas Eve is our special time. Our time for the four of us to just be a family together.
We wrap the last of the presents.
We...
Saturday 04 December 2010 -
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This week on 96Five FM (podcast below) I talked about their current campaign to send 3500 letters to soldiers serving away from home this Christmas. Many readers will know that I grew up in an Army family myself. My Dad served in the Australian Defence Force for 20 years, and much of my childhood was spent moving where ever Dad was posted. I remember the times when Dad was away. We missed him, and I’m sure he...
Wednesday 10 November 2010 -
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We took a spontaneous long weekend away to the Sunshine Coast, which is only an hour from home for us. All four of us really needed the time away from everything, we shared some lovely moments on the beach together:
The boys learned about water and waves.
We explored the rock pools (one of our all time favourite family activities).
We discovered new and interesting creatures: hermit crabs, fish, molluscs… and...
Thursday 04 November 2010 -
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We have had a week of sickness, with both kids battling a raging fever followed by sniffles and the kind of cough that makes other mums raise their eyebrows. The thermometer is in constant use, and the infant paracetamol is getting a workout too. I think we’re through the worst of it now, with only the cough hanging on, but I’ll have to keep an eye on the little man as he is prone to ear infections.
This...
Thursday 30 September 2010 -
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Dear Sad Lady,
We saw you eating sushi at the shops today. You were sitting with two kids and you were crying on the phone. Did you hear some bad news? Or was it just a bad day? Did someone let you down? Or were the kids just being a handful?
We saw you, sad lady. We were going to stop and see if you were ok, but we decided you needed flowers. So we bought you some. Pink roses. Just a little bunch. ...
Sunday 26 September 2010 -
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Some days my children are gorgeous. They play nicely together. They make each other laugh. They share adventures. They create things. They listen and follow instructions. And I look at them and think I must be doing something right.
Some days my children are a handful. They rile each other up. They have tantrums. They are disobedient. They break things. They draw on walls. And I look at them and...
