To raise an Amish child
I’m a walking contradiction when it comes to technology. I spend far too much time on the internet—some productive, such as paying bills, researching for my work and reading the news, but mostly wasted time on one-too-many funny cat videos—but I’m still using a Nokia E71 mobile phone bought in 2009. (Don’t laugh! It did win Mobile Choice’s phone of the year in...
Preconceptions that cause unnecessary anxiety for parents
Today's mothers are faced with difficult decisions: breastfeeding or formula feeding, having a career or being a stay-at-home parent, modern or traditional education—and silent pressure from the fear that any choice they make is a mistake. This constant doubt weighs more heavily on them than the choices themselves.
What we can learn from our children
The relationship between a parent and their child is one of the most significant in their lives, with its primary role being education.
Seven principles for raising boys
These are seven important gifts to give our sons, to build a strong foundation so they’re able to withstand the challenges life will inevitably bring.
Lessons from a mum’s group
FTM here. My LO has been EBF since birth. Now she’s eight months. My MIL thinks she should be on purees, but I want to try BLW.”
Regaining lost free time | A parent’s route to leisure time
Sometimes, parents end up not having any free time during the day. Why is relaxation not easy for parents?
A short guide to the socialisation of children
Even after the World Health Organization replaced the term social distancing with physical distancing, people are still feeling the effects of social distancing.
Why we should say sorry to our kids
There are two main reasons why we find it difficult to apologise, particularly to our kids.
What kind of children do our words shape?
"The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice" (Peggy O'Mara).
Raising contented children
Kayley lies on the floor, throwing a tantrum because she only has pink flashing-heel shoes and she wants a blue pair to match her new jeans. John sits on the floor, happily playing with a few blocks of wood. His dad found them lying in the street, brought them home and sanded them smooth. Yesterday he stacked them up to build a castle....
An audit of a mother who no longer feels like playing
"But do you actually enjoy playing with the children like that?" a dear friend and experienced mother once asked me. Her question implied that there was a parallel universe in which a good mother might not enjoy playing with her children. It didn't take long before I became familiar with that universe myself.
Parenting school
If, biologically, a person becomes a parent when their child is born—or, civilly, when they adopt a child—from a practical and even moral point of view, a person only becomes a parent when they master a series of crucial skills.
Single parents and children’s religious education
Is it possible, as single parents, to instil in our children a love for God and for the church?
Teenage depression and rebellion: a parent’s worst nightmare
Both specialist research and common experience tell us how complicated it is when children reach adolescence. Dr Bryan Craig helps us to understand the reasons for this and how to turn the crisis into an opportunity for growth.
Make sure your kid knows these code words
It’s important to grant our kids their independence, but would they know what to do in an uncomfortable, tricky or dangerous situation?