My eldest daughter, the Hippie Child worries, she's 15 and doesn't know what she wants to do for a career. The pressure starts early now. My hollow reassurances that she will figure it eventually are of little comfort. The process of discovering yourself, creating a life, establishing a career is a never-ending cycle of success, failure, regret, … [Read more...]
Letting Go
Obviously writing about being sleep deprived recently meant I had to go back - just to remind myself. Hippie Child went with a friend to a concert in Newcastle this week (that's almost a three-hour drive from home). I found myself wandering the house wondering if I should wait up, or go to bed. They weren't expected home until about 2.00am. Mr … [Read more...]
The Lost Years
Travelling in the car today a radio announcer back announced the last track with "oh yes, Robert Palmer, the great man who is no longer with us". Mr Shambles and I looked at each other "Robert Palmer is dead?" "When did that happen?" I googled him and yes indeed, Robert Palmer left us in 2003. "Oh 2003" says Mr Shambles "that's why we didn't … [Read more...]
Mother of Daughters
I am the mother of daughters. I don't know how you raise sons. I remember watching friend's sons leaping over lounges, wrestling on the floor and kamikaze body slamming each other and I would wonder "can't they just sit down and do some drawing? I have some pretty glitter pens here".Instead we have lived in the world of Bratz and Barbie.We've … [Read more...]
Life Before Children
Last week somewhere between finding lost socks and transporting children to endless activities I was struck by a thought (just one, my crowded mind can't cope with more than that at the moment). I realised I've got no memory of life before children. Is it some sort of parental dementia designed to help your fragile brain cope with the … [Read more...]
A Year of Last
Youngest children thrive in an environment of benign neglect. They have to, it's all they have available to them. Eldest children enjoy a parent's undivided attention, they are the prototype of our parenting and as such we relish every moment, recognising milestones, throwing ourselves into this brave new world. When my eldest started school, I … [Read more...]
Working Life
As usual my disorganised approach to life has come back to bite me in the bum. HUGE day yesterday with a 7.45am meeting with the Principal of the High School where Princess Child will be going next year. The child is a little anxious about the idea of going to high school so I reassure her with the usual platitudes of how great it will be to meet … [Read more...]
A Letter to My Daughters About NAPLAN
Dear Girls, The Government decided that all students would be tested in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 to monitor their levels of literacy and numeracy. In theory it seems a good idea. Parents get a sense of where their child sits in relation to other kids, schools can identify problems and so on. In practice, teachers teach to the test. Endless hours of … [Read more...]
The Mothering Years
The mothering years engulf and consume you. They reshape your heart, mind and soul. They simultaneously weaken and strengthen you. The mothering years redefine your life. Happy mothers day everyone. … [Read more...]
The Stages of Parenting
I hear young couples discussing the "best" time to have a baby and I chuckle to myself. Seriously, you are already over-thinking it. You can't plan or prepare for the caper that is parenting. You just need to dive in head first and brave your way through each new crisis as it erupts. Look, I know you've seen those cute babies in the tv commercials … [Read more...]
