There are a few practically universal ‘aha‘ moments in the realm of parenting. The first is perhaps the most shocking and often happens around the time you leave hospital and take full del…
The pressure around ‘starting school’ is another stress parents don’t need
At the risk of sounding callous and cold-hearted I have to make a confession. I find the notion of kids starting school as an overly emotional experience for parents confounding. When our eldest daugh…
The value of mothers in politics can’t be underestimated
I loved seeing motherhood celebrated in the campaigns of women running for office during the 2018 US midterm elections. Some candidates shared footage of themselves breastfeeding in their launch video…
Why I’m ditching the super parent fantasy in 2019
January brings relaxing times and quieter days for some but not all. For parents of young kids and babies, the family tempo may have reduced marginally from manic sprint to marathon jog. But it’s unli…
The problem with Kelly O’Dwyer leaving Canberra
Even before I read the reasons that Liberal minister Kelly O’Dwyer was exiting politics I understood. Of course I did. Who wouldn’t? When I heard her explain how the trauma of suffering a miscarriage …
Why my goal for 2019 is to have no goals
It’s a cliché but probably like many other working parents I arrived at the weekend before Christmas last year absolutely and utterly spent. The already robust act of working and keeping children fed,…
I’m married to a ‘unicorn husband’ and some people can’t cope
Dr Neela Janakiramanan is a reconstructive plastic surgeon, refugee advocate and a regular Women’s Agenda contributor. This year Neela is running an #InspiringDoctors series on social media pro…
Having a second child worsens parents’ mental health: new research
Leah Ruppanner, University of Melbourne; Francisco Perales, The University of Queensland, and Janeen Baxter, The University of Queensland Children are a wonderful gift, bringing joy, laughter, and lov…
Finally! A chart confirms why mums should never work outside the home
Consider this chart an early Christmas gift. Something to put a little fizz in your bubbles, some tinsel to your tree, a ribbon around your gift. In response to the question of whether women should wo…
Why it’s time to stop using ‘mum’ as shorthand for ‘parent’
Earlier this year over coffee a friend, Lisa Lintern, confessed her angst at a war she is waging at her children’s school. It’s a war she wants to win but it’s not one she wants to f…
