Category Archives: Thoughtful

Things that make you go, mmmmmm

January 3, 2013 · 4:08 pm

New Years Resolutions with Kids

kid to do list, list, Be happy and go home

You can make news years resolutions for yourself (I resolve to take fewer bites of the kids meals and stop pretending those calories don’t count) and you can make some for your children (I resolve to take my kids to park every week), but don’t forget you can make new years resolutions with your children.

Set aside time to work out some resolutions together

Sit down with your kids and have a chat about what it means to make a New Year’s resolution and share some of your own from this year or the past. Encourage children to begin thinking about the general things they and others might set as resolution. Continue reading →

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December 26, 2012 · 10:18 am

Wake up! It’s Christmas Day!

Photo by Oleg Zaicev on Pexels.com

Merry Christmas everyone!

Are there young children sharing your Christmas day?

The children in my family were always very spread out, both geographically and in age. When I was a little girl my younger brother and I were the only children at every Christmas. My nearest cousins were 12+ years older, and in a different state, and we had no other children in our near family. Later more cousins arrived into our family, this time 18+ years younger.

We didn’t mind being the only children, I’m pretty sure it only meant there was more focus on us! But now that the younger cousins are growing up into teenagers, the stark lack of children at Christmas looms. It’s probably meant to be my job to make some more at some point, but for now there’s a noticeable lack of little kid Christmas merriment.

The boyfriend has a niece who has just turned one, and in another year she’ll be a joy at Christmas. This year she’s still too young to know what’s going on and so as far as kids at Christmas goes, she barely counts (sorry bub!) – though that hasn’t stopped us fussing over her presents and predicting how cute she’ll look in a mini Santa hat.

Continue reading →

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December 11, 2012 · 1:04 pm

Santa Baby

Santa and crying baby

Glad you went to see Santa?

Some years I take the babies and children I work with to see Santa.

I love it. They look so cute, the older ones get so excited and nervous; they infect me with Xmassy good feelings.

I’m a sucker for Christmas anyway, so it’s not hard to get my good-cheer-meter rising and since I love being with the babies and kids, putting the two together makes my day. If I got to also eat a too-big bowl of pasta while watching TV in my pyjamas at the end that day, I’d pretty much be in heaven.

I don’t have children (yet, I hope!) but I just assume I’ll love taking them to see Santa. I assume that I would jealously preside over such events, fighting off those who’d take on the task as though I were protecting my magical goose that lays golden eggs while writing pithy articles, curing cancer and inventing perpetual motion machines. Continue reading →

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November 13, 2012 · 10:22 am

What’s Wrong With Pink?

Baby PJ

Is this a girl or a boy?

Most little girl things in stores are pink. Boy things are usually blue. These days, most families I know say  they don’t want to force their children into gender roles. When you’re shopping for your baby it can be hard to avoid gender stereotyping, though. Stores overflow with pink gingham dresses and blue shirts, blue trains and pink baby dolls.

So what are your options?

Many people dress babies in the stereotypical colours so others know what gender they are. Until you’ve been out with a baby girl dressed in blue and told a dozen times your little boy is cute you probably underestimate how much you’d like people to know that your girl is a girl. I think it’s something to do with wanting your baby to be more than just another blob. Instead of having just one more squawking bundle of indeterminate gender and debatable merits, you want this baby to be a Person. When someone peeks into the pram and says your girl is a cute girl, she seems to be asserting her Self just a little bit more than if she’s only identifiable as a human, and no more. Continue reading →

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November 6, 2012 · 2:35 pm

Breastfeeding: All too important or all too hard?

A recent report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that by the time a child is 6 months old in this country, only 15% are still being breastfed. Both the World Health Organisation

Breastfeeding symbol

Is breast best for you?

and the Australian Breastfeeding Association recommend breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months, and continuing for up to and beyond 2 years when combined with meals of solid food. Clearly, the reality of breastfeeding for most Australian mothers is not in line with the guidelines being presented.

I’m a nanny – not a doctor, nurse, or lactation specialist. My advice on breastfeeding has always come from a mixture of personal research and observation. Any serious concerns or questions, I’ll tell parents, should be directed at the appropriate health professionals. But I am often involved in changes in breastfeeding and can give basic advice and share my opinions and experiences. Continue reading →

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