Story time – when books trump technology
We’re hearing more and more lately about the importance of reading to and with children; and its impact on language and literacy. Whilst more concrete evidence now exists of the impact on a child’s cognitive skills and the associated flow-on effects throughout their lives, it has been no secret that reading to and with children is a good idea. However, an abundance of technology, combined with the increasingly busy lives of families, mean that many simply aren’t finding the time.
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TURNING INTO MUM
I’ve never dreamed of having a baby. My husband did. I dreamed of having a career and being the CEO of a very large corporate by the time I’m 40. I liked my busy lifestyle. Flying around, meeting important people and giving advice on things that were and felt a lot bigger than me. So I agonised over, what everyone assured me, was going to be a complete change in my life and that you can “forget your career”. I was scared.
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Why Do I Feel Out of Control When I Drink Wine, Check Facebook, Eat Chocolate and Binge on Netflix?
If you don’t partake in any of these activities and sometimes feel out of control, you are a far more evolved human being than I am. I call the over usage of all these pleasurable activities - “buffering”. We do these things to avoid our negative emotions – sadness, boredom, shame, anxiety, fear and even restlessness. We use the activities as a distraction from the discomfort of these emotions.
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Is your baby still eating puree?
Something I have noticed in my every day practice, is that a lot of parents continue to feed their babies pureed food, long after they need to. It’s a tricky time, because we start our babies on solids around 6 months and progress with offering a range of vegies and fruit, and it is easy to get into the routine of making food in bulk and filling up the freezer! Also, you may not be visiting your Maternal and Child Health Nurse until baby is 8 months, so you coast along doing the same thing.
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When should my child learn to read?
Learning to read is an essential part of a child’s development, if they are to function comfortably in today’s society. Many people ask: At what age should a child learn to read? How young is too young; and what are the risks if I wait too long?
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Perfection. Is it Paralysing You?
Just notice how often you don’t start because you are scared that it won’t be perfect. How often you feel angry or frustrated because things are not going perfectly.
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10 TOP TIPS for working from home with children:
Working from home is great! BUT can be a challenge when you have children under 5 years old. Or what about when the school holidays roll around? The kids are on holidays, but you may not necessarily be!
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LET'S TALK ABOUT POST NATAL DEPRESSION
How often do we hear stories of pregnancy, birth and early parenting all going exactly to plan? More often than not, the ideas we have in our minds of how things should be, do not merge with the eventuating reality, even if it is the second, third or fourth time around. Every pregnancy, birth, and baby is different and this can have a significant influence on how we feel about ourselves, our baby and about our early parenting experiences.
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How To Survive Mother's Day With A Difficult Mother
Some adult daughters have difficult relationships with their mum, still seeking their mother’s approval for their career, for their love interests, for her acceptance and unconditional love. They revert to being a child in their mother’s presence, wanting mum to nurture and encourage them, maintaining hope that mum will hold the little girl in her lap of tenderness, stroking her fondly, speaking gently from doting mother to her adoring child. This is the fantasy that adult daughters dream about.
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Your Perception Is Your Reality!
“I’m not what I think I am, I’m not what you think I am, I’m what I think you think I am”. As confusing as this quote from Cooley is, it is the way most of us live our lives. We seem to be caught in the external trap of judgment of what we think others think which in turn sets our own limited way of thinking.
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Baby Massage - a way to get to know your baby
Over the past few years I have worked with loads of mums & dads who recognised that they struggled with getting to know their baby! There is so much emphasis placed on getting everything ready for baby; all the material things that may be needed like cot blankets, bumpers, nappies, bottles, dummies, formula, clothes, etc. Then the books and don't forget googling the different colour baby's poop could be and if it is normal, the different skin rashes, etc.
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Existing in Photographs
Existing in photographs – it’s a thing and it’s important. So many of us duck, dodge, dip and dive when a camera is pointed our way. Who wants to be immortalised when we’re not feeling our most beautiful? We’re not as young as we used to be.. We’re having a fat day, a bad hair day, I couldn’t be bothered getting out of my tracksuit pants day… We have this bizarre notion that somehow we’ll be judged for how we look in photos or that we’re not worth capturing unless we can be Vanity Fair perfect.
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Top 10 things to buy before your first baby is born
As I write this, I am almost 19 weeks pregnant with my first child. So I know how you feel. Even for someone super organised, who loves spending hours doing research, Excel tables comparing the pros and cons, it is overwhelming. And if I was given $1 for everytime someone well-meaning told me “you have to get this type of pram, you can’t call them that or you must do this”, my unborn child would have a very healthy trust fund.
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Custom Golf Club Fitting: Enhancing Your Game with Precision
While the exact number of strokes saved can vary from golfer to golfer, a well executed custom fitting has the potential to make a significant impact on your game. It can enhance accuracy, increase distance, and improve overall consistency, leading to a more enjoyable and successful golfing experience.
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Immunising Your Kids Against Cyber bullying
Our kids are living in a modern world where cyber bullies are rife. I hear mums worrying this Internet age where our children are so susceptible to other people’s opinions.
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From Kickabouts to Competitions: The Thrilling World of Kids' Soccer
Of course, there are challenges to playing soccer at any age. Injuries can occur, and competition can be intense. However, by providing a safe and supportive environment for kids to develop their skills, these challenges can be minimized. Kids who play soccer learn valuable lessons about teamwork, resilience, and sportsmanship that will serve them well both on and off the field.
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What is Canine Myofunctional Therapy by Pet Nurture
Sometimes your best efforts can't prevent an illness or injury from throwing him out of balance. Perhaps you have always relied on conventional veterinary medicine to deal with problems but lately you're drawn to the world of holistic care and hands-on therapies (Allegretti & Sommers, 2003).
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PACKING A HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCH BOX
Did you know that over a school year, parents will pack approximately 200 lunch boxes per child!! With a third of a child’s total daily food intake being consumed at school, it is important that what you include in your child’s lunch box provides all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed for energy, growth and learning. After all, packing a healthy lunchbox every day is one of the most important things you can do to help support your child’s energy levels, behaviour, focus, and ability to learn. No pressure, right?
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‘Preschool Near Me’ - The Search Battle Between Convenience and Quality
How often does the over-caring mother type in the Google search bar “child care near me” in the hopes of finding a childcare centre which is ‘just around the corner’ and also possesses all of the finest quality options a childcare can offer?
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How to Deal with Loneliness in 3 Step Process
Loneliness is a feeling that we try and avoid. The most intense feeling of loneliness I remember was as a child sitting in a classroom full of people. I vividly remember the feeling scared by its power. From that day onward I tried to avoid any negative emotions. But now I understand what created that feeling of loneliness. I know some tools to relieve some of that emotional discomfort and I have learned how to move forward when I feel lonely. I’m going to teach you these things today.
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