The Weakest Link

My sister just completed a half marathon. Ever since she was a little girl it has been obvious to all that she is the runner of our family. Dad often tells the story of how seven-year-old Jacqui would run along beside him chatting away happily for kilometre after kilometre as he struggled to complete his … Continue reading The Weakest Link

A Woeful Wednesday

I was running before I ended the phone call. For the last half an hour I had been occupied with a group of ten excited and eager Year Seven boys who were trying their handing at ‘pulling’ an Ultimate Disc (think throwing an old school Frisbee). We had just finished a warm up activity and they … Continue reading A Woeful Wednesday

Getting It Right

Many times in both educational and parenting circles, we hear talk of how important it is to develop resilience in our youth to see them through the challenging times. It is an essential ingredient in the fight to combat the epidemic of anxiety and depression that seems to plague our teens. Yet from both a … Continue reading Getting It Right

Big Kid Time

Last weekend I had a rare treat – the chance to share two nights with just my eldest three kids. Before you jump on me, yes OF COURSE I missed my littlest two darlings. Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt – YES. But I also loved the chance to immerse myself in rare older child company … Continue reading Big Kid Time

Word of Mouth

Sixteen years ago, there were no Facebook groups or Fertility Clinics offering information sessions, so word of mouth was all that was available for prospective same sex parents. We became ‘those friends’ who had been through the process, and so would often be contacted by ‘friends of friends’ to field questions about all issues related … Continue reading Word of Mouth

DNA Testing: We Found Him

The advent of DNA testing raises so many issues for families like mine. On the one hand, it provides opportunities for discovering biological origins and providing invaluable links that may otherwise never be known. On the other hand, it can uncover donors and connections that may or may not be welcome, and in some cases, … Continue reading DNA Testing: We Found Him

A New Development In Our House

There is a new development in our house…Master Z has a girlfriend. And not just a ‘Will you go out with me?’, then five seconds later ‘You are dropped’ type of girlfriend. This one seems genuine. They chat all the time on the phone and via social media, and have spent quite a few occasions … Continue reading A New Development In Our House

Why Single Motherhood Wasn’t For Me

I met Lisa when I was three months pregnant with Master C. He was to be my final child: the one I intended on raising completely on my own. Years of co-parenting my older three kids had worn me down emotionally, and I was determined not to have to share this little one with anyone. … Continue reading Why Single Motherhood Wasn’t For Me

One Hit Wonder

There are those who go about life with care and caution: considering all the options, weighing up the pros and cons, and making careful, rational decisions. So organised, considered and correct. Like the main character, Macon, from Anne Tyler’s An Accidental Tourist, these folk plan out every inch of their existence, and usually even possess … Continue reading One Hit Wonder

It’s Not All Bad

Our youth tend to get a bad rap at times. I read recently about how the dreaded ‘Helicopter Parents’ - who swoop in at the first sign of trouble - have been usurped by new variety of overbearing Parentals known as the ‘Lawn Mower Parents’. These ‘Lawn Mower Parents’ are the parents who actually go … Continue reading It’s Not All Bad