Happiness Comes in Small Packages with a Lizard
Possibly the shortest blog post I have ever written. I just had to share this picture of a two dollar item that our nine year old was coveting a few weeks ago. A gecko (lizard) in a tyre, holding a flower. What more could you want? Read full article
Want Less - Freedom for Children and Parents
I went to the supermarket the other week with two kids in tow. Mostly I try to do the grocery shopping by myself. Not just because I don’t want to manage toilet breaks, hunger pangs and trolley rage – yes, that’s the kids I’m talking about, not me – but because I really quite enjoy supermarkets. I get a kick out of doing per-gram price comparisons, and speculating whether the tin with the redder tomatoes on the label is really likely to deliver the goods. Tragic, I know. Read full article
Time Affluence for Children - a Cure for Affluenza
Preparing for this segment on The Morning Show, I looked up one of my favourite researchers and writers on happiness, Tal Ben Shahar. Ben Shahar has many strings to his bow including teaching Positive Psychology at Harvard and author of best seller books "Happier" and "Being Happy"....Tal Ben Shahar and his colleagues frequently cite the single biggest predictor of happiness as 'Time Affluence' - this is really having time to do things that are important to you and meaningful for you ... Read full article
Four Spoonfuls' of Sugar for Mary Poppins Sydney
Review Mary Poppins Musical in Sydney: I remember vividly the first musical I attended as a child. It was Annie, in 1978, and I went with my grandma. What I most remember was being in awe that a little girl like me could be on stage singing in such an amazing voice and that she could remember all the lines - I so wanted to be that girl. Fast forward to 2011, and I went to see a preview performance of Disney's Mary Poppins in Sydney, this time taking our 9 year old son Read full article
Edie Amelia and the Monkey Shoe Mystery
While checking that her party outfit for her ninth birthday is in order, Edie Amelia Sparks discovers that one of her most treasured possessions - a red monkey shoe with a crimson tassel on the toe - is missing. With the help of her unusual dog Mr Pants, and her arch nemesis/best friend Cheesy Chompster, Edie Amelia sets out to solve the mystery of the missing shoe. A fantastically imaginative story from the well-known actor turned author and columnist, Sophie Lee. Read full article
Edie Amelia and the Runcible River Fever
A mysterious illness with very strange symptoms is spreading through Runcible, throwing the townsfolk into a panic. Edie Amelia Sparks, nine-year-old detective extraordinaire, sets out to investigate. Together with her new best friend Cheesy Chompster and Mr Pants, her French bulldog, Edie begins the hunt for a cure. The adventurers encounter some rather unusual things along the way, including: a flan-eating dog people in colourful jumpsuits a dastardly theft a motorised pram some very distressed alpacas and a solution that's right before their eyes Read full article
Best Laughter Ever - Baby Laughing Hysterically
One of the most smile-inducing videos I have seen. We all love the sound of our own baby laughing at our jokes. Someone mentioned this to me on Twitter tonight and it reminded me of this fabulous video of a Baby Laughing Hysterically at Ripping Paper. Honestly, you should bookmark this for when you need to be put in a good mood, it's wonderful. Read full article
Stephane Pois, a Gourmet Pied Piper Inspiring Children
Today I saw something wonderful. And unexpected. My kids know about real food. Fresh food. They don't think cakes come from packet mix because Mum says if you're going to have chocolate cake, have a real one. They know how to make dumplings. They've had chooks in their backyard (and will have them again when I build a proper pen ... long story) ... Today at the farmers' market we met Stephane Pois. Read full article
Early Wakeup Calls with Kids
I was up at 5.40 am today to wake our 13 year old - we wanted to see the planetary alignment of Mercury Venus, Jupiter and Mars. The next alignment like this will not be until 2056, and not being confident I'd be around then to see it with my future 58 year old son I thought it was worth it! Needless to say, we gazed at it for 5 minutes and then Mr 13 went back to bed, but happy. What crazy things have you got up for with your kids? Tell me here? Read full article
3 Questions Answered about Parenting with Soul
Yvette Vignando asked Sally Collings about how to get the most out of the boring parts of parenting, why children are like gurus and how to stop feeling so busy and get more connected with what we are doing. In this short video Sally shares some pearls of parenting wisdom that will refresh your day with your child. Read full article
