Music surrounds us—in shops, at work, on television, and at the movies. We program our own personal soundtracks effortlessly via iPods and similar devices. With new technologies, listening to music has moved from being an active activity to a passive one in a generation. We all ‘do music’ — but to really reap the benefits we need to engage with music. Going through life with a passive backing track is not enough. Read full post

The Education Minister has asked us all to contribute to a public consultation on how to get quality teachers in front of our children. But what does ‘quality teacher’ mean? Can we quantify ‘quality’? Every year I ask my graduating preservice teachers why they came into teaching. It inevitably comes down to a teacher they remember – sometimes it’s a bad memory of a teacher who was cruel or thoughtless, and a determination to be the antidote to such teachers, but mostly it’s due to an inspirational teacher. Read full post

This week is the 2nd annual Meat Free Week and my lovely husband – a staunch carnivore – has volunteered to take the challenge and forgo flesh for a full seven days. While I’m doubtful that he’ll decide to become a full-time vegetarian after a week without meat, I do hope he will come to realize that you can eat well and still enjoy delicious, satisfying food when consuming a plant-based diet. Read full post

Screen time is all about balance. It’s more about what is being done on the screen than the amount of time spent. Too much screen time can mean that family members aren’t really talking to each other or spending time in a productive way. If you’re not sure if your family has got the right balance, consider these questions: Read full post

The adorable first-day-at-school montages crowd my newsfeed on Facebook – little legs swimming in kaftan-sized uniforms, half a face emerging from under a too-big hat, tiny shoulders swallowed by cavernous backpacks. I love the end-of-day pictures the most – pigtails askew, shoe laces lying like puddles around bitumen-scuffed shoes, tired but happy smiles that say “I did it!” Read full post

Gifts, Santa, and family time. While most children are thrilled by the approach of Christmas, some parents have mixed feelings. Dr Marc de Rosnay*, from the University of Sydney’s School of Psychology, talks you through some possible concerns you might have about your children: Read full post

"I was shocked when the local preschool teacher asked me when my son was coming to preschool… I had no idea he was even permitted to attend the local preschool." Those are not the words of a mother during Apartheid in South Africa or someone labelled ‘untouchable’ living under a caste system. They are the words of an Australian mother whose son has been labelled ‘disabled’. This mother is participating in some of my current research. Read full post

Here is this week’s best-of-the-best child and parenting articles found on the internet, selected by happychild contributor, Michelle Higgins. This week, topics include motherhood, education, literacy, and talking to children about sex education. Read full post