I wake up on a Sunday morning. It's a nice summers day and some gardening is in order. I make breakfast for the kids and my wife and proceed with the usual morning routine. Out I go to the shed, get the lawn mower and off I go. I wave to a car coming down the street. It is a guy I know lives a few doors down but I don't know his name or anything about him but we wave. (I know that is a funny image. Summers day, mowing the lawn and waving to each other, it's the ultimate =suburban picture

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It isn't often I would recommend a book to every parent but this one is just the inspirational story we all need to hear. It started in 2006 when Kristen Morrison gave birth to a beautiful baby boy Gryffin, who was later diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Instead of accepting that her son would have difficulties throughout his life, Kristen decided that he would lead a normal life. She takes you on her journey to ensure her son has a normal, happy life and does not accept the opinions of

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This is a guest post written by Elle Hilyard for BubbleBubs (Australian Cloth Nappies) Battling a health issue with my 9 month old son, Ethan, resulted in more nappy changes each day than I ever thought possible. I started to think about the effects all the disposable nappies we were using were having. Not only were they not helping with the health problems they also weren’t doing any good for the environment and more immediately they were really hurting my hip pocket. I realised I may as w

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I'm an old hat at nursing now, having been doing it for nearly 3 years non-stop. But those earlier days could have been a lot easier with hindsight. 1. Breastfeeding is natural, but a learned skill. If someone had told me, before I started nursing that while breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world, it's something that mommies and babies need to practise at together, I would have spent so many less hours sat in a rocking chair crying because I thought I was doing it wrong.

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As a child, my school report card was either something I triumphantly took home to my parents, or stashed in my school bag, hoping it might disintegrate unnoticed with the rotting banana and soggy sandwich. If I had performed well, and my card reflected this, I was so proud to show it to my parents.  If I had anything less than B's I knew I was in for a bit of questioning, and perhaps the suggestion that my favourite after school activities be revoked. Now, attachment parenting tells us th

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