When COVID-19 hit, some commentators hailed it as an opportunity to revolutionise gender roles in heterosexual couples. But as public life froze overnight and homes became schools, daycare centres and offices, mothers have been placed under more pressure, not less. Our new study on workers in the United States…
Nooooo! 13 random thoughts all working mums have when the alarm goes off
No matter whether we were night owls or up with the birds in our pre-baby lives, odds are that if we’ve got small people in the household right now, we’ll be struggling to get out of bed most mornings. This is never truer than when…
Why Aussie families need changes to ‘dad leave’ to give greater gender equality
Grattan Institute research published today shows the average 25-year-old woman who goes on to have a child can expect to earn A$2 million less by the time she is 70 than the average 25-year-old man who becomes a father. For childless women and men, the lifetime gap…
I discovered the true cost of trying to balance it all and it wasn’t working
In 2017 I was privileged to be appointed as Executive Director of Communications at the Peter Mac Cancer Centre, an internationally recognised brand doing amazing things for the community. As one of eight women out of 10 on the leadership team, the organisation had an…
Welcome to the new parenting reality in lockdown: ‘zigzag working’
All parents work. The difference lies in the breakdown between their paid and unpaid workloads. But during COVID-19 lockdowns, many working parents have had to conduct their paid work – usually done in the workplace – at home. Personally, professionally and geographically, this is new territory —…
Childhood illnesses that make you glad to be an adult
One of the truly testing parts of parenthood is having to deal with the kinds of illnesses and health complications which adults don’t normally fall prey to. Kids seem to be magnets for the kind of bugs and viruses that most of us fortunately haven’t…
Achoo! How to prevent the dreaded snotty cold in your home this winter
Winter is coming … and so are the colds! Snotty noses, fevers and coughs can be really hard for babies and young kids (and their parents). So how do you avoid them? Here are our top tips for managing colds in your family this flu…
Brace yourself! 9 common preschool illnesses to prepare for now
If your little one is heading off to daycare or preschool, then get ready for the onslaught of illnesses that inevitably come with those first few months of childcare life. Here are nine of the most common ones to look out for and what you…
A family guide to hand, foot and mouth disease
The recent outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease in Sydney have parents on tenterhooks as they attempt to keep their kids away from this often painful virus. Note that hand, foot and mouth disease has nothing to do with the type of foot and mouth disease…