Parenting
Trending news and information especially for parents
-
How to praise your child: why simply saying ‘well done’ is not helpful
How do you react when you hear expressions like āwell doneā, āanother A gradeā, āarenāt you cleverā and āgreat workā?
-
Explainer: what is dyspraxia and how is it different to clumsiness?
Most of us learn to tie our shoelaces, eat with cutlery and use a pencil with relative ease. But for children with dyspraxia (also known as developmental coordination disorder or DCD), these tasks are incredibly difficult to master.
-
Let’s address the perfect storm of factors leading to obesity in disadvantaged children
Childhood obesity is increasing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. In highāincome countries, while prevalence may be plateauing, it remains high; and we are seeing an increase among children living in disadvantage.
-
Why ābaby talkā is good for your baby
People often tell new parents to avoid sing-song ābaby talkā with their new addition to the family because it will slow the childās language development.
-
Why do parents take such different approaches to their kids’ education?
While some children spend the school holidays studying in tutoring centres, enrolled in sports camps or other structured activities, others are left to do their own thing.
-
Explainer: what causes knock knees and do they have to be treated?
Knock knees, also known as genu valgum, is a type of knee alignment seen when a child (or adult) stands up straight with their knees together, but their feet and ankles stay apart.
-
What would another review of child support achieve? We know the problems, and how to fix them
The Australian National Audit Office recently listed child support program arrangements between the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and the Department of Human Services as a priority issue.
-
‘It’s all about me, me, me!’ Why children are spending less time doing household chores
In August, Treasurer Scott Morrison warned that āAustralia has a generation growing up expecting government handoutsā. Researchers have labelled this the āMe Generationā.
-
FactCheck: Is suicide one of the leading causes of maternal death in Australia?
The Committee notes that ⦠suicide has become one of the leading causes of maternal death in Australia. ā The Obstetrics Clinical Committee, report to the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review, August 2016.
-
A revolution disguised as organic gardening: in memory of Bill Mollison
It is with great sadness that I acknowledge the passing of Bill Mollison on Saturday, September 24 (1928-2016). He was one of the true pioneers of the modern environmental movement, not just in Australia but globally.
-
ErdoÄan banned caesarean sections, so why does Turkey have the highest rates in the OECD?
Turkey has the highest caesarean section rate of any OECD country ā one in every two women gives birth by caesarean. This rate has risen from 26% in 1998, far surpassing the optimal rate of 15% recommended by the World Health Organisation.
-
Suspending welfare payments unlikely to boost school attendance
The Commonwealth Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, recently floated the idea of linking welfare payments to childrenās school attendance rates.
-
Rise in ‘freebirthing’ suggests women feel midwives and doctors are ignoring their needs
Freebirthing, where women choose to give birth without medical assistance from midwives or doctors, is mired in controversy. Healthcare workers harbour deep concerns for the health of mother and baby.
-
What is infant reflux and will it get better?
Gastro-oesophageal reflux is a condition that affects up to half of all babies under three months of age. It can happen multiple times a day, particularly after feeds.
-
Gen Y carers don’t want a free ride, so welfare reform shouldn’t single them out
The federal governmentās most recent plan to overhaul Australiaās welfare system focuses on welfare dependency among younger parents, carers and students. The Minister for Social Services Christian Porter in announcing the report said:
-
Why societies must protect children if they want fewer criminals
What drives and sustains high levels of violence in a society? This question has preoccupied researchers and policymakers for decades. A common thread in a great deal of the research is that early childhood experiences play a vital role.
-
Why is trachoma blinding Aboriginal children when mainstream Australia eliminated it 100 years ago?
This article is the first in our three-part series on the blinding, deafening and sometimes deadly conditions in Indigenous Australian children that have little to no impact on their non-Indigenous counterparts.
-
Why are vaccination rates in England falling?
Millions of children in England risk contracting potentially fatal diseases as vaccination rates continue to fall for the second year running. According to Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive of the UKās National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, about 3m children and adolescents may have missed their mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
-
Boyer Lectures: Episode 2 ā Give every child the best start
The 57th Boyer Lecture Series: Over four lectures and four weeks, the World Medical Association president, professor Sir Michael Marmot, explores the challenges communities face in solving issues of health inequality.
-
Why we should aim to deliver most twins at 37 weeks
Increasing numbers of mothers are now pregnant with twins, mainly due to the use of assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF. These pregnancies can either be monochorionic, where the twins share the same placenta, or dichorionic, where each twin has its own and which is more common.