Reduce your costs
Keeping back-to-school costs down: Our top five tips
ANALAURA & WILSON LUNA Getting the kids ready to head back to the classroom can be a very expensive process and when you're inundated with 'back to school' ads and kids who want one of everything, it can be hard to know where to begin! Here are our five top tips to help parents as the countdown to the new school year starts.
Parent power wins top spot on My School
PHILLIP COOREY AND BRIAN ROBINS The federal government has confronted concerns that information on its My School website is too limited by promising to expand the site's content to include details such as the level of bullying and parents' satisfaction with teachers.
International Childhood Cancer Day: Ring a bell for Ben
School lunches - finding the right balance
Try walking and talking
How to beat the first-day blues
babysitters
Preparing for a babysitter
When you hire a new babysitter, you'll want to make sure you give them all the information they need to care for your children. The more prepared you are, the more at ease you'll feel about going out.
school readiness
Off to school we go
CAROL FALLOWS Starting school can be a rather emotional time for everyone - some of those mums at the school gate even have a tear trickling down their cheeks. EB has some advice to help all first timers - from kids to mums and dads.
Healthy eating
Kids' food for busy grown-ups
PAULA GOODYER With childhood health and obesity featuring heavily in the news of late here is a simple three day food plan to help you get through the week!
Choosing a car that will suit your family
Essential Baby talks to Drive.com.au Editor Toby Hagon about safe cars and what to consider when purchasing a family vehicle.
Choosing a school
CAROL FALLOWS You may think you have plenty of time to decide what you are going to do about schooling, your little one may only be six months/one year/ a toddler. Think again. If you don’t already have your child’s name down at the school of your choice you may miss out. Carol Fallows has put together a checklist of things to consider when choosing a school for your child.
Choosing a holiday
Getting away on a family holiday is as easy as picking a destination and packing, right?
School homework: Tips to avoid tears and tantrums
SONJA WALKER Hated by children of all ages, nightly homework causes stress for parents all over and yet it is an inevitable part of school life for children from Kindergarten through to Year 12.
Healthy children actively involved
To make a change for the better, parents and children have to become actively involved in changing their lifestyles. They need to support and encourage each other.
Teaching kids about good money management
ANALAURA LUNA Although the piggy bank is the first thing that springs to mind when we think about teaching kids money management skills, the reality is that these days, the money box should just be the first step in the process.
Preparing a sibiling for the new arrival
GILL SOUTH When my mother was seven, her baby sister was born, to her absolute shock and horror. She had been having a perfectly nice time getting full attention from both her parents and this new arrival was there to spoil the party as far as she was concerned.
Raising an only child
GILL SOUTH The good news is, numerous studies prove only children are no more spoiled, lonely or maladjusted than children with siblings. But parents of only children do agonise over how best to raise them.
Tips for step families
ALISON CAMERON Stepfamilies Australia has the following tips for step parents.
Teaching kids to get organised
SONJA WALKER Parents and teachers commonly complain about kids’ inability to plan and execute even the simplest of tasks. But how often do you find yourself doing things for your child because it’s quicker, easier and more efficient?
Party games for toddlers and children
Increasingly, we’re spending more time planning our children’s parties. Something often agonised over is the type of games to provide. Here are some suggestions to keep your little party animals happy!
Nagging and Shouting
CAROLE DISSELDORP You realise that your 4 year old is capable of tidying her room and you don’t want to do it yourself as you have a lot of cleaning of your own to do.
Entertaining kids on a rainy day
ELISSA BAXTER It's raising, the kids are stir-crazy and you're all out of ideas to keep them amused. If you have an internet connection and a printer, there are stacks of resources on the web that can help you keep the kids amused. Read our rainy day rescue!
Support for Mum when Dad works away
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITIES (WA) Does your partner spend time away for work? More and more families are developing their own strategies to deal with the challenges of the home and away lifestyle and are making it work for them.
Obesity and your children
SUE CUTBILL On a daily basis, as parents, we are bombarded by facts and figures concerning the child obesity epidemic. Find out how to build healthy habits so you don't have to change unhealthy ones!
