Health

For health's sake, ditch your doona

Caroline Marcus It's the eve of winter: time to lose the doona. An Australian doctor with almost 50 years' medical experience says doonas were invented for the northern hemisphere and warns that overheating at...

Mental health linked to dietary habits

Natalie Puchalski Children who have a poor diet are more likely to have a mental health problem as an adolescent, research has found.

Computer test catches children with ADHD

Nicky Phillips Researchers have developed a computer test that can diagnose children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with 96 per cent accuracy.

Teaching kids to get organised

Sonja Walker Parents and teachers commonly complain about kids’ inability to plan and execute even the simplest of tasks.

Support groups for parents of babies with disabilities or special needs

Should you have a baby who has a disability or special need, you're certainly not alone. Essential Baby has a range of support groups where you can meet parents in a similar situation, ask advice,...

Planning for the first six weeks of a baby's life

The first six weeks of a baby's life are a hugely unsettling time, so a little planning will go a long way towards keeping the rest of the household running.

International Childhood Cancer Day: Ring a bell for Ben

In December 2006, Melissa and Stephen Clarke were told their six year old son, Ben had cancer. He occasionally complained of sore legs and Melissa and Stephen did their best to relieve the pain.

Try walking and talking

Ben Rossiter As another school year begins, the roads will become a lot busier. Not because the streets will be full of children walking to school, but because the roads around schools will be packed with cars...

School lunches - finding the right balance

Paula Goodyer As domestic items go, a school lunch box seems simple - until you try filling it up, says Kate Di Prima of the Dietitians Association of Australia.

Dining out - is it possible with kids?

Hey Bambini Most parents dread taking their young children out for a meal. Images of food flying every which way, dummy spits over mum’s choice from the menu, drinks spilt all over the nice white table cloth,...

It's goodbye Mia and Jack, hello Isabella and William

After a five-year reign, Jack has lost its stranglehold on the title of NSW's top name for newborn boys, replaced by William. And the top girl's name - Isabella.

What do children want? Time, not toys

Julia Medew A word of advice for their parents: forget about showering them with gifts, do not over-schedule their time and get down on their level to engage with them as much as you can.

How to beat the first-day blues

Ann-Maree Moodie It's your little one's first day of school. She's standing beside you at the school gate wearing a uniform that makes her look so grown up. Her backpack is almost as big as she is.

Kids in hot cars

Kidsafe With summer well and truly on its way, so are the safety risks when combining kids, cars and hot weather. The heat of an Australian summer can be extreme and it can be dangerous for kids.

Finding the right babysitter or nanny

Gill South The first time we leave our babies with someone other than close family, is always a big step. So how do you go about finding the right babysitter?

Beat the school holiday blues (NSW)

Keeli Cambourne Historic ghost tours or prehistoric dinosaurs, breadmaking or flying foxes - here are some activities across Sydney and beyond for these summer holidays.