Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Families.
The Last Month
Being pregnant is a bit of a roller coaster for most women. You have morning sickness and hormone changes and body changes. You have new homicidal tendencies towards anyone who irritates you. You aren't sleeping. You aren't eating and then you're eating too much. You're out of breath, you're tired, and you're uncomfortable.
By Samantha Reid8 years ago in Families
Bad Parenting 101
So…I locked my child in the car on Monday. Picture this: a stressful morning, running late, a screaming toddler who doesn’t want to leave his daddy. I fight, like all good mothers do, to get my toddler into his car seat whilst he alternates between lightning rod straight and wobbly toddler jelly and, at this point, I throw my handbag onto the driver's seat. Toddler safely stowed in car, daddy bid farewell, I close the door, and then the sound that shall haunt me for at least the foreseeable future—"LOCK."
By Philippa Robinson8 years ago in Families
Best Valentine's Day Gifts for Pregnant Women
What do pregnant women want for Valentine's Day? Sentimental, helpful, and realistic gifts are always the safe way to go. There is an option for every pregnant woman, and depending on your relationship with her, as well as her needs, you might want to go the classic route, or the more realistic route. Some of those options include a pregnancy pillow, home cleaning service, and a spa treatment.
By Kelsey Lange8 years ago in Families
Why Kids Need to Play Dirty
Can you remember the magic of picking up wet, cold mud and letting it ooze through your fingers? Mud play was a magic part of childhood. Did you ever used to grab handfuls of dry soil and scoop water to mix with the mud? Next the stones, flowers, and grass would be thrown into the pot and you'd mix the entire concoction with a stick until it looked just right. Mud pies were my speciality. Painting with mud was always fun too, especially on a hot day. I’d use my hands to rub wet mud onto the walls in the garden, making patterns and pictures. In time, it would start to dry, crack, and change colour. There was a great sense of satisfaction I would get from peeling the mud off the walls as it dried. Once I even ate a handful of soil, just to see how it tasted. Earthy.
By Daisy Willand8 years ago in Families
The Blackout and the Baby Centaur
I used to live in a village that, though lovely, liked to remind me that it wasn't perfect. It did this through the aggressive old ladies who ruled it, through the pub I didn’t enter because I was from "the other end of the village," and from the occasional flickering light.
By Philippa Robinson8 years ago in Families
The Voice of a Child. Top Story - January 2018.
I am a firm believer in not bubble wrapping my future children. This includes teaching them how to deal with a scraped knee following a natural consequence, to dealing with rude kids at the park, and even the concept of losing at a family or school activity. Now, notice as I said the word “future” children, making it pretty clear that I am not a parent yet. I am six weeks away from being one, and parenting is all I think about. Though no one has yet to call me “mum,” I have worked with children for close to a decade. Yes, I am aware that working with children is not the same as having my own, a fact that many parents have informed me of. However, I do believe that, through the school system, or child minding, or educational therapy, I have picked up a thing or two. I will never compare myself to a seasoned parent, one who juggles one, two, three, four or more children all the while running a house, working, being self-employed, starting up a business, going back to school, renovating a house, being a single parent, having a child with special needs, or any of the other countless things those superhero parents manage to do.
By Adrienne Amy8 years ago in Families
The Outings
Everyone remembers leaving the hospital with their sweet new baby and getting in the car and starting to drive away and then thinking, “OH CRAP I have to protect this little baby. All of these cars are driving SO fast. Why does my husband think it’s okay to drive like he’s a race car driver?! Why is that car so close to us?! Why am I so sweaty?” Or was that just me? I’m already a handful in the car, yelling “Be careful!”because the car three lanes over and six cars ahead of us was breaking because of some trash in the road. Now imagine throwing a baby into the mix. A tiny, sweet, innocent baby who is too small to defend herself against the world. I freaked out on our first drive with our girl. Once we got home, I decided I was never leaving bed again. No exceptions. Well, two days later, we went to dinner with some family and there I was again, freaking out and holding on to Ashtyn as if that would do anything, while she just snored the whole car ride, and my poor husband was getting honked at because I was making him go 25mph on the freeway and still felt like we were going 100mph.
By Jess Davis8 years ago in Families
