Compassion is an important quality, not just because it involves showing kindness and consideration to others, but also because it helps us see another perspective beyond our own needs and wants. Your child can learn to exercise compassion from a very young age, and the best way to teach this is by demonstrating compassion in…
Yes, birthday parties are becoming more and more outrageously spectacular, setting some pretty unrealistic standards for parents without solid experience in event planning. Yet you can throw a memorable and fun birthday party for your child without redecorating your house or recruiting theatrical and culinary experts from around the world. I have attended more than…
Empathy is a parenting cornerstone and provides the foundation for emotional development in children. Empathy is when a person accurately communicates that they see another’s intentions and emotional state. It means watching our child’s frustration and focusing on how life feels in that little child’s body, while putting our own anger and agenda into the…
“Mu-um! He took my bucket!” “Da-ad! Tell her to stop looking out my window!” “How come he got a bigger piece of cake than me? If you have more than one child, you know something about sibling rivalry. It’s baffling and frustrating because you know that the children are loved equally, that they have roughly…
We all know the African proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.” In a village, there is always somebody else watching over your family, ready to offer support or guidance. However, in today’s fast paced, results driven society, it is difficult to build the strong complex social connections essential to receive – and…
Sleep deprivation is totally sh*t. I’m calling it. This part of motherhood sux. People will tell you that “it doesn’t last forever”, “all mothers go through it” or my personal favourite “just wait until they are teenagers, you won’t get them out of bed”! Whilst all true, none of those statements are particularly validating and…
By Dr Nicola Farr of Heart Parenting A doctorate in child development and years of working with children and families did not prepare me for the sheer frustration and stress of feeding my own family. Three different children with three different preferences and three different eating patterns and bodily rhythms = headache on a grand…
Easter is a special time of year for many of us, an opportunity to spend quality time with those we love. Unfortunately, those who love us the most often come baring gifts of eggs and chickens the size of my son’s head. Then there’s the egg hunt and the gifts from his kindy friends and…
Looking for a yummy treat to put in a school lunchbox or take in a snack bag to the park? This is a great alternative to the childhood favourite, Rice Crispy Treats that traditionally contain A LOT of sugar. Main reasons why I love this recipe: Prep time is 5 mins or less Only…