Blog

Gillian was furious. She had just discovered her nine-year-old daughter had been throwing her banana in the bin at school every day. She was a fussy eater and had been reluctant to eat any fruit but she had believed her child was getting some good nutrition, in the...

Parenting should be a joyful experience for both parent and child, yet it can often feel like a battle. Sometimes they misbehave and so you try to talk to them about it. They then argue back and the next thing you know, you’re in the midst of an argument they caused....

I was born into a family comprising of a father, mother and younger brother. My father was a reserved, analytical man and my mother was very driven, with a classic rescuer personality. My brother was the easy going, blonde-haired boy with a big smile on his face....

Yesterday morning, my middle daughter and I were listening to the radio while I was driving her to school. The radio hosts were talking about how they get their kids to behave in the lead up to Christmas. One caller said she had told her children Santa was watching...

I know many people whose children have been bullied at school. It’s always saddening to hear their stories of hurt and friendship betrayal. Bullying is damaging both for the child at the receiving end, and for the child who has been labelled the bully. When bullying...

An Australian TV personality had a daughter. Being successful herself, she had high expectations of her daughter and had pushed her hard to succeed. Her daughter had excelled at school, winning numerous awards and becoming an accomplished violinist. Upon completion of...

Let’s face it. You are an emotional manipulator. You use anger to get what you want. You use disappointment and guilt too.  You cry, you shake your head, point your finger and you use the silent treatment. You are not alone though, because we all do it. Trying to...

I’ve met many people who feel lost and empty.  Sometimes their despair is triggered by a change in circumstances; women who identified themselves as 'mum' suddenly discover their children have become more independent; employees who find themselves redundant;...

Relationships are tough. Even the best relationships have their hurdles and sometimes your partner has done or said something so hurtful, you can’t see a way to forgive. Yet you know for your own health and wellbeing, you must. In my darkest days, I would sit on my...

We all hit rough patches at times: it’s life. Some people manage to pick themselves up and get back on track fast, while others just can't seem to get through it, and so suffer for a long time. When you’re down and struggling to get back up, you need your team around...

My orchid flowered the other day. It was a miracle and I'll tell you why.   I’d received it as a gift many months ago when it was in full bloom and I cared for it until the flowers faded and fell to the ground. In the past I would have thrown the plant out believing...

I admit it, I’m a die-hard of The Bachelor show. If you’ve been watching The Bachelor this season, you’ll be aware it has already been full of cringe-worthy moments, more than I can stomach. I feel so sorry for these beautiful women who are falling over one another in...