Schools can’t tackle child literacy levels alone – it takes a village
More than half of children under two and nearly half of children aged three to five are not being read to every day at home. (Shutterstock)The recently released NAPLAN 2017 results and findings from the latest Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) have got Australia talking again about how our children are faring when it comes to literacy. Read more: NAPLAN 2017: results have largely flat-lined, and patterns...
Why children should be taught to build a positive online presence
Rather than just teaching children about internet safety and reducing their digital footprint, we should also encourage them to curate a positive digital footprint which will be an asset for them in their future. Today’s children are prolific users of the internet. Concern has been raised about the future impact of the digital footprints they are generating. While much discussion of this issue focuses on keeping children safe,...
Books – How To Get The Most Out Of Your Library These Holidays
Books, books and books – I didn’t like books, I remember my parents saying to me how important they were and that I should read, but I was never really into it. Then everything changed when my older sister started reading to me, Pollyanna (by Eleanor H. Porter) was her choice, and to be honest, I don’t recall very well what it was about. Only that the little girl invented a game where she was always glad. What I can...
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
“Mum, why is there not such a book for boys? All these women and girls are so cool!” this is what my then seven-year-old son asked me after a reading session from “Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls”. It’s a great question and I am sure the authors of this book, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo, would be more than happy about it. “I couldn’t love a man who commands me, any more than I could love one who lets...
Why Sleep Deprivation is Torture
Deprived of sleep, walking around the house, holding a 2-month-old baby, who was pretending it wasn’t time to sleep, the lights couldn’t be switched off, I couldn’t even think of crossing the dark hallway… That was me and my husband, for an entire hour, until our daughter couldn’t hold her eyes open anymore and started giving away to the tiredness and finally falling asleep. It lasted for almost 2 months, it was unbelievable how...
This is Alzheimer’s
The doctor announced nonchalantly that Dad had Alzheimer’s. And as if it wasn’t enough, it was already at an advanced stage. How could I not have known? A couple of years ago, he said he didn’t know where Malaysia was when I told him I was flying to Paris via Kuala Lumpur. I remember being surprised, considering Dad was well read and familiar with geography yet, when we don’t want to see something, we find all kinds of excuses. I sat...
Meet Gloria Hawke of Hawke Segal Mediation…and SydneyMum
Dear Sydney Mums, My name is Gloria Hawke and I am one-half of Hawke Segal Mediation, which I established and run with my partner Saranne Segal in Edgecliff. I am a mother of two young and loud young boys and live in Maroubra with my family. I am passionate about mediation and helping empower and support people resolve their differences and reach negotiated agreements through mediation. Saranne and I are both nationally accredited...
3 Time Travel Trips for the School Holidays
School holidays are the perfect time to seek out new things and explore old worlds. Here are our favourite time-traveling Sydney adventures to keep everyone engaged these school holidays. St Ives Medieval Faire This event has been on the Sydneymum calendar for many years now. We love going to the Medieval Faire. This year it is on 23rd and 24th of September (yep, that’s this weekend) and is again at the St Ives Showground. This is...
Glamping at Q Station with no Ghost in Sight
I love our city and exploring it with my family is one of my favourite things to do. I’m also big of the mini break, as in taking my team out of our usual context to calibrate and just being together. So naturally, when Sydneymum was invited to check out their new mini break package at Q Station I jumped at the chance. Before this adventure, I didn’t know anything about the former Quarantine Station in Manly, except that it had...
Meet Rossana Ruschel of Helping Mum and…SydneyMum
Parenting, can raising a child be easier? Hi, my name is Rossana, I am a mother of a 2 yr old and the founder of Helping Mum. I believe that community support is fundamental for the development of both mother and child and I would like to share my story. Our journey started six years ago, the decision was easy, even though leaving our families behind the promise of a better life was too attractive to be ignored. Why not? We were still...
