Money
Welfare changes cost single parents up to $6000
Pension changes by successive governments have hit some of the poorest Australians the hardest, with single-parent families who rely on welfare up to $6000 worse off over the past decade.
11 ways to save on the Sydney Royal Easter Show
It's almost Sydney Royal Easter Show time again. The show, which runs from Thursday, April 6 to Wednesday April 19, is fun for the whole family, but the costs can burn a hole in the pocket.
How the Girl Guides are tackling financial inequality
The Girl Guides are launching a new set of financial literacy programs for girls and young women.
Fathers battle to save flexible work hours
For eight years, the Zammit twins arrived at work an hour early so they could be home in time to pick their children up from school – freeing their working wives to get them off to school.
Why a four day working week is a great idea for parents
How would a four-day working week, or other flexible work offerings, benefit your family?
How butchers and greengrocers are short-changing shoppers
A new report reveals that many businesses are inaccurately measuring and labelling their products, such as meat, precious stones and bread.
Work
Determined mum proves you should never give up on a dream
If there is one thing Melissa Gillespie wanted to teach her children it is that they should never give up on their dreams.
Kids and their fathers agree: Dad's working too much
A new study from the Australian National University has found a third of Australian children believe their dads work too much.
Travel
Is travel good or bad for children's mental health?
A child psychologist has made headlines in the UK after suggesting that taking children outside their comfort zone on holiday may be harmful to their mental health.
Girl battling 'serious infection' after being grabbed by sea lion
A young girl who was dragged into the water by a sea lion has a serious infection called "seal finger" as a result of the ordeal.
The island where the smiles don't stop
Whatever your kids are into, Fraser might even have too much of it.
Road Trips
Australia's 'big things'
You've heard of The Big Banana, and the Big Pineapple? Here are a few more of the famous and not so famous big things around Australia.
Three kids, a cool car and a blue tree: our staycation to western Sydney
When you're in the thick of the weekly routine, a weekend away with the family can abstractly seem heavenly. Getting out of the inner city, breathing some different air and traipsing unfamiliar ground sounds so awesome you spend your weekdays dreaming about doing it.
Home
Can a family squeeze into an apartment?
Moving your family from a big house with a backyard to an inner-city apartment sounds like a daunting prospect – but that's what many families are doing.
Perth retailers recall popular 'fidget spinner' toy
Consumer Protection WA said the toy's sharp edges and small parts posed a risk to small children.
7 ways to survive the Aldi ski sale this weekend
The annual Aldi Snow Sale is this weekend. Here's how to prepare for it.
To rinse or not to rinse? That is the question
Apparently rinsing your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher is a terrible idea. Honestly, what were we thinking?
The world's biggest Hello Kitty fan is not who you thought it would be
Masao Gunji is the new Guinness World Record holder for owning the most Hello Kitty items, and he even lives in a pink house.
The app for reducing the tsunami of kids' stuff
Three out of four Australians believe they are overspending on their kids by hundreds of dollars each month. And then there's the gifts.
Technology
Increase in screen time putting kids' health at risk
The latest World Health Organization report reveals the dramatic rise of screen time use in kids and the health risks that follow.
How to limit the volume on children’s devices
As more children spend their free time on their technological devices, there is an increase in children who are engaging in unsafe listening practices. It is important to make sure children's hearing is protected as the impact of blasting sound in their ears can stay with them for the rest of their lives.
The app that pays kids to limit their screentime
Samsung has found a currency that any kid will relate to, and made it part of its device control app, Marshmallow.
Pets
'I'm devastated': WA council forces family to remove pet mini-pigs
"They've got a large brain, so they're very good at working things out. They're self-aware, they recognise themselves in mirrors, they can work out cues to carry out tasks."
How dogs could make children better readers
Issues around children learning to read are rarely out of the news. Which is hardly surprising – becoming a successful reader is of paramount importance in improving a child's life chances. Nor is it surprising that reading creates a virtuous circle: the more you read the better you become. But what may come as a surprise is that reading to dogs is gaining popularity as a way of addressing concerns about children's reading.
Making Time For Me
Mother guilt: A woman's work is never done
Guilt, time poverty and contaminated leisure are all the lot of mothers.
Want a sharper mind? Think like a small child
The insular habits of adulthood are actually causing our brain function to decline. We need a child-like approach to learning, according to research.
The easy way to choose the perfect lipstick colour ... if you dare
It turns out our perfect "Nude" lipstick shade has been under our shirts all this time.
What Mother's Day means to me as a single mum
What does Mother's Day look like now that I'm divorced? And what does it look like for all the single mothers out there?
Stay-at-home parents need work life balance too
Stay-at-home parents deserve a break too, but how can you achieve this elusive work-life balance?
5 ways children make you happy
Children are marvellous little creatures that can evoke the best and worst emotions in their parents. They have a way of pushing us until we nearly break and then bringing us back our sanity. Being a parent is incredibly taxing and it's often that our children remind us that although they have opened up a world of challenges we would have never known, they also opened up a world of all engrossing love. Here are some ways my children make me happy.