Parenting
Opinion
Opinion
I’ve fathered five children in NSW. If I lived in Victoria, I’d probably have none
The state government’s donor recruitment drive may have good intentions, but without a review of family limits the idea of donating sperm feels too risky.
- by Gary Nunn
Latest
Opinion
Opinion
I’m a bona fido dog lover, but stop telling me a fur baby is the same as a kid
Last week, I passed another woman with a pram, but hers contained a plump little sausage dog, not a furious-for-no-reason two-and-a-half-year-old.
- by Hannah Vanderheide
Opinion
Greater Good
The boys knew nothing about my son’s struggles. Yet somehow they knew what to do
One day, these boys will be men. Seeing how they treated by son - who’s happy just to be out on a court with them - gave me faith in the future.
- by Tamara Walsh
Opinion
Real life
What do King Charles and Margot Robbie have in common? They’re both avid kidulters
It’s easy to assume that toys speak only to kids and that once puberty hits, we stop needing their comfort. But that assumption would be wrong.
- by Shona Hendley
Exclusive
Education
Parents push back after school’s decision to ditch books for screens
An inner west public primary school has told parents that students will use an e-library rather than physical books for their home reading program.
- by Lucy Carroll
Japan has finally changed its custody law. Australian parents fear it’s not enough
Australian parents of children abducted by their ex-partners in Japan say watershed reforms enabling joint custody don’t address the root cause of the issue.
- by Lisa Visentin and Eryk Bagshaw
Modern Guru
Good Weekend
Shouldn’t my adult children be paying their way when we all go out?
Discuss who’s paying before you go anywhere, writes our Modern Guru. This way, everyone can avoid bill shock.
- by Danny Katz
Opinion
Pets
What’s a good death? For Maggie we chose a sunny day and roast chicken
A good death. On paper, the intersection of loss and dignity. For us, a crushing responsibility, noting it down like a lunch appointment.
- by Kate Halfpenny
‘For all the other non-grandparents out there: you are not alone’
The pain of childlessness is well documented. But it can hit all over again when friends gush about their grandchildren.
- by Cathy Fraser
Opinion
Opinion
We should stop funding IVF and pay under-25s to have children
When egg freezing, with all its associated costs and uncertain outcomes, looks more attractive than just getting down to it, we are in the grip of crazy collective thinking.
- by Ramona Koval
Exclusive
Mental health
One in three parents are extremely concerned about children’s mental health. Here’s how to help your kids
Bullying and screen time are the main issues affecting the wellbeing of primary school-aged Australian children, according to new research.
- by Shona Hendley