News — Parenting RSS



Kids start building life skills and coping strategies pretty much from birth, with each new developmental milestone laying the foundation for the next, as they learn how to relate to others and to problem-solve in evermore complex way

s. As they get older and start school, kids learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. But what are the other essential life skills kids needs to know?There are all sorts of life skills – some basic, some fairly complex — that kids need to master in order to have the sort of social, emotional and practical wherewithal to be good at life. According to child-development experts, career planners and business leaders, here’s where to start to ensure your kids are well-prepared for whatever (and whoever) the world throws at them.1. They can sort through online news. 2. They can use a map and compass. Spatial awareness isn’t just a key part of STEM education. It also prevents us from getting lost. Start...

Continue reading



Hi, everyone, Lindsay here

As a parent of school-aged kids, the upcoming school year is front and center in my mind. Like you, I’m trying to figure out how to make distance learning work for my family. Before starting today’s post, I want to acknowledge that everyone’s situation is different. Family structures, finances, support systems, living arrangements, access to technology, and employment all affect how we’ll approach this upcoming school year. Not to mention, our kids have unique needs, strengths, and challenges. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. A lot of parents are facing tough dilemmas. Their school districts’ solutions simply aren’t workable for them for various reasons, sometimes reflecting larger societal issues. While I’m going to offer some simple, concrete steps and encouragement, I...

Continue reading



Practical Tips on How to Teach Your Toddler to Dress

Teaching your child how to dress up on their own not only benefits them, but you as well. By now, your child has advanced motor capabilities. They want to start doing things on their own, and they have an increasing curiosity for learning things. It’s a perfect chance to start teaching your toddler responsibility and independence. It will set them on a path to self-care and successfully dressing for success by learning some basic dressing skills. Plus, the fun part is they get to choose their style and have fun at the same time. As adults, we don’t put a lot of thought when dressing. It’s rewarding, and yet a bit tricky for your child to learn. Dressing up helps...

Continue reading



I’m going to write this article on the assumption that EVERYBODY knows being a stay-at-home mum (aka housewife) is single-handedly the hardest job going

This article is a refresh in case anyone has forgotten! I cannot (and choose not to) believe that there might be people out there that think housewives have it easy. If twenty-something girls, husbands or anyone think we watch KUWTK, eating ice cream or sunning ourselves all day long, couldn’t be further from the truth. Narrow-minded people may think housewives are lazy. I can only conclude these people have never been exposed to the life of a housewife and don’t know how difficult and challenging days can be. Let’s just say you were taken from your 9-5 office job five days a week. Put into a house with three kids to be a stay-at-home mum. Your mummy duty starts around...

Continue reading



Jim juggles fatherhood with the 4-hour time difference at the Rugby World Cup. 

In the space of a 10-minute chat I showed them my room, was told-off twice and got into a debate about having too many clothes in not-enough space. And been photographed as I was pulling a stupid face. This is my sixth Rugby World Cup and fifth away from home and the advent of video calling has made it more tolerable, but still not easy, to be away. No one turns down the chance to cover a World Cup, especially in a city as vibrant, safe and welcoming as Tokyo, yet the flip side is that I miss a lot at home. It is the same for anyone whose work involves long-distance travel and luckily my heavy-travel days are behind...

Continue reading