These days more than ever, we have to be careful about what we allow our children to eat. This is because of: The amount of processed food on the market (ready to eat or stir through sauce jars, sachets and other ‘stuff’ in packets) and a concern about what effect additives and preservatives could have on our bodies long-term Our time-poor society, which can lead us to reach for these packaged foods for convenience Our concern with diseases such as diabetes, overweight and obesity Not only do we have to police what our kids eat because it’s a more complicated world, we need to teach … Continue reading Talking to kids about food

A friend recently accompanied her child’s Year 2 class to swimming lessons at the local aquatic centre. The lessons had finished and the boys had been in the bathrooms awhile so she went to hurry them up. What she saw made her laugh – there they all were, lined up in front of the mirror, styling their hair with water from the sink. Some were slicking, others were spiking. When she told me this story, I was actually horrified. The ‘metrosexual’ movement has been well-established in teen and adult males for some time….but SEVEN YEAR OLDS??!! As a 7 year-old … Continue reading When 7 year olds check their reflection for more than just boogies