Blog

By E K Wills Unusual times call for a new approach to schooling. During the lockdown, we are not officially obliged to keep our kids at home if we are essential workers, but many are deciding to keep kids out of school where they can. (Please, teachers, be kind to those parents who do not have an option to do so if kids are too young to stay home alone: just as others need to consider you are also at the forefront of this crisis.) If your children are old enough to stay h

By EK Wills There is a lot of talk around the topic of stress and being overwhelmed. But when we start labeling the result with terms like burnout we are saying that the limit is reached. Then there are those that try to attribute the feeling to the fault of the person by saying that they are not resilient enough or not creating a work life balance that leads to the breaking point. In a time where productivity is heralded as the most important result, the idea of taking time

By EK Wills Many families are feeling the pinch at this time of year. Christmas has eaten a hole in the budget and the family holiday only made it bigger. Or there have been so many April birthdays and gifts bought for them that you are left wondering what to do when Mother’s Day rolls around. In our family, I have just celebrated my birthday (in April) and then Mother’s Day follows hot on it’s heels weeks later and I really don't need more gifts. The other aspect to consider

By EK Wills Rarely do I plan anything for me but I like to put on events and usually do it for my kids. I do big birthday parties with elaborate themes and cakes as well as activities and it is all home-made. Interestingly, this is the picture for many women who feel they need to support the family and make everyone’s lives cohesive and harmonious. my daughter's cake for my birthday 2018 with Nana I’m planning a big birthday at the moment but this time for me. I decided if I

By EK Wills canoes in Sydney harbour Last weekend we attended our son’s scout Christmas party at the beach. Unusual you might say, but this was the sea scouts and it is water based. We recently moved close to the water but hadn’t had the opportunity to engage in water activities till that day: life has a way of distracting you with work, setting up house and preparing for Christmas. This was the first chance we had to force ourselves to stop and enjoy what we had moved there

By E K Wills Holiday time is when you let your guard down and let the kids have some fun. This is particularly true in Australia where they have a long break and the year comes to a close. But sometimes this can backfire when it comes time to going back to school. It means they have to stick to a routine again and may even need to do homework depending on what age and school they go to. In our household, they will need to help out to keep the family unit running smoothly, as