As a doctor my heart sinks every time a parent asks for help managing a child that is a fussy eater. I know what advice they require: -Serve meals “family” style with at least one option on the table you know the child will eat. -Use a sticker chart to reward the child for…
Of course it had to happen at church. My then three year old and I were playing up the back in crèche when I heard the words “You can’t have it. I don’t like brown people.” A tussle over a toy with an Aboriginal child had led to a racist slur. “Where on earth did…
Last week concerns regarding a popular travel cot, the KidCo Peapod travel bed arose. As a result of incidents involving two children, Health Canada has issued warnings to parents to immediately cease sleeping children under the age of 12 months in the cot. In the USA the Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating the…
Last week I travelled to Sydney for work with my two little boys. At departure the shuttle bus that we had requested arrived without the child restraints I had been expecting. Harried and stressed, I boarded the bus with the boys, only to have Bub 2 hit his head, hard, on a handle in…
My second child is about to turn two, meaning that when we fly I will need to cough up the cash for an extra plane ticket. In the next six months I have at least three trips planned – to attend a conference (when I travel for work I am a package deal – my…
The World Health Organization states: “Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old, and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.” The benefits of breastfeeding have been well documented and…
In May I was invited to be a guest blogger on Sarah Pye’s blog “Kid’s Welcome“. Sarah is the author of a fantastic book “Kids Welcome to Queensland that provides specific information to guide families in their exploration of Queensland. The following is a short excerpt from my post, that seeks to assist parents in…
You will need to tailor your medical kit to suit your itinerary as well as particular health needs. For example, we never leave home without my son’s asthma spacer. The following is meant to be a guide. If travelling to particularly remote areas further prescribed medications, such as those used to treat eye and ear…
Whether it is for work or play it is now common for families with babies and young children to travel overseas together. A consultation with a doctor prior to your trip is arguably the most essential component of your preparation. You should ensure that this occurs at lease six weeks prior to your travel to…
It will come as no surprise to people that have read this blog before that I think Far North Queensland and Cairns is pretty great. It is the reason that one section of the blog is dedicated to sharing the amazing opportunities there are here for travelling families. It did seem time however to…