Life

School holidays are coming. Soon, their school bag will be thrown the corner of their room for the last time this year. It won't be touched again until late January, by which time only a forensic scientist could tell what the black stuff is in the lunch b

Is your girl a little princess? Of course she is... in one sense anyway. In your eyes and (hopefully) in her own, she is a young woman of huge worth.

Is there a low flow… of communication and affection? Is there a bad taste: tension, passive-aggressive anger and a sense of distance between you?

I've often blown it with my kids. Usually it was getting too angry, too loud. Sometimes I've known I've blown it...

My thick framed brown glasses were a sort of chastity belt I wore on my face. Not only did they cause social rejection but I could also see very clearly and crisply who it was who was rejecting me.

It's great to see schools and authorities talking bullying more and more seriously. It's very rare now for a school not to have a policy in place and so if you voice your concerns it will get some action - hopefully positive and thoughtful action.

Give a three-year-old a box of LEGO® DUPLO® bricks and he will start to build houses and towers right away. It's almost like an instinct. In fact, stacking a tower and tipping it over is one of the favorite activities for children all over the world.

Every summer, there are far too many tragedies in, on and under the water in New Zealand. Take every possible step to ensure you and your family has the safest possible fun near the water this holiday season.

If you have limited garden space, potted plants are an excellent option. You can move them to catch the sun, they don't require a huge amount of space and the pots themselves become a feature on your patio or windowsill.

For one reason or another when Donna and I entertain, other than to lunch or dinner, it is usually after work in the evenings, rarely at a time when a pot of tea and a tiered stand of cupcakes would be suitable... or welcome.