The Juggling Act

Latest Episodes:

Daily Coronavirus Check-in: Parents share how they've made their kid's birthdays magical in iso May 03, 2020

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Both of my kids have birthday’s in June and they’ve already started asking about whether they can have a party - as kids do. It’s difficult to know what to say when I don’t know what will be happening by then, but it must be even harder for parents who had parties organised and then had to cancel them. There isn't a kid alive who doesn't look forward to their birthday party - hell, even adults are bummed right now about celebrating their special day in isolation. But just because it can't be a normal day, doesn't mean it can't be one to remember. In fact, for some kids, their iso birthday might end up being their most memorable ever! I caught up with a bunch of parents, to find out how they’ve managed and what they did instead to make their kid’s birthdays magical…

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: 9 things all mums have thought while homeschooling 9 totally relatable things... Apr 30, 2020

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I sent my daughter back to school on Wednesday, and I’m totally fine with that decision. I didn’t make it lightly and luckily with my job I have access to lots of experts for advice. It’s also the right thing for my particular circumstance, and that’s all any of us can do right now – do what is right for you. As we were leaving the house, a woman putting pamphlets in the letterbox said: "off to school, isn’t that a bit dangerous?" Sigh. Can we just stop judging and start supporting? But it’s Friday, not the time for rants. So to lighten things up a bit, I’ve got 9 totally relatable thoughts that mums have had while homeschooling.

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: Tips to keeping your relationships at home intact, without losing a limb Apr 29, 2020

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It’s obviously an incredibly stressful situation we find ourselves in - working from home and spending more time than ever with partners, kids, flatmates, family - all putting a huge amount of pressure on those relationships. Our daily routines look nothing like they used to and lots of us are dealing with unprecedented stress and anxiety which in turn places considerable strain on everyone in the household. So how can we try and keep those relationships intact and walk out of this with all our limbs attached? I reached out to Elisabeth Shaw, CEO of Relationships Australia NSW for some advice to help us manage things better.

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: The things parents most want to do when they're out of iso Apr 28, 2020

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So, I bought a bike, the Holy Grail. Along with self-raising flour. Baking and biking, the iso survival activities. Speaking of things to do, I’ve been thinking a bit about the things I’d most like to do when this is over. Top of the list for me, is hug my friends, get my hair done, hug my friends, then drink bubbles with said friends on a rooftop bar in the sun. Then hug them again. Kidspot reached out to a bunch of parents to find out what was at the top of their list, and if you’re after some inspiration, then you’re in luck because I’ve got the top 3 activities parents most want to do – as voted for by YOU!

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: What's our social responsibility when it comes to having children? Apr 27, 2020

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What is our social responsibility when it comes to procreating - especially when we're in the middle of a global pandemic. Firstly, I blame Merrick Watts for even putting these ideas into my head. It was years ago when I was working with Mez that he explained to me he and his wife would only have 2 kids, as that was the responsible thing to do. I was single at the time and children were a distant thought, so the idea stumped me. Years later water restrictions were in full force, all of Sydney were wearing masks due to the heavy smoke… and we were talking about having more kids when my husband surprised me by saying he wasn’t sure about it because he didn’t want our kids to have to worry about not getting to live the way we do now. I think what threw me the most was that it actually kept him up at night… and now I hate to say it, but it keeps me up now too… and this was before the bushfires and Coronavirus.

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: Five subtle ways children express Covid anxiety Apr 26, 2020

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I’ve been reading a lot about kids and anxiety during this pandemic, and I’ve been surprised me by how well my kids have adjusted to the new normal. Or so I thought. Turns out kids can show quite subtle signs that they’re struggling with Covid-stress… which is stressful. Even if our children don’t really grasp the full extent of what’s going on, life is very different for them now. But, children don’t express their emotions in the same way that we do, so how on earth are we meant to know if they’re stressed or anxious, or whether it’s simply age-appropriate behavior? Well, there are five subtle signs that mental health experts say we need to keep an eye out for.

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: I'm declaring today Good News Fri-yay! Apr 23, 2020

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I think we all need some light in our lives right now, so I've decided today is Good News Fri-yay! I’ve scoured the interwebs for you (okay I just watched John Krisnski’s Some Good News show on YouTube… ) for some of my favourite stories over the past week. From a Sinatra driveway crooner to a retirement village serenade - these are the stories that brought an iso smile to my face.

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: Five great ideas for things to do with your kids Apr 22, 2020

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I don’t know about you, but weekends in isolation seem to stretch on and on for about six hundred and eleven-ty hours. That’s a LOT of hours to fill with kids, especially if you’re trying to keep screen time down (and let’s face it, that is a big ask these days…). In our house, I’ve found we’ve turned to lots of old-school activities. I’ve pulled out the board games we used to play as kids – Yahtzee, Chinese Checkers and Uno have been big hits. And my daughter has finally taught me what Just Dance and Tik Tok are all about! If you’re quickly running out ideas, then tune in, because I've got five great ideas for you to try out.

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: Have you fallen into an iso slump? Apr 21, 2020

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I was reminded over the weekend that we have been working at home now for a month. Man time flies. Ha! It feels like six. To begin with, we were scared, anxious and worried about whether we’d ever be able to buy toilet paper again. Then there seemed to be a general feeling of positivity - for a bit. Now I feel like a lot of people have hit an iso slump – bored, over it and craving an end date. I checked in with other working mums to find out whether they’re feeling the same, and also got some tips from an expert on how to manage it…

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Daily Coronavirus Check-in: My son's favouritism is making me resent my husband Apr 20, 2020

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We've all felt like our kids prefer one parent over the other at some stage, but for Sarah McGilvray, her son's favouritism is turning toxic. She had no idea something as small as him not letting her read his bedtime story could send her over the edge, but when you’re exhausted and trying to work from home during isolation, and parent, and be a partner, and feed the dog, and live on 4 hours sleep for the last few years… your child not openly loving you or showing you the cuteness they show everyone else, can wear you down. Now, it's making her look at her partner differently and she's worried...

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