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paper cut image of Dr Traci Baxley for Social Justice Parenting article in Lunch Lady Magazine

Social Justice Parenting

Raising inclusive, empathetic and socially-conscious children is a goal for most parents. So, how can we achieve that? Dr Traci Baxley says it begins with you and the idea of social justice parenting.

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Illustration of two kids drawing pictures for Lunch Lady Magazine

Why Do Kids Stop Drawing?

Drawing is a vital process for kids. It helps them learn to communicate with the world and eventually to write. So why do most kids eventually stop drawing? Associate Professor Misty Adoniou takes a look into the meaning behind the scribbles.

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Embracing Chaos Can Make Us Better People (and Parents)

Embracing Chaos Can Make Us Better People (and Parents)

We live in a tidy age, but does it actually help us? Tim Harford argues that when we embrace chaos and mess, we become more creative, adaptable people and parents.

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Illustration of a boy waiting for a bus alone Lunch Lady Magazine kids resillence free-range childhoods

The Return of Free-Range Childhoods

Lenore Skenazy believes that a lack of independence in childhood is contributing to less resilient young adults. Her solution? Let go, and let kids grow.

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M/OTHER event speakers for Lunch Lady Magazine

M/OTHER: a weekend of fearless conversation

We have a lovely chat with Bec Kavanagh and Jamila Khodja, the duo behind M/OTHER–the event series featuring a lineup of writers, thinkers and creators in frank discussions on all the layers of ‘motherhood’.

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mandy nolan opinion piece on mum guilt for Lunch Lady Magazine

Guilty of missing out!

Comedian and writer Mandy Nolan is suffering mum guilt, or what she calls GOMO: the guilt of missing out. To compensate for all the things she misses out on, she tells occasional fibs and throws elaborate parties.

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Photo of Sam Drummond, a dad with dwarfism, and his toddler child for Lunch Lady Magazine

Parenting with disability: Sam Drummond shares his journey

Lawyer and disability advocate Sam Drummond shares his experience of growing up disabled and the journey to becoming a father.

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Photo of a woman's feet in green shoes with a string bag of vegetables for Lunch Lady Magazine

It ain't easy being green: confessions of a wannabe eco-mum

Comedian and writer Mandy Nolan has lofty goals of becoming an eco-mum, there's just a few obstacles in her way, including her five children and love of cats.

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A portrait of Bec Rose for Lunch Lady Magazine

Rebecca Rose on creativity, motherhood and cancer

When Bec Rose was diagnosed with Colorectal cancer, she was told she had six months to live. Almost four years later, as she entered palliative care, Bec reached out to Lunch Lady to share her final story.

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Lunch Lady Blog - popcorn recipe - issue 4

How to make homemade popcorn!

Family movie nights need popcorn. Here's how to make the perfect batch of popcorn and three fab toppings that aren't boring butter and salt.

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An illustration of a tween girl wearing headphones plugged into an ice cream cone for Lunch Lady magazine

Raising Tweens

The tween years can be tricky. Not quite a teenager, but definitely not a little child anymore. Author and parent, Sarah Ockwell-Smith, gives her best tips on how to navigate parenting a tween.

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illustration of maggie dent reading a book of parenting advice for lunch lady magazine

Maggie Dent: The Queen of Common Sense

The world of parenting has changed a lot since Maggie Dent grew up in the 1950s. But she reckons that the trauma of your own childhood often becomes your gift you give to the world. For her, that meant doing things very differently.

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A parent has learnt ten tips for talking to children so they listen and is seen talking to a child.

how to talk to your kids so they will listen

Communicating with kids about their feelings can be tough, no matter how old your child is. To set you up for success, we're sharing ten tips from the best-selling parenting book, How To Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk.

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LunchLadyBlog_issue14_SimplicityParenting

Kids Succeed More By Doing Less

The empirical data is very convincing: kids will get smarter if we get simpler. Simplicity Parenting founder and author Kim John Payne believes using the extraordinary power of less will raise calmer, happier and more secure kids.

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Illustration of a pink house with three mums and six children. They are a single mum commune.

Building a village: the single mum commune

When her husband left her with three children, Janet Hoggarth let her single-mum friends move in with their kids. Together, they formed a single-mum commune, or as they called it, a mummune.

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Why kids need time in nature

Why kids need time in nature

With kids spending more time on screens then ever, it's imperative to make time for reconnection with nature. Journalist and author Richard Louv has spent a good chunk of his life helping people and societies reconnect in a way that is joyful, futuristic and technological. And it all begins with children.

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boredom is good for kids, a photo of a bored looking white boy, for lunch lady magazine

Boredom is Good for Kids

What if our quest to supercharge our children's lives is costing them an essential part of what it means to be a kid: boredom?

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An image of two mums holding up a globe of the world while also holding children

Science Mums: Tackling Climate Change One Mum at a Time

Nine scientists and mothers - have joined forces to teach other Mums about climate change. Introducing the Science Mums.

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Making Monsters - Delphine

Making Monsters

Here’s some fun Monster Activities for the kids these school holidays. Hit download and go make yourself a cuppa. Download Monster Activities HERE Illustrations by Delphine Durand for Lunch Lady Magazine Issue 22. ///

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Pistachio cake

PISTACHIO CAKE WITH BERRY COMPOTE

(+ Mascarpone Cream!) A lovely cake for a party, and the perfect canvas for flower decorations. It’s also gluten-free and can be made without the frosting for a dairy-free version. This cake is topped with geraniums, pansies, nasturtiums, clover and cosmos. For the cake: • 180g / 6.3oz sugar •...

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Photo of Claire Dunn, author and Rewilding expert in the Australian bush for Lunch Lady Magazine

Re-wilding with Claire Dunn

Ever thought about giving up the city life in search of more connected existence in the country? Author, nature and wilderness expert, Claire Dunn, reckons it is possible to re-wild yourself and your family, without leaving the big smoke.

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Kids + Climate Change

How to talk to kids about climate change

How do you even begin to address an issue as monumental as the impacts of climate change? Walking a fine line between being well-informed about the planet and just damn terrified of living in a drowned or scorched world is key for children to move into the future with hope...

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Vanessa Clarkson Pasta Recipe

Easy pasta recipe

Roasted Pumpkin Pappardelle with Kale + Cashew Pesto is an easy and nutritious pasta for the whole family. Recipe by the very clever writer, cook and wholefood advocate Vanessa Clarkson.

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Mothering - The Long Haul

The long road of mothering

"Now I must do some of the toughest mothering I have ever done, I have to learn to let them make their own mistakes." An opinion piece by comedian and writer Many Nolan.

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