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This morning Ike and I were watching ABC Kids on TV when the opening credits for Play School caught his attention. He grinned, cried “bear” and raced into his room. He soon returned with a cherished old teddy bear I received from my late grandfather on the day I was born.

I’d always hoped the bear might become a family heirloom in memory of Poppy, but since he was small Ike had been more interested in cars and Buzz Lightyear than teddy bears.

It was a Kodak moment when he hugged Poppy’s bear tight, then kissed it tenderly on the nose. All I could do was turn the occasion into a group hug , kiss his chubby cheeks and be thankful that I get to watch this lovely little person learn and grow.

With tantrums, trains and tummy bugs dominating this week’s schedule, my morning was significantly brightened by the thought that Isaac is somehow connected to his great grandfather through a slightly battered orange teddy.

That and the fact that today’s new word is “bear”.

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One Backyard, One Dream

August 15th 2008 03:49

Here's an article I wrote that was published in the Brisbane Courier Mail on 8/8/08.
Have a fun weekend!

It all starts today. As tonight’s opening ceremony kicks off the 2008 Olympics with traditional dancers, kung fu fighters and spectacular fireworks, the Chinese are promising the “best games ever”. For the next 16 days the eyes of the world will peer through the smog to witness the spectacle of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The lead up has been a rough ride, plagued by anti-government protests, the devastating Sichuan province earthquake, large-scale ticket scams and a monumental battle against air pollution and blue-green algae.

Now it’s time to get down to the business of sport.

As events unfold in the Birds Nest, Water Cube and 29 other official venues, we’ll gather in pubs and cheer from home as our Aussie Olympians swim, throw, ride, row, jump, run, hit and dive into sporting history.

Only the lucky few who’ve secured genuine tickets (and have successfully interpreted Chinese visa requirements) have made the 9,000km trek to join the bezillion Chinese fans cheering from the stands.

But you can do the next best thing at home!

Bring the spirit of the Olympics to your own backyard and revel in the sporting prowess of your family and friends. You may not have competitors to rival Leisel, Cadel and Tamsyn, but you can host an event to rival a trip to Beijing and who knows, you may have an unsung sporting hero among your nearest and dearest.

Here’s what you’ll need.

A torch. For the torch relay of course. A battery-operated torch is fine. Stand to attention and sing the national anthem as your chosen delegates hold the torch aloft while jogging proudly around the yard.
While your torch may not visit five continents on a monumental 137,000km journey, you should be able to avoid the violent protests that followed the official torch relay. Also, being battery powered your torch is unlikely to be extinguished, accidentally or otherwise, before it reaches the stadium.

Nations. Team up participants by family, gender, age, whatever. You could become immersed in the Olympic spirit of participation and harmony, or you could whip up some healthy (or ruthless) competition between teams. Make up chants and team songs that can be bellowed with gusto as your team goes for gold. Have each team adopt the uniform, mascot and (exaggerated) accent of their chosen country. When allocating uniforms please note that Uncle Barry probably won’t look as good as Natalie Cook does in a beach volleyball bikini.

Sporting Equipment. Leave professional sporting equipment to the professionals and use what you have on hand. For the sprints you’ll need a ribbon, rope or similar for a finish line. Use beer or soft drink cans for relay batons, any kind of ball or kickable object is fine for soccer and if you have a backyard sandpit it can host the long jump and wrestling. A great steeplechase course can be made with lawn furniture and a blow up pool. Weightlifters can pit their strength against water filled eskies, aspiring Lleytons can have a bash at totem tennis and if you have a pool you’re all set for swimming, diving and synchronised swimming events.
There are 28 event categories being contested in Beijing including trampolining, basketball, badminton, hockey, table tennis, volleyball and shooting (water pistols anyone?). Your Olympic spirit is limited only by your improvisation skills.

A BOC Official
At least one Backyard Olympic Committee member should be responsible for enforcing rules, keeping track of event results and adjudicating during disputes. Arm them with a pen, paper and power of attorney and influence them with flattery and beer.

A Medical Team
It’s a good idea to have a first aid kit on site. While disqualifications should be enforced for crash tackling or otherwise hampering rivals, competitors may suffer minor injuries due to poor coordination, excessive enthusiasm or general lack of fitness. Or all three at once.

A Camera. With over 20,000 accredited media bringing Beijing events to the world, you can’t have a backyard Olympics without some kind of journalistic coverage. Appoint someone as the official photographer and sports commentator. Then replay your Olympic glory for time eternal, and torment family and friends with enduring proof of their less than graceful memorable moments.

Chinese Takeaway Menu. To create the illusion that you are in fact competing in Beijing, have participants chow down on chow mein, spring rolls and special fried rice. Flat duck and chicken feet may be optional extras.
While Olympic Village inhabitants bow to an onsite ban on booze, you can wash down your wontons with a few coldies. If you’re feeling adventurous try the crisp and malty Tsingtao Lager, China’s bestselling beer.

The Olympic Spirit. Chinese officials are promoting the Beijing games as more than just a sporting event. Locals have embraced the opportunity to welcome foreigners with Olympic volunteers training in languages, etiquette and social graces. As we gather to support our Olympic heroes, the Chinese are hoping to convince the world that there’s more to their country than pandas, pollution and human rights controversy.

In the spirit of past games, the 2008 Olympics aim to encourage global friendship, peace and unity of culture. And there’s no better place to start than in your own backyard.
One World, One Dream, One Backyard. GO AUSTRALIA!

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Teach them well and let them lead the way

August 4th 2008 08:57

A proposal that a teachers’ salary should be on par with their ability is currently being debated. The Business Council of Australia is suggesting that top teachers should be paid in the vicinity of $130k per annum, almost double the highest current rate of pay for classroom teachers.
It’s an idea that I think has great merit. Here’s why…

Like most students I progressed through the school system with little appreciation for teachers. Rather, I saw most of them as disciplinarians, not clever people from whom I could gain knowledge, insight and confidence.

Now, as I’m a mum contemplating where to send my son to school, teachers are at the top of my list of very important people.

My wish is for Ike to benefit from an exceptional and inspiring History teacher so he won’t wait until he’s a 22 year old backpacker before he is interested in ancient civilizations and the legacy of war.

I hope that he will benefit from dedicated Maths and English teachers so he has the potential to follow whatever academic path he chooses.

I hope he will benefit from compassionate and experienced Economics and Geography teachers so he is aware of the issues and sufferings of the broader world.

I hope he will benefit from a strong and encouraging PE teacher so good sportsmanship becomes one of his redeeming features.

Above all I hope I will benefit from a solid relationship with Isaac’s teachers and that I will have total confidence in their ability to help ME shape his personality, experiences, education and morals. I strongly believe that parents are ultimately responsible for the behaviour and future of their offspring. However it’s also obvious that school teachers play a crucial role in helping parents to raise good kids. Crucial enough for them to be paid good money for their efforts.

I grew up in a teaching family. My dad was a teacher, as is my uncle, and I have two cousins and several close friends in the teaching fraternity. I even considered teaching as a career myself – and I must admit that the crappy pay contributed to my decision to pursue other avenues.

Now that I see the value of good teachers, I’m all for a merit based pay system with outstanding educators enjoying similar salaries to successful execs.

It’s a lot like that song by Whitney Houston… “I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way”.

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Full Circle

July 23rd 2008 00:27

Kids don’t seem to feel the cold. It’s a natural phenomenon that reverses as one ages. My poor mother had to fish my brother and I out of the pool each spring after we’d “accidentally” fall into the icy water then plead to swim longer, even though our toes were blue and required thawing in a warm bath.

Now I’m a frog. I get cold feet, cold hands, cold everything! And the shoe is on the other foot as I contend with a two year old who won’t keep his socks on. I’m extremely concerned about his cold little tootsies on our tiled floor and the possibility that a sniffle will turn into pneumonia if his feet aren’t encased in warm socks every second of the day. I’ve lost count of the WWF-inspired episodes where I wrestle his socks, shoes or slippers on, only to have him tear them off four minutes later

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Ironing out the wrinkles?

July 22nd 2008 00:21

Turning 35 a couple of weeks ago got me thinking about wrinkles. I’ve been looking at them in the mirror for quite a few years, but now I’m thinking about them as well. As a child of the sun-loving ‘70’s and a teenager of the tan-worshipping ‘80’s, I mostly shunned sunscreen, preferring to slather my limbs with coconut oil. This delicious smelling concoction turned me a lovely brown while sneakily creating havoc with my epidermis, forging wrinkles that would have me resembling a leather bag by the time I reached my mid-30s.

The realisation that I’m now closer to 40 than 30 (eek!), paired with a distinct reduction in bouncers requesting my ID, has me thinking I should take action before the crows that have been trekking around my eyes decide they’ll vacation on the rest of my face. It’s time to buy some wrinkle cream

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Beware of Big Bad Wolves

July 16th 2008 02:41

Due to new guidelines, teachers will soon give children “safety messages” after reading them fairytales and nursery rhymes. Our little ones will be advised not to copy characters such as Goldilocks, guilty of break and enter, Little Red Riding Hood, who recklessly skipped through the forest alone, and Hansel and Gretel, who unwittingly snuck into a strange woman’s gingerbread house (another break and enter) and wound up in her oven.

Give our poor kids a bit of credit for goodness sakes. Even my two year old knows that bears don’t really eat porridge, Humpty Dumpty isn’t a real person and it’s a bad idea to talk to wolves! Fairytales and nursery rhymes are supposed to be FUN! That’s their whole point

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Battle of the Pearly Whites

July 12th 2008 04:06

There’s nothing quite like the infectious smile of a small child. Isaac’s toothy grin has never failed to charm since he started growing teeth at about 5 months.

After 18 months of teething (characterised by grizzling, drooling, Bonjela applications and rampant sleep deprivation) he has produced a mighty impressive set of chompers

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Oh, to be a Celebrity Mum

July 8th 2008 03:17

For we mere mortals having a baby is not a glamorous affair. Pregnancy is generally uncomfortable, round and bloaty, the actual birth is painful and far from dignified, and fashion/grooming is of low (or no) concern at any stage, particularly post-birth when you’re focused on feeding a screaming little person every three hours.

Not so for the barrage of celebrities currently or recently with child

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The Party Aftermath

July 6th 2008 12:31

Yee haa! It’s the morning of Isaac’s Wild Wild West birthday party, and we’ve woken to the unmistakable sound of pouring rain. Further investigation reveals that the backyard looks like a swimming pool, dark clouds are NOT going away and the wind has blown my hand-made horse shaped piniata off the table and into the wet driveway, where it has disintegrated into a sticky ball.

It’s not a big surprise as I’ve been watching the weather forecast all week and have a “Plan B” which involves moving everything inside. No worries! First I’ll need a strengthening cup of tea. Or vodka. Dang Nabbit

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Age of the Rudey Nudie

July 2nd 2008 08:27

From the moment he became mobile, getting Isaac dressed has provided my daily exercise. Wrestling him into pajamas is akin to a 30 minute pump class, I have rock hard biceps from the nappy change pin-down and the morning ritual of singlet, shirt, pants, socks, shoes, works off my breakfast, and then some.

What is it about little boys and being nude? He’s always loved running around in the nuddy. He loves his traditional pre-bath “nudie run” down the hallway and we all think it’s great for him to get a bit of sun on his bum in the backyard

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August 2008

3 Posts

July 2008