Pen in hand, my ten-year-old son is slowly, methodically writing out his Christmas wish list. For the uninitiated, it is a confusing read – Beyblade Burst Quadstrike, Yo Gi Oh trading cards and a pair of moon shoes from K Mart. I console myself with the thought that it could be worse; I’m not raising…
Confessions of a helicopter mum
Just last week Mia Freedman made the statement that the problem with helicopter parents is the helicopter children they create. Deep in my bones this resonated with me. Hello, my name is Tracey, and I am a helicopter parent. My son is many wonderful things but what he typically isn’t, is fearless. He radiates joy…
The one and only. Navigating the feelings of failure in raising an only child.
Having faced the real and agonising possibility of never having a child, the idea of having more than one child was not something I could entertain. It was inconceivable, literally and figuratively. Undergoing IVF, I made bargains with the universe. Give me one baby and I will never ask for anything ever again. I will…
My refreshingly honest and relatable friendship manifesto (revamped)
“I think I f*cked up” “Oh my god” “So sorry!!!” I read the text messages and instantly I knew. Disco club tickets. A week earlier my friend and I shared a text exchange confirming that she would be tasked with purchasing the tickets for the next Disco Club to be held in August. Tickets were…
I joined a book club and found myself
About a year ago I started to feel as though I had forgotten who I was. In a state of perpetual preoccupation, trying to keep up yet feeling like I am being left behind. I am surrounded by women who are smart, aspirational, connected, savvy and educated. Trail blazers and social entrepreneurs. It wasn’t as…
The school mum manifesto
The day my son started school is one I recall vividly. Admittedly, it wasn’t all that long ago, though sometimes the 5 years feels like 5 minutes. Of course there were tears, but not as expected from my son, but from me. I found the first day, the first morning to be this weighted milestone…
My son gave me a performance review and I did not do well
Last week my son gave me a performance review and I don’t remember reading the bit in the parenting book that said that there would be a time in your life that your child might complain about your parenting techniques. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the receiving end of a performance…
Why we need to talk about the mother guilt load
There is a universal law that exists that states that the end of a school term pretty much sucks. The level of suckiness depends on whether it is term one or term four, but overall, the week leading up to school holidays is long and exhausting and, in my case, rarely my finest work. At…
Hope. Because maybe being brave shouldn’t be the only thing that matters.
Charlie turns nine this year. One moment I’m the mother to a sweet and funny little boy who is agreeable and trusting, who calls me mummy, who places his sticky, squishy little hand into mine, who demands back tickles and songs about sunshine and who would delight in entertaining me with glorious stories full of…
A stranger complimenting me on my legs is not a compliment
Last week, whilst standing on the footpath, waiting for an Uber, a man, that I did not know, paid me a compliment. I love a compliment, I happily give them and almost always will take one, but this time, it made me feel….. uneasy. I had just dropped my car off for a service, dressed…
To the mums who are thinking of returning to (paid) employment
Let’s be abundantly clear about something. Being a parent is hard. The physical demands of keeping a small person alive and breathing and the responsibility of nurturing and taking care of their emotional needs feels like A LOT, because it is A LOT. As lovely as it is, it is also relentless. I was never…