David Beckham: "...you have no right to criticize me as a parent…"

You tell 'em, David Beckham.

In Australia, we say this: mind your own beeswax.

Responding to an article in The Daily Mail, with the jarring headline:

Why does Harper, four, still use a dummy? Experts warn David and Victoria Beckham's little girl may end up with 'speech or dental issues' if she continues to use one.

In reply, just a few hours ago, David posted this on his Instagram:

Why do people feel they have the right to criticize a parent about their own children without having any facts ?? Everybody who has children knows that when they aren't feeling well or have a fever you do what comforts them best and most of the time it's a pacifier so those who criticize think twice about what you say about other people's children because actually you have no right to criticize me as a parent ...

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-version="4" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAAGFBMVEUiIiI9PT0eHh4gIB4hIBkcHBwcHBwcHBydr+JQAAAACHRSTlMABA4YHyQsM5jtaMwAAADfSURBVDjL7ZVBEgMhCAQBAf//42xcNbpAqakcM0ftUmFAAIBE81IqBJdS3lS6zs3bIpB9WED3YYXFPmHRfT8sgyrCP1x8uEUxLMzNWElFOYCV6mHWWwMzdPEKHlhLw7NWJqkHc4uIZphavDzA2JPzUDsBZziNae2S6owH8xPmX8G7zzgKEOPUoYHvGz1TBCxMkd3kwNVbU0gKHkx+iZILf77IofhrY1nYFnB/lQPb79drWOyJVa/DAvg9B/rLB4cC+Nqgdz/TvBbBnr6GBReqn/nRmDgaQEej7WhonozjF+Y2I/fZou/qAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div> <p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"> <a href="https://instagram.com/p/6NZyxMTWdt/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_top">Why do people feel they have the right to criticize a parent about their own children without having any facts ?? Everybody who has children knows that when they aren&#39;t feeling well or have a fever you do what comforts them best and most of the time it&#39;s a pacifier so those who criticize think twice about what you say about other people&#39;s children because actually you have no right to criticize me as a parent ...</a></p> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by David Beckham (@davidbeckham) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2015-08-10T16:23:24+00:00">Aug 10, 2015 at 9:23am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>

'How A Baby Is Made' - The 1975 Book Going Viral: PHOTOS

The birds and the bees.

This book.

Nope.

Kiddies - we have to teach them someday about where babies comes from (*dread*) and this 1975 book 'How a Baby Is Made' was written to show them every step of the process. Very graphically.

The book, written by Danish author, teacher, and psychotherapist Per Holm Knudsen chronicles the whole process of making a child, from conception to birth (get ready for those pics) with frank words and lovely illustrations.

Why is this now viral?

Facebook user Crysta-Mai Elassaad posted these pics to Facebook - and now they have been shared over 134,000 times.

Oh, and you can buy the book here! Got $270 spare…?

Enjoy:

My Kid Can't Eat This - Instagram Account

This new account on Instagram - @MyKidCantEatThis - is brilliant.

It brings together all the ridiculous excuses kids have to not that meal you prepared for them, which is always SUCH a fun parenting moment.

It has the subhead: Why your kid can't eat your terrible food. Tag your photos with #mykidcanteatthis to show up here!

Follow the account here. You can also follow them on Facebook here.

And here are some examples below:

Instagram Breastfeeding and Nude Photos: Policy Change

With parents and celebrity mums and dads often complaining that their social media photos featuring breastfeeding and ample skin and nudity are taken down by the social media platform Instagram, Instagram themselves have just released new guidelines pertaining to these very photos.

The NEW guidelines below, but first, some celebs who have been breastfeeding and posting  on social media for eons:

Miranda Kerr

Natalia Vodianova

Olivia Wilde

Pink

Community Guidelines

The Short

We want Instagram to continue to be an authentic and safe place for inspiration and expression. Help us foster this community. Post only your own photos and videos and always follow the law. Respect everyone on Instagram, don’t spam people or post nudity.

The Long

Instagram is a reflection of our diverse community of cultures, ages, and beliefs. We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the different points of view that create a safe and open environment for everyone.

We created the Community Guidelines so you can help us foster and protect this amazing community. By using Instagram, you agree to these guidelines and our Terms of Use. We’re committed to these guidelines and we hope you are too. Overstepping these boundaries may result in a disabled account.

Post photos and videos that are appropriate for a diverse audience.

We know that there are times when people might want to share nude images that are artistic or creative in nature, but for a variety of reasons, we don’t allow nudity on Instagram. This includes photos, videos, and some digitally-created content that show sexual intercourse, genitals, and close-ups of fully-nude buttocks. It also includes some photos of female nipples, but photos of post-mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding are allowed. Nudity in photos of paintings and sculptures is OK, too.

People like to share photos or videos of their children. For safety reasons, there are times when we may remove images that show nude or partially-nude children. Even when this content is shared with good intentions, it could be used by others in unanticipated ways. You can learn more on our Tips for Parents page.

Before the update, Instagram's community guidelines were a little vague and only used language like "keep your clothes on" and be "respectful."

The old guidelines are still viewable through an archive page - they didn't mention breastfeeding. These new rules are more precise. While Instagram did not mention why it changed its guidelines, the social network has recently gone under fire for banning accounts of mothers who post stretch marks (yes!) or somewhat expose their breasts in a breastfeeding photo.

And more celeb breastfeeding photos they've popped up on social media:

Alanis Morrisette

Alyssa Milano

Angelina Jolie

Doutzen Kroes

Gisele Bundchen

Gwen Stefani

Jaime King

Jessie James Decker

Jessie James Decker using a breast pump

Julie Bowen

Salma Hayek a baby in Africa

Tila Tequila

Baby's Emotional Reaction to Mother's Song (Original)

I defy you not to be moved by this video:

Says the YouTube description:

"Nothing is stronger than the bond between mother and child. This certainly rings true at the Leroux household in Ontario, Canada. Their daughter loves one of her mom's songs so much, it send her into floods of tears, every time she hears it. Mom Amanda Leroux told Storyful: "No one can explain why, not even I. I can sing any other song and do not get the same reaction from her. It's to adorable to keep all to ourselves." Credit:Alain Leroux."

How utterly divine and pure is the mother/child bond? Do you sing to your child?

Convos With My 2 Year Old - EPISODE 3 'The Cookie'

Love this.

Episode three of 'Convos With My 2 Year Old'.

Watch and share:

Co-sleeping: don't do it

For as long as I can remember - actually, since the day our twins were born - my husband and I have never done co-sleeping with our children.

Well, it's happened quite by accident - and by accident, I mean my eyes are hanging out of my head from sleep deprivation, and I am that desperate I nestle the screaming baby in between in and try to soothe the bub.

Now. Here's the thing. Hubby sleeps like a rock. A bomb could not rouse him. And yet... when a baby (not always crying) is placed between us, he wakes instantly, and tells me to move the child back to the cot, and later, the 'big bed.'

Sometimes, this annoyed the crap out of me (suggesting the opposite of what you do in a situation when your baby is screaming her lungs out always leads to an argument, doesn't it?) but mostly I was always relieved. He was taking control of a dire sitaution and eventually, the child always settled, and it always works.

Today, our kids never come to our bed in the middle of the night. Ever. And I absolutely love it. When we tuck them into bed, they don't come downstairs. Don't ask for water. Just... go to sleep. This is not a smug statement! This is years of hard, consistent work from the hubby and I. My husband has always said to me, "No. This is our bed. This is our sacred space. It is just for us."

And I really get that. It's the one place in the entire house which is just for us. In every single way.

But I won't lie. I do crave sleeping next to my child. Feeling their breath and their intertwined limbs and their soft hair and faces right next to me. Bliss, I think.

Well. Not quite so. Early this morning, my son awoke. He was a tad unsettled.

"Babe, do you wanna sleep in Raf's bed, and he can sleep here?" I say, finally getting the chance to sleep with my little prince?

"Sure," he says. And we do the bed-swap thing.

I am SO happy.

And that lasts about ten minutes.

He keeps hiding under the blankets. Checking to see if the sun has come up yet it's 1.30am! No, it hasn't!). And just generally waking me juuuust as I am about to drop off.

After what seems like an hour of this, I have HAD IT.

I raise my voice and tell him, "Enough! Go to sleep."

He does. And early in the AM, he says, "Hi Mummy! I'm awake!"

"Okay, great," I say, half-dead-to-the-world. "Go to Daddy."

I sleep for a few more hours, and when I awake with that dreadful broken sleep feeling, I vow to never entertain that fun-in-theory co-sleeping thing again.

I love the rule my husband has made, and I will not be breaking it again.

What are your thoughts and experiences on co-sleeping? Share below!

Honest Toddler: Convos With My 2 Year Old - Episode 2: VIDEO

The second video in this funny series from 'Honest Toddler' is just in. Did you see part one? Here it is.

The Facebook page 'Honest Toddler' features status updates made from the thought processes of a toddler.

Honest Toddler has now started a video series, titled  'Convos With My 2 Year Old'. All are acted out by the creator of the page Matthew Clarke and the child - Coco - is hilariously played by a fully grown man, David Milchard.

Watch:

Honest Toddler: 'Convos With My 2 Year Old' - Episode 1: VIDEO

The Facebook page 'Honest  Toddler' is one of the funniest pages I have seen. After all, conversations with a toddler are some of the funniest, most hilarious, most brutally honest you will ever have.

Honest Toddler know this, and so, they have cleverly started  video series, titled  'Convos With My 2 Year Old'. Here is episide one (it's acted by the creator of the page Matthew Clarke, his partner Leila Harrison... but the child - Coco - is hilariously played by a fully grown man, David Milchard).

Watch + share:

How fabulous is the hair clip and heart necklace? And yes, that's the couple's daughter Coco at the very end. CUTE!

Toilet training how-to: one mother and daughter's story

Are you in the midst of toilet training madness?

With twins now aged five, we are well and truly done in that department, but it was trying at times to say the least.

So when a friend proudly [and she darn well should be!] announced on Facebook that her daughter was toilet trained, I understood her elation. I asked her how she did it for readers of this blog, and here is what she said about the process [and yes, that's her daughter, below]:

"We have a Bumbo toilet seat that sits on top of the toilet making it comfortable for my daughter to sit. She started to show interest at around two years old, but I didn’t want to push it. When the weather warmed up and she spent more time naked at home, I started putting undies over her nappies for a few weeks and conditioning her that I was going to "throw away her nappies soon because she was a big girl."

She got it, and started to be excited about it. We did about a month of verbal conditioning. I also purchased some books about girls going to the toilet and used to read those to her regularly. A great book is “Everybody Poos” which is hilarious and has great pictures – that’s her favourite!

When we were at home I got rid of her nappy for a few weeks and told her to tell me when she would need to wee. She was diligent and never had an accident. Then she was ‘toilet trained’ but only for wees, not poos. When she needed to poo she asked for a nappy and this was happening for about two weeks. Then she became obsessed with needing her Bumbo seat.

She calls it her ‘pink potty’ – and basically would hold it in until she had her seat. This became a problem when we were out and about and a big problem at daycare. Daycare were kind enough to let me send it with her which we did for one week, and they weaned her off it. As a rule she never wanted to poo anywhere other than at home, but then my mother in law took her to the beach and she needed a poo, and she said she needed to go to the ‘public toilet’. 

Now, pooing in the public toilet has become a somewhat novelty for her (urrrrgh!!) so she loves to go to the toilet anywhere, with anyone, and without her “pink potty”. She has only had one accident in the last three months which was largely my fault – I had put undies on after her bath (she still wears nappies at night and I suspect will do so for a while given she’s now only two and a half years old), and when I was reading to her she told me she wanted to do a wee and asked if she could (thinking she had a nappy on) I said yes and ended up covered in wee. She was really upset and accused me “you forgot to put a nappy on me” but she got over it quickly. 

Now she reminds me every night before bed to put one on her! That’s just her nature though... Very bossy! 

I knew she was ready because she showed interest and understood the concept. I also knew she knew the difference between weeing in her nappy and in the toilet. We didn’t bother with ‘training pants’ or the potty, we went straight to the toilet. I would say though that the only trouble we had was that she became attached to her pink potty. Even at home she wants to use it, but now is fine not using it when out. She also loves the fact that she’s a ‘big girl’ and uses the toilet – and has incredible bladder control. I am quite proud of my little one."

And so she should be!

What have been your challenges with toilet training your child [or bonus 'fun': your twins]? Are you embarking on this journey now? Or halfway through? Or perhaps have finished the process? Share your stories in the comments section below.

'The Motherhood' feat. Fiat 500L - viral parenting rap video

A TV ad for the Fiat 500L featuring a 'mummy rap' is going viral... 

It features lines like this:

"I express, like the best, from these holes in my chest. Wear a nursing bra, like a bulletproof vest… Work versus home is a mental combination, with my elbows deep in infant defecation.'

Watch:

Daycare now turns into overnight minding. Would you use this service?

Would you consider overnight child minding?

This is the new wave of babysitting - family daycare centres are now changing their hours and opening overnight and on weekends to suit a growing number of parents who now work unusual, non-traditional hours.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of people working non-business hours is up 15 per cent.

And more than one in three worked extra hours or overtime, and almost 60 per cent had no say in their start time and finish times.

In an article in the Sunday Telegraph published yesterday, the newspaper cites a recent survey by Family Day Care Australia of more than 300 providers found 12 per cent provided overnight care, while 14.4 per cent had weekend care.

"Gone are the days of the standard nine to five work day," Family Day Care Australia CEO Carla Northam said.

"Statistics show more and more parents are having to work outside of normal hours, whether they be shift workers, emergency services employees, casuals or executives. Family daycare provides parents flexible childcare, with many educators providing care around the clock."

World Tower Child Care in Sydney's CBD offers working parents a 24-hour childcare service to meet demand.

"There is a need for 24-hour care," centre director Laura Silvera told the Sunday Telegraph. "But the bulk of our work is done to suit working parents, so long daycare hours are from 7am to 7pm."

Ms Silvera told the newspaper that many executives attended after-work functions and required unusual childcare hours. "Parents have to work longer and attend more meetings," she said.

Me? Well I know that when I have done contract work for companies, I stipulate before I start that I must leave work at 4pm, in order to make it in time to pick up my kids. I actually don't mind that I have this curfew, and they don't mind because they know that I work like a maniac to finish all the tasks I set myself for the day. So they're kinda getting some damn good value for money with me.

What about you? Would you like this extended care for kids? I can absolutely see a need for it. But then, do the lines between work and leisure time [and more importantly, time you spend with your children] get incredibly blurred? And where does it end?

Share your stories and thoughts here.

And read more on the Sunday Telegraph piece here:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-news/daycare-turns-into-overnight-minding/story-e6freuzi-1226413268343

Kids and iPhones – it’s all about balance, by Jo Abi

I really enjoyed this post, by writer Jo Abi - about kids and iPhones. It most certainly resonated with me, as my twins have been obsessed with my iPhone since they could walk. Now they have iPads and I try to limit the time they spend on there. We paint, we draw, we rough and tumble, we go outside, we blow bubbles [really... I'm not just saying that. They are easily entertained!]

Mind you, my son's iPad was purchased with FaHCSIA funding and all we have are autism-specific apps, though he is definitely enamoured with YouTube-ing kids' cartoon videos [visit my Twitter page and see - he has somehow worked out how to post various YouTube links... to my Twitter page! I don't even know how he does this!]

I also enjoyed Jo's appearance on 'Breakfast' yesterday morning [see link, below]:

Here's an excerpt from Jo's piece:

My eight-year-old completely freaked me out with an “Your iPhone Screen Looks Broken” app a couple of weeks ago, my four-year-old is obsessed with the bowling app and my two-year-old girl plays the Dora Memory Cards game. I’m not proud and I am aware that their time on my iPhone needs to be monitored and limited. In an effort to ensure the next school holidays isn’t a tech-free-for-all I dusted off the games I purchased before the last school holidays – Twister, Monopoly, Guess Who, Uno and Cards. I even found Jacks!

This school holidays I am determined…my kids will not spend more than an hour a day TOTAL on computers, iPhones, iPads or any device with the word “Nintendo” on it.

This is going to be a massive task.

As was pointed out to me this morning, parents are busy. It takes time and effort to engage with your kids and make sure they are indulging in a variety of activities and Winter is the worst time for this. Please don’t rain during the school holidays!

We also have chalk to draw on the concrete out the back, water paints and my husband bought them new soccer balls which I plan to kick around the park with them.

To read the rest of this blog post, go here: http://joabi.com.au/2012/06/25/kids-and-iphones-its-all-about-balance/

And you can watch Jo's TV appearance here: http://tenbreakfast.com.au/video.htm?movideo_m=200486 

So, what do you think? Time limits on techy gadgets? Or let them dictate? Do you... gasp... use tech things as a babysitter sometimes?

Leave your comments below.

Tracey Spicer: the day she dropped her baby, and why she's a Choice advocate

Long-time Choice advocate and mother of two, journalist Tracey Spicer, has written a personal blog (see below) to mark Choice Baby Safety Week this week.

In a gut-wrenching, could-have-been-me story, Tracey reveals for the first time how her new-born baby fell head-first onto wooden floor boards during a change table mishap. 

As part of her advocacy role, Tracey is calling on parents to be more vigilant when purchasing baby products. According to Tracey, it’s difficult to get genuine, objective and independent advice, and this is why she decided to support Choice Baby Safety Week.  

You can download the comprehensive Choice guide right here (it's worth it; I have downloaded it and so wish this was around when my twins were babies): www.choice.com.au/expectantparentsguide

Here is Tracey's raw and honest piece for Choice Baby Safety Week:

"It’s the most wonderful time of your life. But it can also be the most fearful.

Caring for a baby is equal parts exhilaration and trepidation. Am I doing the right thing? What if something happens? Where’s the rule book?

I remember – like it was yesterday – bringing home my precious premature firstborn. Taj had spent three weeks in neo-natal intensive care with two serious lung disorders.

I was finally able to take him home on Christmas Eve. We went for a sunset walk with the pram. It was supposed to be a moment of great joy. But I was struck with terror.

Every couple of steps, I stopped to remove the sunshade to make sure he was still breathing. I fiddled with the straps to ensure he wouldn’t become strangled. I loosened then tightened his swaddling so it was just right. In short: I drove my husband mad.

But I didn’t have confidence in my ability as a mother – or the products I’d purchased to keep my baby safe. Then came the change table incident.

We had an old, wooden table we’d bought on eBay. But it didn’t have raised sides.

“It’s OK,” I thought. “I’ll always have one hand on the little wriggler. He won’t fall off.”

Now, babies aren’t supposed to roll over until three or four months of age. But one day, when Taj was two-and-a-half-months, I turned around to grab some wipes and “thud”.

He’d fallen headfirst onto the floorboards. I scooped him up and went to call triple-0.

Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt. We were incredibly lucky.

Falling is the most common cause of injury to children under the age of five.

One friend had to take her baby to the emergency department with a hairline fracture to the skull after a similar incident.

Her change table had been handed down through the family. Again, it had no sides or safety straps.

Parents face the same problems with bassinets. They may look lovely, but many pose choking and suffocation hazards.

I’ll never forget seeing another friend’s baby with his face pressed into a gap between the mattress and the side of the bassinet. The mesh had been covered with a blanket to provide comfort – but no ventilation. I quickly moved the blanket away so the sweet little fella could breathe.

The problem is, first-time parents are flying blind. There’s a plethora of information on the internet, but much of it is sponsored by manufacturers.

It’s difficult to get genuine, objective, independent advice.

That’s why I’m proud to support Choice's Baby Safety Week. Rigorous testing has revealed which products are safe, and which are not. There’s also advice on adjustments you can make to existing items.

The solution is simple: The Federal Government needs to bring in mandatory standards for all strollers, bassinets and change tables.

Sure, some might say this is another example of the “nanny state”. But what’s more important than protecting new life? It would certainly give parents peace of mind."



Adds Tracey in my interview with her [she was juggling swimming lessons with her kids and our phone interview, while I was hoping my four year old twins would stay quiet during our chat. They did]:


"The point I want to make is it can happen to anybody. I mean, you're so careful with every area of your life, and especially with kids, but then, your attention is turned away for a second and and anything can happen.


That's why, I am such a fan of Choice generally, but specifically with this campaign because when you're going out there, buying products, whether it's a change table, or a stroller, or a bassinet, you need to know that it's 100% safe, and it has the latest technology, to make sure that even if you turn away for a second there are sides on the change table for example, or a strap that can keep your baby safe and secure.


So that's why I wanted to support the campaign, to say, look this can happen to anybody; let's get some laws in place that help mothers help themselves."


Making an informed choice is super important for new mums, and Tracey agrees.


"Exactly. Because a lot of people might buy stuff on eBay or get it handed down through the family, and it's lovely to have those sentimental items like beautiful bassinets, but some items do have suffocation hazards that we've only become aware of in recent years, so you might not even be aware of that."


I am a great fan of the hand me down, as a mum of twins. Tracey, too, favoured the odd hand me down, but says: "I thought that anything that was handed down to me, or even anything I bought met the safety standards, but that's just not the case."


Are people turning to more and more to guides from Choice, so they feel completely informed when making important purchases?


"Definitely. And I think the reason people are turning to an organisation like Choice is because they're independent. If you start researching on the internet, a lot of reports are put up there by the manufacturer's and they don't disclose that it's by the manufacturer's. They say it has this safety rating or that safety rating, but there's not an independent body there, on the internet, broadly advising parents that this item is 100% safe. 


And that's what good about Choice. They've got no agenda, they're not not being paid by any company, so you know it's legitimate, authentic advice."


Download the Choice guide here: www.choice.com.au/expectantparentsguide



Tracey Spicer is a broadcaster, journalist, mother and Advocate for CHOICE Baby Safety Week. For more on Tracey, click here: http://spicercommunications.biz/