The Sticky Bits of Parenting The Sticky Bits of Parenting

In 2007, there was a Chinese toy toxic paint scare that got a lot of media attention in Australia.

THOUSANDS of toys - plastic Barneys and Big Birds - were recalled from shops across the land amid fears they could be covered in lead paint. Around a million toys were recalled worldwide by the manufacturer Mattel, a cost to the company of around $30 million US dollars.

 
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When to start your kid at school is a popular topic. Should you start them before 5 or hold them back until they are 6? What option will give them a head start academically? Are they socially ready for school yet? Some kids are in a year where the age ranges in class are big. There are kids who were turning 6 when others are turning 5 and had had the benefit of formal pre-school. At that age a 12 month gap seems huge.
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In 2011 The American Academy of Pediatrics released a new policy on screen time and children. It recommends that children under two avoid screen time altogether. Creative, unstructured play is much better for their social and language development. For preschoolers, the Academy recommends only an hour a day of screen time. Australian recommendations in relation to screen time have followed suit. But's not based in the reality of modern busy working families - let's get real on screen time. 
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Let's face is, feeding small children can be a frustrating and messy experience. Food refusal is a classic development issue for little kids. And we live in world where eating in general has become more confusing, more complex as we worry about obesity, sugar, additives and preservatives, and, yes, allergies and intolerances. We live in a world where there a paleo diets for toddlers for Pete's sake. Let's see if we can simplify it all.
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There has never been a safer time to be a child than today. We live in a peaceful and affluent country with a decent health care system and a good education system. Some of the luckiest children in the world are Australian.
So why is it that we are so worried about our kids? Its clear we have more information about parenting than ever before, more choices and yet just as much angst as our parents and their parents. Perhaps even more so. Let's see if we can learn to be more at ease.
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