Author Archives

• Biddulph discovers something that I think we’ve been calling feminism

  By hatbluemilk on 2013-02-19 • ( 14 )

  

  Parenting expert, Steve Biddulph, who I am not a fan of for various reasons, is best known for his book, Raising Boys. Now Biddulph has begun calling attention to the plight of girls with the launch of his new book,… Read More ›

• A couple of things to bear in mind with the ‘slacker mum’ movement

  By hatbluemilk on 2013-02-17 • ( 9 )

  

  Jane Caro has just written a rather charming article, “Over-mothered? No, over mothering” for the Sydney Morning Herald. For birthdays, I bought two packs of 12 lamington fingers and stuck a candle in each one. They served a whole class…. Read More ›

• The controversy in writing about your children

  By hatbluemilk on 2013-01-18 • ( 13 )

  

  This article in The Atlantic by Phoebe Maltz Bovy, “The ethical implications of parents writing about their children” is incredibly unforgiving of mother writers and bloggers. She sets the benchmark very low for the test of appropriateness with writing and… Read More ›

• Education is a political issue. This is why.

  By hatbluemilk on 2012-12-24 • ( 12 )

  

  This, “For many poor students, leap to college ends in a hard fall” is a very well-executed piece in The New York Times. It follows three talented, but terribly disadvantaged, girl students who make it into university but then manage… Read More ›

• The ‘damaged women’ vote

  By hatbluemilk on 2012-12-16 • ( 10 )

  

  Recently we were being trolled by an Australian economist, Dr Steven Kates about the Obama win in the United States of America. Among his conclusions, that the Obama vote was made up of the medicants (ie. people who need significant… Read More ›

• Bananas in Pyjamas teaching you to like ‘bad boys’ and clean up all their mess

  By hatbluemilk on 2012-11-03 • ( 21 )

  

  File this one under: Don’t let your cranky, feminist mother watch your TV shows. So, my three year old son was watching an episode (‘Super Bear’) of the Australian children’s show, Bananas in Pyjamas the other day and I walked… Read More ›

• Is Australia more feminist?

  By hatbluemilk on 2012-11-01 • ( 12 )

  

  The Australian prime minister Julia Gillard’s labelling of the leader of the opposition, Tony Abbott, a “misogynist” has become the focus of intense debate both in Australia and here in the UK. What has been most striking for me is… Read More ›

• Book Review: ‘Why Have Kids?’ by Jessica Valenti

  By hatbluemilk on 2012-10-04 • ( 2 )

  

  You won’t agree with everything in this book no matter which direction of parenting you’re coming from, Valenti acknowledges that, but it is taking the mainstream conversation about parenting to a meatier level and it’s about time that happened.

• Does Keynes still have the secret to happiness? And even for parents?

  By hatbluemilk on 2012-09-28 • ( 8 )

  

  You must read this wonderful essay in aeon magazine from economist, John Quiggin – “The Golden Age: The 15-hour working week predicted by Keynes may soon be within our grasp – but are we ready for freedom from toil”. Quiggin… Read More ›

• Sunday Singalong: Nina Simone

  By hatbluemilk on 2012-08-12 • ( 2 )

  

  I grew up listening to Nina Simone and I love her music. Whenever I talk about Nina Simone I am obliged to tell you my anecdote because it is the coolest moment of my life and it happened when I… Read More ›