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Black-and-white photo of two babies in vintage robes sitting on a lap against patterned fabric. Both look at the camera.

Photography

idea

Victorian hidden mothers and the continued erasure of mothering

Why do Victorian ‘hidden mother’ photographs shock us? We’re still expected to hide the work of mothering from public view

by Andrea Kaston Tange

Group of boys looking up, with one in focus and several others blurred in the background. The scene is outdoors.

Gender

idea

Talk of toxic masculinity puts the blame in all the wrong places

Toxic masculinity discourse harms vulnerable boys and men and distracts society from the true sources of gender inequity

by Heidi Matthews

Woman in a white dress and straw hat pulling a grey pram on a sandy beach.

Parenting and families

guide

How to know if you want to be a parent

Set aside everyone else’s preconceptions. Then try doing these counterintuitive exercises to understand your own desires

by Ann Davidman

Black wire sculpture of a person dancing, with a sketchy background of buildings, trees, and a street in black, blue, and red.

Parenting and families

film

When a young woman leaves home, her parents’ world literally begins to unravel

A film by Dina Velikovskaya

Portrait painting of a large Renaissance family. The mother and father figures look at each other with disdain, the children are unsmiling.

Parenting and families

idea

DNA testing is easy. It can also turn your family upside down

DNA testing is bringing the era of family secrets to a close. When a surprise is uncovered, lives can change forever

by Libby Copeland

A man pushing a child in a pram up a grassy hill with mountains and a small village in the background on a sunny day.

Parenting and families

idea

It should be OK for parents to express regret about having children

Regret is common to all humans. So it’s no surprise that some parents regret having children: it shouldn’t be a taboo topic

by Jenna Abetz & Julia Moore

Parenting and families

guide

How to raise a resilient child

Put that helicopter back in the hangar and let your children find their own way. Their independence will likely surprise you

by Judith Locke

Two people sitting on a bench next to a marina with several boats in the background, partially covered by tree branches.

Parenting and families

film

Young, gay and Arab, Omar navigates the seasons of his life in Montreal

Directed by Aziz Zoromba

A serene woman lying in bed with her newborn baby who is resting on her chest.

Parenting and families

idea

Philosophy can explain what kind of achievement it is to give birth

Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding are physical achievements, like marathon running: give them the same respect, and no more

by Fiona Woollard

A child in a blue silk coat with a golden motif stands by a railway line, half-hidden behind an adult in similar attire.

Personality

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Childhood shyness can be advantageous – don’t pathologise it

Given their cautious vigilance, shy children are more likely to detect social threats and anticipate how events will unfold

by Raha Hassan & Kristie Poole

Women smiling and chopping vegetables together in a cosy kitchen, with fresh ingredients and cooking utensils on the table.

Couples and family therapy

guide

How to survive and thrive through divorce

Take heart: there are ways to protect yourself and any children involved, and prepare for more joyful chapters ahead

by Lisa Herrick

Abstract art of nude figures with long hair floating around a large, twisted pink shape on a dark background.

Parenting and families

film

Past trauma bleeds into the bond between one mother and her daughter

A film by Danski Tang