Occasionally I have one or both of my nephews around to stay with me at the weekend, they are currently aged 5 and 7. This usually gives me the opportunity to regress a bit and have a lot of fun.I get to play games and eat unhealthily for a day or two whilst they get the freedom to do pretty much what they like. As they are not ready to own the merits of eating healthily I have adopted their mentality whilst they are staying. Meanwhile, I get to pick their brains for the pearls of wisdom that they occasionally present. I have a habit of asking them questions that I have yet to find an answer to and indeed probably never will. "What is the key to the universe?" and "What is the secret to life?" are things I have pondered for many...

It’s eight o’clock in the night. Pie is packing her school bag. She is about to switch off the lights of her room when the door bell rings. Her mama opens the door. It’s Jia. She is crying!“O! Why are you crying? What happened?” Pie’s mama asks. Pie hears this and comes running out of her room. Jia says, “I have lost my money.” She had 200 rupees which she had kept in her little wooden box. She had got this money from her Papa for getting good marks in class test.Pie’s mama asks, “Did you look for it on your table and in other rooms?” Jia said yes. Then Pie asks if she asked her mama and papa about the money. Jia says they have gone for a party. Pie tells her not to cry. They will search for the money. Then she says that Jia should...

RE: 10 things I want my kids to know Could you do me a favour? As a parent, there are 10 things I'd like my kids to know. Thing is, if I tell them, they won't get it. That's the law: the last place you seek wisdom is from your mum and dad; just look at the mess they've made! My kids know me too well to think that anything as profound as this could come from my lips. Nonetheless here's my legacy. I sincerely hope it helps in a seemingly ever-more turbulent world. Any chance you could email it to them as one of those “The Dalai Lama said this and if you don't send it to 10 other kids, he's gonna tell Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie” e-chain letters, so they won't know it's me? Here it is; 1.Life is good. Remember this...

Travelling is always and adventure, but travelling with children is a challenge. With young children it is always go and one only gets to see the most relevant things of a place. Other times, however, it is thanks to the little devils that we discover little jewels.  Travelling with our "princess" and  "hooligan" we have discovered some of the most beautiful villages in France and Italy. Pushing prams, go-chairs, carrying nappies and picnic bags is more our "travel style". Sleeping in camping sites rather than 4 o 5 star hotels where our "darlings" would cause disrepair. Eating picnics and fast food rather than five course meals in fancy restaurants... that is us! There are several points to take into account when you ...