http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/fathers-day/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-to-be-a-good-parent-at-100-miles-an-hour/ I was deep in conversation recently with a very successful retiree about his experiences as a father. The banter was light until it was time to part ways at which point he grabbed my arm and hastened me to listen carefully. “Be sure that you love your children equally!” he said with an unsettling eeriness in his voice not unlike a line spoken in a disaster movie moments before all hell breaks lose. “I have two sons”, he continued, “One of them has always been motivated, successful and talented and has never relied on my wealth to survive, while the other has always been lazy, unsuccessful and forever in trouble. Instead of rewarding my successful son for all that he’s achieved, I’ve spent my life chasing after the other son, bailing him out time and time again. I hardly know my boys now. The son that I’ve always protected only talks to me when he needs something and because throughout his life he’s needed so much attention, I never had time to get to know my other boy. I’ve been left virtually with nothing!” feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-to-be-a-good-parent-at-100-miles-an-hour/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-to-be-a-good-parent-at-100-miles-an-hour/#item3959 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Fathers Day - or in our house Feathrs or Farthers day depending upon the cards I received last year - is nearly upon the kids. Last year I got lots of cards - approximately 8 by my count. I don’t have that many children nor did I discover I had some I didn’t know about. Instead my known children were extremely productive; to the tune of 2.67 cards per child. What is more, they were all self-made. We now have a rule at home that Hallmark holidays should mean that no money should be spent that would go anywhere near Hallmark. That means everything is made. Not only did I get the cards but several paintings and a treasure hunt. The last one was imaginative but, ultimately fast, because my then 6 year old son organised the whole thing but didn’t have the patience to wait for me to decipher his clues and took me straight to the treasure. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-buy-my-book-for-fathers-day/ Fathers Day - or in our house Feathrs or Farthers day depending upon the cards I received last year - is nearly upon the kids. Last year I got lots of cards - approximately 8 by my count. I don’t have that many children nor did I discover I had some I didn’t know about. Instead my known children were extremely productive; to the tune of 2.67 cards per child. What is more, they were all self-made. We now have a rule at home that Hallmark holidays should mean that no money should be spent that would go anywhere near Hallmark. That means everything is made. Not only did I get the cards but several paintings and a treasure hunt. The last one was imaginative but, ultimately fast, because my then 6 year old son organised the whole thing but didn’t have the patience to wait for me to decipher his clues and took me straight to the treasure. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-buy-my-book-for-fathers-day/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/dont-buy-my-book-for-fathers-day/#item1115 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Fathers Day - or in our house Feathrs or Farthers day depending upon the cards I received last year - is nearly upon the kids. Last year I got lots of cards - approximately 8 by my count. I don’t have that many children nor did I discover I had some I didn’t know about. Instead my known children were extremely productive; to the tune of 2.67 cards per child. What is more, they were all self-made. We now have a rule at home that Hallmark holidays should mean that no money should be spent that would go anywhere near Hallmark. That means everything is made. Not only did I get the cards but several paintings and a treasure hunt. The last one was imaginative but, ultimately fast, because my then 6 year old son organised the whole thing but didn’t have the patience to wait for me to decipher his clues and took me straight to the treasure. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/are-we-being-served-the-rort-of-extended-warranties/ In the run up to Father’s Day the electrical stores are spruiking like it’s Christmas. You can be sure that along with any of the hot deals from digital cameras to TVs will come one innocent –sounding question. At the very point of sale when you’re about to hand over the cash for dad’s gift you’ll be asked “Would you like an extended warranty with that?” It sounds simple enough. An few extra years’ “protection” for a hundred bucks or so, depending on the price of the item. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Antony McMullen) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/are-we-being-served-the-rort-of-extended-warranties/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/are-we-being-served-the-rort-of-extended-warranties/#item1100 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:00:12 +0000 Fathers Day - or in our house Feathrs or Farthers day depending upon the cards I received last year - is nearly upon the kids. Last year I got lots of cards - approximately 8 by my count. I don’t have that many children nor did I discover I had some I didn’t know about. Instead my known children were extremely productive; to the tune of 2.67 cards per child. What is more, they were all self-made. We now have a rule at home that Hallmark holidays should mean that no money should be spent that would go anywhere near Hallmark. That means everything is made. Not only did I get the cards but several paintings and a treasure hunt. The last one was imaginative but, ultimately fast, because my then 6 year old son organised the whole thing but didn’t have the patience to wait for me to decipher his clues and took me straight to the treasure.