- I respectfully disagree on the semantics you highlight. He didn't say women of calibre. He said 'women of that calibre' in reference to the subgroup he had previously identified (the onesaustrala has supported through their educational journey). Just saying. - JenDalitz
- Spot on Tara. I wonder if hard attitudes would soften if policies were named for the children themselves with debate directed at documents called Raising Future Australians Bill, Bringing Up Baby Bill, Children Are Our Future .... It should be blindingly obvious to all, even those without children, that the health and well-being of the very young is of paramount importance. - Dianne
- I am in 50 to 100 age bracket. Do some volunteer work in an Aged Care facility. Recently (start of April 2012) became aware of on-line petitions via GetUp and www.communityrun.org websites. Started a petition with title "IT'S TIME for Non Drug, Hemp Food Products to be Approved for Human Food Consumption in Australia" Amazed at response. More than 100 signatures first day and less than 5 weeks to achieve 1000. Petition still has about 6 months to run. www.communityrun.org/p/hfa - Anthony
- "When a sick fourteen month-old baby needs her mum….or dad. No it’s not. There’s no contest. Sick baby wins!" "If sick baby wins", why was it ok for sick baby to wait 5 days? Mum requested on Monday... for leave on Thursday. And then when granted leave, mum spends the afternoon doing radio and television interviews. Seems more like sick baby wins when it's politically convenient. We've moved from misogyny and onto sick babies, this Parliament's new football. - Joe
- Hey KF, more power to you and me and anyone who has to FIGHT for our loved ones who can't fight for themselves. One day at a time. Sometimes one hour at a time. Metoo- here's hoping you never have to walk a mile in our shoes- for a multitude of reasons, and my last word- I don't see it as "locking up" my aunt I see it as an honor to make sure she is safe, looked after and comfortable for the rest of her life Good luck to everyone, Robyn - Roby
- Tara, this article is brilliant. Agree with every word. - Nicole Madigan
- Santorini..... - Katherine Basher
- Very moving. Everyone I know who had done this has been touched by it. - Jo
- I have to disagree with a few things in this article. Mothers have never been better supported than they are now. 12 years ago I didn't get a baby bonus and I only got 16% childcare rebate. Now families get 50% rebate on childcare. 12 years ago there was no paid maternity leave option from the government and the paid maternity leave from my work was 6 weeks, now it's increased to 8 weeks. A colleague told me last year she took 8 weeks at half pay (over 16 weeks) and then got 18 weeks paid maternity leave from the government so she could take over 8 months off with pay. There is also paternity leave available now where I work which wasn't available 12 years ago. However I do agree with Tara Moss about Newstart. Giving single parents the Newstart allowance is pathetic and I challenge any politician to try and live on it for 6 months and pay a mortgage or rent and see how they survive. We also still have a long way to go on gender equality when it comes to pay scales but hopefully with more women in the workforce it will help the cause. - Not That Bad
- Wonderful. I always ask myself will someone die if I fuck up? Will it matter in 3 months? And who fucking cares? Works for me. The swearing part is important apparently. ;-) x - Michaela C
ON THE HIGHWIRE ANSWERS
HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR BODY AND MIND STRONG?
Weightlifting for the body, crosswords for the mind … as you get older, the need for strength increases – what daily routines do you engage in to keep your brain alert and your body strong?
How’s your bone density? Your core strength? Do you lift weights or stride out on a daily walk?
And the mind – do you meditate? Do a daily crossword or have a book of Sudoku puzzles standing by? Maybe you make a point of reading every night?
Let us know how keep yourself strong … in all areas of your life.
2 Responses to this article
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Lisa Burnette November 10, 2012
Random comment from me on today’s Good Weekend Article… the age old “can women have it all”… why are these articles always about high flyers? I would imagine as a CEO Marissa Mayer will be able to have it all. A stimulating career with the big bucks to outsource the menial tasks such as housework, grocery shopping and ironing so that the time she does share with her child will be quality. The reality of that question should be asked of part time working mothers whose mediocre wage only just covers child care and who will spend much of her day feeling like she’s never on top of things at home or work!
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Rhoda November 10, 2012
I’m the fittest I’ve ever been and I’m over 60. I put it down to walking 4 / 6k a day. Not into running – too much wear and tear on the joints. Would swim if I could but live in the bush. Love body surfing still when I can get to the beach and park the car away from any entrance and make myself walk. Comes easy now. I have 2 border collies who make it more fun than it would be. Walking up hills definitely makes you strong. I still have to work on bending my knees and getting up though. That’s really hard for me so I have started to discipline myself and do the exercises. Want to be able to get out of a bath in 10 years time.
I take multi- vitamins pretty much all the time and when I know I need to be on top of things I add a multi B. I see the benefits of this in my nails and hair and the fact I can get through the day without any downers. Desserts and heavy meals and takeaways don’t interest me. I stick to fresh and simple – salads, fruit, lean meat. Grow a few vegies and herbs to supplement what I buy. Nothing like a heirloom tomato straight out of the garden with some of the basil growing beside it. No angel – I trick myself to a Weis bar or some chocolate milk occasionally. I enjoy a glass of wine.
I’m pretty fit I think – size 12. Can do whatever my adult children can do. Except get up from the crouch position!! And I read. I garden. I stay in touch with family and friends weekly or at least fortnightly. I enjoy travelling on the cheap – 3 or 4 of us girlfriends do a trip away every year. Last year it was WA – year before New Zealand – fly/drive. Stay in backpackers/ caravan park cabins. Have a ball.
Way to go!
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Marina Go: I don't have a lot of time in my day so mind and body are strengthened as I go. My websites Crikey and Women's Agenda keep my mind alert - as does writing for the high-wire on this beautiful site. My body has to make do with the walk from carpark to office. I know that I need to do more!
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Park the car a little further away from your office, …
What do you think of this response from Marina Go? Click here to have your say
Marina Go: I don't have a lot of time in my day so mind and body are strengthened as I go. My websites Crikey and Women's Agenda keep my mind alert - as does writing for the high-wire on this beautiful site. My body has to make do with the walk from carpark to office. I know that I need to do more!
What do you think of this response from Marina Go? Click here to have your say
Marina Go: I don't have a lot of time in my day so mind and body are strengthened as I go. My websites Crikey and Women's Agenda keep my mind alert - as does writing for the high-wire on this beautiful site. My body has to make do with the walk from carpark to office. I know that I need to do more!
What do you think of this response from Marina Go? Click here to have your say
Marina Go: I don't have a lot of time in my day so mind and body are strengthened as I go. My websites Crikey and Women's Agenda keep my mind alert - as does writing for the high-wire on this beautiful site. My body has to make do with the walk from carpark to office. I know that I need to do more!
What do you think of this response from Marina Go? Click here to have your say
Christine Whiston: Yoga - it takes care of both mind and body.
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Meredith Jaffe: Look, I'm a slacker. I do try and do the 5BX/ XBX program invented for the Canadian Airforce before aerobics hit the scene (yes, by that I DO mean old, but then, so am I) so that's a small tick for cardio and core strength. I try and swim laps regularly which is more hit than miss. I do eat well since I love veggies but drink wine everyday which counteracts the veggies. I love Sudoku but prefer Scrabble which I play online everyday.
But you know, I don't think I could bear my own company if I was all wheat grass and goji berries. Life is for living not for worshiping at the altar of the body temple. Maybe that viewpoint is out of step (all 12,000 of them) with our contemporary obsession with the body beautiful but I'm 47, the body is lumpy and bumpy, it's given me three kids, it sags, yet amazingly it still turns my husband (and me) on, so I consider myself lucky.
It's all in the balance.
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Katherine Thomson: I have to lift weights so that I can haul my overweight cabin baggage over my head, not to mention lugging the overweight check in. Currently doing interval weight training, so you keep moving and avoid 'gym coma' - sitting on a weight machine and staring into space.
I'm slack with the brain training but at my best do Mybraintrainer.com and now signed up to - oh god, what's it called - brain hq posit science (this got a good rap in a book in praise of the middle -aged brain). I'm taking on board Jenny's advice re three months on and off for the supplements - I was taking gingko for years but now a Brain Focus supplement which is apparently a bit more synergistic.
I have read scores of peer-reviewed articles which assure me that red wine is essential not only for the brain but also fitness and core body strength so I twist my own arm and enjoy.
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Sarah Maddison: I start my day at 5.20am so I can fit in a gym session every day. Twice a week I do a crossfit style class (high intensity, high rep intervals), twice a week I do spin, and once or twice a week I train with a personal trainer. A couple of times a year I set myself the challenge of a run like the City to Surf for a bit of extra focus.
It is really satisfying to be in my mid 40s and know that I am the fittest and strongest I have been in my life! A big change from 3 years ago when I was 12 kgs heavier and couldn't run to catch a bus! Now I have more energy, I sleep better and yes, it is satisfying to look better too :)
I also pay a lot of attention to what I eat - aim for high protein, low carb, low fat, mostly vegetarian, as organic as possible. I don't find any of that difficult, it's just what I like to eat. We never eat meat at home but I really enjoy it as a treat when we go out.
My mind? I'm an academic so my mind is always busy. I feel I should probably do more to slow it down through meditation or something but the time and discipline of that seems beyond me at the moment. Maybe one day... Holidays!! A holiday is always booked and the light on the horizon that makes everything else possible :)
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Jenny Owens: Body - I do loads of different types of lifting weights, I need to for my sport. I'm very strong and powerful. I also do lots of intervals, circuits, running, swimming, biking, surfing etc. I think I would do most of this even if I wasn't still competing, I like to keep fit :-)
Mind - I can be a bit slake at times! I do study online through Open University so I'm learning all the time. I'm not much of a reader but do do Sudoku puzzles on the plane to kill some time! I also blog on a few websites which I enjoy. I'm very creative so I work a lot of thinking up new ideas, ways etc to market myself for skiing!
Body and Mind - I also take a lot of supplements. They help the brain and body. I only take them for 3 months, go off them and back on for 3 months etc. It take your body 3 months to reset taking the vitamins but you also don't want your body to get immune to them so stopping for 3 months is perfect for that. I take things like Omega 3, Vitamine E, Protein shakes, Cuma Cuma and the list goes on! It's expensive, but I don't get sick anymore and feel amazing :-)
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I am interested in the 3 months on 3 months off routine for your supplements. I have not heard of this before, and as I have my daily dose, .. I am interested to find out the thoughts behind this routine…??
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