Things that concern me as a parent

• 8 y.o.s who are highly fashion conscious, who act up to get attention, love Bratz and pretty clothes, and are happy to consider braces for their crooked teeth only if braces are a fashion accessory
• The declining quality of education in VIC
• The high incidence of mental illness in youth, especially in the western suburbs where we live
• J's stubborn refusal to go to bed without screaming, unless she is nursed or rocked till she falls asleep