"Boys basically have two switches: Loud... and Asleep." It felt good to see it in plain English. So good, that I've forgotten the author. One of those 'raising good little boys' books I think. Nothing could be truer in our house. Especially today...

Reading. We all know it's good for you. But then, so is exercise, and how many of us do it diligently? Lately I've been pondering the question, 'am I raising good little readers?' It's a subject that's hard to ignore. My husband and I constantly have our heads in books, and my mum, who worked in a primary-school library, is forever marketing the benefits of reading to our young 'uns...

I'm sure many parents feel like their families are in their own wacky time warp at times. In our house, the craziness is enhanced by Will and Beau's evolving appreciation of time. They know that the promise of chocolate 'tomorrow' isn't too far away. They know that 'next week' means a bit more of a wait and that 'yesterday' is rather irrelevant (who cares about already-eaten chocolate?)...

'Dinnertime' - the word can have an imposing quality on even the calmest of households. Why dinner? Well, the obvious answer is that breakfast and lunch usually don't involve carrots, peas, broccoli or anything else with the unfortunate title of 'vegetable'...

While my little men slumber, I often stare at their rubbery cheeks and ponder the mystery of life, love and everything in between. Because Will and Beau are identical twins, I have the added marvel of comparing their personalities, quirks and traits. Recently, I watched in fascination on a long car trip as they turned their heads several times, in unison, while they slept. They became restless at exactly the same time and it took exactly the same number of wriggles for them to get comfortable again...