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What is childhood dementia? And how could new research help?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-hemsley-1529322">Kim Hemsley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-smith-1529324">Nicholas Smith</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siti-mubarokah-1529323">Siti Mubarokah</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad242">1,400 Australian children and young people</a> live with currently untreatable childhood dementia. Broadly speaking, childhood dementia is caused by any one of <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/what-is-childhood-dementia#what">more than 100</a> rare genetic disorders. Although the causes differ from dementia acquired later in life, the progressive nature of the illness is the same. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad242">Half</a> of infants and children diagnosed with childhood dementia will not reach their tenth birthday, and most will die <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/what-is-childhood-dementia#what">before turning 18</a>. Yet this devastating condition has lacked awareness, and importantly, the research attention needed to work towards treatments and a cure. <h2>More about the causes</h2> Most types of childhood dementia are <a href="https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/146/11/4446/7226999">caused</a> by <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Mutation">mutations</a> (or mistakes) in our <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Deoxyribonucleic-Acid">DNA</a>. These mistakes lead to a range of rare genetic disorders, which in turn cause childhood dementia. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad242">Two-thirds</a> of childhood dementia disorders are caused by “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459183/">inborn errors of metabolism</a>”. This means the metabolic pathways involved in the breakdown of carbohydrates, lipids, fatty acids and proteins in the body fail. As a result, nerve pathways fail to function, neurons (nerve cells that send messages around the body) die, and progressive cognitive decline occurs. <h2>What happens to children with childhood dementia?</h2> Most children initially appear unaffected. But after a period of apparently normal development, children with childhood dementia <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2023.09.006">progressively lose</a> all previously acquired skills and abilities, such as talking, walking, learning, remembering and reasoning. Childhood dementia also leads to significant changes in behaviour, such as aggression and hyperactivity. Severe sleep disturbance is common and vision and hearing can also be affected. Many children have seizures. The age when symptoms start can vary, depending partly on the particular genetic disorder causing the dementia, but the average is around <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fbrain%2Fawad242">two years old</a>. The symptoms are caused by significant, progressive brain damage. <h2>Are there any treatments available?</h2> Childhood dementia treatments currently <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/news/report-reveals-global-research-inequity">under evaluation</a> or approved are for a very limited number of disorders, and are only available in some parts of the world. These include gene replacement, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/jmd2.12378">gene-modified cell therapy</a> and protein or <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1712649">enzyme replacement therapy</a>. Enzyme replacement therapy is available in Australia for <a href="https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/cerliponase-alfa-for-neuronal-ceroid-lipofuscinosis-type-2-disease.html">one form of childhood dementia</a>. These therapies attempt to “fix” the problems causing the disease, and have shown promising results. Other experimental therapies include ones that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/life12050608">target</a> faulty protein production or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2310151">reduce inflammation</a> in the brain. <h2>Research attention is lacking</h2> Death rates for Australian children with cancer <a href="http://www.childhooddementia.org/getasset/2WX39O">nearly halved</a> between <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/cancer-incidence-survival">1997 and 2017</a> thanks to research that has enabled the development of multiple treatments. But over recent decades, <a href="http://www.childhooddementia.org/getasset/2WX39O">nothing has changed</a> for children with dementia. In 2017–2023, research for childhood cancer received over four times more funding per patient compared to funding for <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/getasset/2WX39O">childhood dementia</a>. This is despite childhood dementia causing a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad242">similar number of deaths</a> each year as childhood cancer. The success <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-children/contents/health/cancer-incidence-survival">for childhood cancer sufferers</a> in recent decades demonstrates how adequately funding medical research can lead to improvements in patient outcomes. Another bottleneck for childhood dementia patients in Australia is the lack of access to clinical trials. An <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/news/report-reveals-global-research-inequity">analysis</a> published in March this year showed that in December 2023, only two clinical trials were recruiting patients with childhood dementia in Australia. Worldwide however, 54 trials were recruiting, meaning Australian patients and their families are left watching patients in other parts of the world receive potentially lifesaving treatments, with no recourse themselves. That said, we’ve seen a slowing in the establishment of <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/news/report-reveals-global-research-inequity">clinical trials</a> for childhood dementia across the world in recent years. In addition, we know from <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/join-us/professionals/impacts">consultation with families</a> that current care and support systems <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/getasset/44MLP8">are not meeting the needs</a> of children with dementia and their families. <h2>New research</h2> Recently, we were awarded <a href="https://www.premier.sa.gov.au/media-releases/news-items/major-funding-boost-for-research-into-childhood-dementia">new funding</a> for <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/giving/our-donors/impact-of-giving/improving-the-lives-of-children-with-dementia">our research</a> on childhood dementia. This will help us continue and expand studies that seek to develop lifesaving treatments. More broadly, we need to see increased funding in Australia and around the world for research to develop and translate treatments for the broad spectrum of childhood dementia conditions. Dr Kristina Elvidge, head of research at the <a href="https://www.childhooddementia.org/our-people">Childhood Dementia Initiative</a>, and Megan Maack, director and CEO, contributed to this article.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228508/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kim-hemsley-1529322">Kim Hemsley</a>, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-smith-1529324">Nicholas Smith</a>, Head, Paediatric Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siti-mubarokah-1529323">Siti Mubarokah</a>, Research Associate, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-childhood-dementia-and-how-could-new-research-help-228508">original article</a>. </div>

Mind

"I am lucky to be here": Julie Goodwin opens up on childhood trauma

Julie Goodwin has opened up about the childhood abuse she experienced in her latest memoir. The 53-year-old MasterChef Australia star wrote about how she was sexually abused as a child and later attempted suicide as a teenager in her autobiography, Your Time Starts Now. Speaking to The Australian Women's Weekly, Goodwin recalled how the memory of the abuse which she had buried for a long time returned when she was 16. "Nothing triggered it, it was just like the memory was always there, like a dusty book on a library shelf," she said. "And one day I took it down and looked at it and went, 'Holy crap, how have I not thought about that for nine years?'" Goodwin, however kept the resurfaced memory to her self and maintained an excellent academic record at high school, even becoming school captain, until a year later when she attempted suicide at the age of 17. She shared that following her hospitalisation, she returned to school a few days later and acted as if nothing serious had happened. The TV star then opened up on her road to recovery and the tremendous amount of help she received from her husband Mick, who gave her the love and support she needed. "I am living my second life," she told Women's Weekly. "I am lucky to be here." Images: Channel 10

Books

Princess Diana's childhood home up for rent

The house Princess Diana spent her childhood and teenage years in is now available for the public to rent. Althorp House, located in West Northamptonshire in England, is owned by Diana's brother Earl Spencer, who has lived on the sprawling property as custodian of the estate since 1992. The expansive property has been listed for royal fans with deep pockets to rent on <a href="https://www.elysian-estates.co.uk/althorp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elysian Estates</a>, an upmarket equivalent of Airbnb. Althorp House, which is a 90 minute drive out of London, was built in 1508 and has been in the Spencer family for 19 generations. Lady Diana lived in the 90-room stately home for most of her childhood and teenage years, before she married the then-Prince Charles in 1981. Not just one grand property, the estate covers 13,000 acres of countryside as it encompasses cottages, farms, woodlands and villages, which are open to visitors but only at certain times of the year. Now, the home is once again available to rent via Elysian Estates. "Althorp offers unparalleled levels of service, privacy and luxury to rival the finest properties anywhere in the world; yet retains the truly welcoming and homely feel that makes Althorp so special," the listing says. "Walk in the footsteps of kings and queens, feast or celebrate in spectacular surroundings, marvel at the sense of history and artwork, and slumber in pure luxury." In the main house, there are six state bedrooms to choose from offering "a level of opulence befitting royalty, with these very rooms playing as much a part of English history as any royal palace". Prices for the rental are not yet publicly available as an enquiry must be sent to reserve the opulent property. The listing stated that the stay includes "butler service, a team of private chefs and housekeeping, with a dedicated concierge service". Althorp is today most famous for being the final resting place of Princess Diana following her death in Paris. Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram

Real Estate

Readers respond: What memento from your childhood do you still have today?

From jewellery and stuffed toys to war-time relics, we find sentimental value in all kinds of mementos. We asked our readers what items from their childhood do they still have in their possession, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. Trish George - My silver medals for reciting poetry at the Eisteddfod. Carol Hamilton - My teddy bear. He's 65 and a bit worn, but I love him. Judy Tracey - My baby bracelet l got for my Christening 67 years ago, and a second hand Heidi book I got when l was 6. Helen Bain - My bible from 1964, an award certificate from 1959 for an essay, all my husbands letters from Vietnam, and my Aunt's cookbook from 1930s. Joanne Starkey - My memento is a beautiful Koala which was gifted to me as a baby. It is in excellent condition handmade with rabbit fur and looks exactly like a real Koala... it is now 77 years old. Nola Schmidt - I have several items from my childhood including a silver mug and a money box given to me for my baptism in January 1950. I was 3 months old. Donna Clarke - A signet ring gifted to me by my Parents 52 years ago. I have never taken it off... couldn’t now if I wanted to. Gwenda Flaye - A string of pearls my godmother gave me when I was 12. Anne Creber - A bible my grandmother gave me for my 12th birthday, not that I’m religious but I’ve always kept it. John Skinner - My teddy that my nanna gave me on my first birthday. I turn 71 next month, like me he looks a bit worse for wear! Maureen Fisk - A birthday card from grandmother seventy years ago. Lyn Hutton - The only thing I have is a prayer book which I took to Mass every Sunday from a very young age. Haven't been to church now for a very long time, but when I found it tucked away at the back if a cupboard, I couldn't bring myself to throw it away! Dawn Dominick - A pearl tiara that l wore when l was probably about 8 years old to a dance concert. Doreen Douglas - My doll. Santa gave her to me when I was 5. I’m now 79 and still have her. Frances Williams - My father gave me the book Peter Pan, shortly after I was born. I still have it at 79, although it’s a little tattered. All my life I’ve been an avid reader, this was my first book. Image credits: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Why difficult childhood experiences could make you age prematurely

We know that comparatively disadvantaged people, even in rich countries, have worse health and <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/01/31/low-socioeconomic-status-affects-life-expectancy-more-than-obesi_a_21704449/">shorter life expectancy</a> than others. But what is it exactly about socioeconomic disadvantage and other environmental difficulties that affects our biology? And at what age are we most vulnerable to these effects? While it is unclear exactly how the social environment influences a person’s biology at the molecular level, processes related to ageing are likely to be involved. One such process is DNA methylation, a mechanism used by cells to control gene expression. Specifically, it determines whether and when a gene is turned on, turned off or dialled up or down. Now a new study, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/aje/advance-article/doi/10.1093/aje/kwy155/5060528?guestAccessKey=df5d8e87-4e2d-4bff-b0fb-72ad5319f825#119252619">published in the American Journal of Epidemiology</a>, suggests that this process may be affected by circumstances in our youth – ultimately affecting how we age. All cells in the human body – from blood and skin cells to neurons – share the same genetic code. So how are they so different? The answer lies in gene expression: which of the many thousands of genes in each human cell are switched on, to what extent, and at which stage in the cell’s development. This varies not just between cell types but between people, helping to explain why identical twins can be visibly different. Physically, DNA methylation involves modification of “letters” of the genetic code by addition or removal of a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/methyl-group">methyl group</a> – affecting how much the gene is expressed. Because the distribution of methyl groups along the genome changes in systematic ways with ageing, you can estimate a person’s age from DNA methylation patterns in cells from a blood sample by applying an algorithm. This <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-epigenetics-may-help-us-slow-down-the-ageing-clock-76878">measure of “biological age”</a> is relevant to longevity – individuals with an “older” DNA methylation age are at greater risk of age-related disease and mortality. Meanwhile, it seems environmental influences may alter or “accelerate” age-related changes in methylation: associations have been shown between DNA methylation age and stress, dietary factors and pollution. This suggests DNA methylation age may be one pathway by which the social environment can affect health. New data Data was used from 1099 adults in the UK to look at whether different dimensions of socioeconomic disadvantage were linked to elevated DNA methylation age, calculated in two ways. When blood samples were collected, the survey had already collected annual information on the same people’s socioeconomic circumstances for 12 years. This meant the study was able to consider current and longer-term measures of things like income, employment status and educational qualifications. Crucially, this data also included information about the occupational social class of an individual’s parents when they were 14. The research discovered that only the last measure showed a clear link with DNA methylation age. Individuals whose parents worked in semi routine or routine occupations were about one year “older” than individuals whose parents worked in managerial or professional roles. Individuals who did not have working parents, or had parents who had died, fared still worse: they were 2.4 or 1.85 years older depending on the algorithm used. The calculations did take account of other relevant factors including smoking, body mass index and the actual age of the study participants. These results suggest DNA methylation age is an aspect of a person’s biology which is vulnerable to influences early in life, but surprisingly robust when it comes to difficulties experienced in adulthood. The next question is which aspects of the childhood socioeconomic environment are most relevant. Is it financial strain, housing quality or diet? Equally important will be to figure out which factors could provide resilience to these effects, potentially buffering children from a lasting impact of disadvantage on DNA methylation age. Of course, the results will need to be replicated, and since DNA methylation age was only measured once, the survey could not definitively prove cause and effect. But the results <a href="https://jech.bmj.com/content/62/5/387">add to extensive evidence</a> that early life circumstances can cast a long shadow on adult health. Perhaps most importantly, this strengthens the case for making sure all children are fully supported. Written by Amanda Hughes and Meena Kumari. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/difficult-childhood-experiences-could-make-us-age-prematurely-new-research-102807">theconversation.com</a>. Image credit: Shutterstock

Legal

Delta Goodrem’s childhood home up for grabs

Australian singer songwriter Delta Goodrem’s childhood home is set to go under the hammer with a $4m price tag. Lea Goodrem, Delta’s mother, reached the difficult decision to sell after 38 years in the 5-bedroom property in Sydney’s Hills District. As she told News Corp, the family had shared many happy memories in the Glenhaven home - with both Delta and her brother Trent spending their childhoods there - but that the time had come for her to move on. “I’m not 21 anymore,” she pointed out. “It’s been a beautiful house, such a wonderful home, full of laughter and such fantastic memories that I will always cherish. But it’s just me and the animals now. “It’s time for another big family to enjoy it and all its benefits. It’s been such an incredible place to live and we are very grateful to have called this our home for so long.” Lea hopes to travel before she settles down again, probably downsizing in comparison to her current abode. “I’m sure I will miss it,” she confessed, “but it’s time for another family to enjoy it, for this house to be filled with joy and laughter again. It’s the perfect sanctuary.” “I hope whoever buys it will love it as much as we have. But I’m not getting any younger. I need something more manageable. It’s a bittersweet decision. But the kids understand, it’s time to move on.” Louis Carr’s Michael Robert, the agent bringing the property to market, agreed with its potential for the next big family, noting that the home has “everything a family needs, including a tennis court and pool in a quiet bush location which is close to shops and schools.” From its modern architecture to its innovative designs, tennis court, paved courtyard, vaulted ceilings, and indoor spa, its next owners are in for a treat. Granted, of course, that they have a space four million dollars lying around. The home, situated on Delavor Place, raised more than just the Goodrem children. It also supported and nurtured budding star Delta’s career, with the singer penning her 2003 debut album Innocent Eyes and the hit track ‘Born to Try’. “It was a home that was filled with music, lots of exciting things were happening,” Lea Goodrem explained. “The home is an oasis,” she added, “we had two baby grand pianos and the music could be belted out without fear of retribution by the neighbours. There was a lot of inspiration here, a lot of music. ‘Born to Try’ was written in the loungeroom. This is where it all happened.” Images: Realestate.com.au

Real Estate

Readers Respond: How would you describe your childhood?

It may have been a long time ago but it was probably one of the best moments of your life…your childhood. Riding on your bike in the streets, playing with dirt, making sure you were back just before the street lights turned on. Our childhoods were certainly filled with so much fun. We decided to ask our OverSixty audience to describe their childhood. Helen Burke - Very happy. We didn't have much but had wonderful loving parents who gave us much love and showed us how to be honest adults. Narelle Hulme - Free…with adventurous consequences. Helena Apostolopoulos - Happy with lots of outside play with friends and family. Bronwyn Berriman - Surrounded by friends and family and lots of wonderful outdoor spaces to explore. Lynne Eather - The best time in my life as a child growing up outdoors, sport and great friends. Cathy Lytle Ackerman - Good, because I had lots of friends to play with! Always outside riding bikes, skating,and playing in the pond and creek with my friends. And—not so good, because I wasn’t treated well by my older siblings. I was also a middle child, and was often left out of things. Jan Ceeney - Great times swimming, fishing, riding our bikes and exploring haunted houses. Robyn Burton - Happy, healthy, safe and free to explore wherever we wanted. Lots of time spent in the bush discovering our wonderful wildflowers. Lynne Fairbrother - Lived by the beach. Never sick, always outdoors swimming or just playing with friends on the beach. Lynette Hinton - Happy. Loved spending time with cousins at weekends, friends at school, beautiful mother, caring father and grandparents. Share your favourite childhood moment <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtys/posts/pfbid0sYJ63utRU2jNPa3uiaJnroXdLTdouP762ZUB7RtjEXQZkuNNVjjYaVGnRAk93tfpl">here</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Retirement Life

Gwyneth Paltrow’s childhood home hits the market

The childhood home of Gwyneth Paltow in California has been <a href="https://www.compass.com/listing/2020-georgina-avenue-santa-monica-ca-90402/1161644315586325737/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listed</a> for sale with a hefty price tag of $17.5 million ($AUD 27 million). The six-and-a-half bedroom mansion was first purchased by Paltrow’s parents, actress Blythe Danner and Hollywood director Bruce Paltrow, in 1976 when the Goop founder was about four years old. In 2008, the 109-year-old property was bought by designer Jerome Dahan after Paltrow’s father died from complications of oral cancer and pneumonia. The property, nestled in the upscale neighbourhood Gillette Regent Square in Santa Monica, boasts features that match the luxe nature of its surroundings, including a landscaped tropical oasis for a garden, a Balinese-inspired pool and spa, and a three-car glass showroom that overlooks the pool. Inside the home, the entryway is enclosed in glass and leads to a large living room with a fireplace, a theatre room, a kitchen and a guest bedroom, with an office and three ensuite bathrooms upstairs, including the main bedroom’s dual bathrooms and walk-in closets. The property also includes a two-storey guesthouse that houses a gym, dry sauna, bedroom and office. Following extensive renovations, the property has additions such as solar panels, backup generators, and electronically gated entries. “In a market of overbuilt mansions that are undeniably starting to look and feel the same, 2020 Georgina elevates above the competition offering a bespoke and meticulously crafted experience unlike anything I've seen in Santa Monica,” said Robert Lawrence Edie of Compass Realty, who is managing the sale. Paltrow grew up in the home with her younger brother, Jake Paltrow, and went to school at the nearby Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences. When she was 12, the family moved to a New York City townhouse and she now lives on the West Coast full-time with her husband and two children. Images: @gwynethpaltrow (Instagram) / Compass Realty

Real Estate

New study to “give hope” to childhood trauma survivors with depression

A new study has challenged our understanding of how to treat adults with a history of childhood trauma, revealing that using psychotherapy, medication or a combination of the two are effective treatments for those with depression. Childhood trauma, defined as abuse or neglect of a person before they are 18 years old, is a known risk factor for major depressive disorders in adulthood. It often results in symptoms that start earlier, last longer and are more frequent, and increases the risk of developing co-occurring diseases and conditions. The study, published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(22)00227-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lancet Psychiatry</a>, found that adult survivors of childhood trauma who receive these common treatments experience improved symptoms at the same rate as those without childhood trauma. While previous studies have indicated that common treatments for major depressive disorders are less effective for people with childhood trauma, the team argues that these findings are inconsistent. The team then examined data from 29 clinical trials of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy (the use of prescribed medications) among adults with major depressive disorders to determine whether those with trauma were more severely depressed before treatment, had more unfavourable outcomes after treatment, and whether they were less likely to benefit from treatment in comparison to those without trauma. Among the 46 percent of participants with childhood trauma, the team found that they showed more severe symptoms at the start of treatment and after treatment in comparison to the control group (those without trauma). But, they found that both groups experienced an improvement in symptoms at a similar rate. Erika Kuzminskaite, a PhD candidate and the first author of the study, said that this finding could be a source of hope. “Finding that patients with depression and childhood trauma experience similar treatment outcome when compared to patients without trauma can give hope to people who have experienced childhood trauma,” Kuzminskaite said. “Nevertheless, residual symptoms following treatment in patients with childhood trauma warrant more clinical attention as additional interventions may still be needed.” Antoine Yrondi, a professor at the University of Toulouse who wasn’t involved in the research, wrote that the study provides a message of hope for patients. “This meta-analysis could deliver a hopeful message to patients with childhood trauma that evidence-based psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy could improve depressive symptoms,” Dr Yrondi said. “However, physicians should keep in mind that childhood trauma could be associated with clinical features which may make it more difficult to reach complete symptomatic remission and, therefore, have an impact on daily functioning.” According to <a href="https://blueknot.org.au/resources/blue-knot-fact-sheets/trauma-classification/what-is-childhood-trauma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Blue Knot</a>, childhood trauma can have a wider and more extreme impact than trauma we experience as adults because a child’s brain is still developing. If the trauma is unresolved, coping strategies developed during childhood can become risk factors for poorer psychological and physical health in adulthood. But, it is possible to recover from childhood trauma, with this latest study going to show that common treatments can be effective. If you’re in need of support, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Blue Knot on 1300 657 380. Image: Getty Images

Mind

"Sad, old menacing coward:" Grace Tame reports childhood abuser to police

Activist Grace Tame has revealed she continues to be harassed by the man who abused her as a child, having reported him to the police for “targeted harassment” online. Ms Tame was 15 when she was groomed and raped by her maths teacher Nicolaas Bester, who then bragged about his crimes online while she was unable to speak out due to Tasmania’s “gag law”. Her legal fight to change the laws, which prevent sexual abuse victims from publicly identifying themselves, as part of the #LetHerSpeak campaign, saw Ms Tame pushed into the public eye and recognised for her efforts when she was named the Australian of the Year. But, on Wednesday the 23-year-old said she was “still dealing with open threats and harassment from the man who abused me and others”. “This has been my reality for 12 years now, behind closed doors for my family and me,” she wrote on Twitter. She also shared screenshots of tweets appearing to be from Bester, where her childhood email is referenced and he threatens that “he is coming to show all too (sic) you”. In one message dated April 27, Bester uses her email address and writes, “at last I shall come for [email address]..... in good time…..”. In another, posted on August 28, he uses her email address again, writing that “the good old comeuppance on its way” with “only 4 weeks to go!!”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This has been the reality for 12 years now, behind closed doors for my family and me. Mark my words, I am not going anywhere though. — Grace Tame (@TamePunk) <a href="https://twitter.com/TamePunk/status/1564185208882352128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2022</a></blockquote> “Here he is, the twice-convicted child sex offender, referring to my childhood email, which very few people know, in place of my name. It was the login to my old Facebook he and I communicated on,” Ms Tame wrote. “He’s counting down to an act of revenge, planned for the day of my book’s release.” She alleged that his repeated comments constituted a federal offence and contravened <a href="https://help.twitter.com/en/rules-and-policies/sexual-exploitation-policy">Twitter’s child exploitation policy</a>, which says that content that further contributes to the victimisation of children “through the promotion or glorification of child sexual exploitation” is also prohibited. “This is targeted harassment of a known victim of his past crimes, designed to cause further harm,” Ms Tame said. “I’ve reported them to police, but our reactive justice system is too slow, and nothing’s changed.” Bester was sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison for maintaining a sexual relationship with someone under the age of 17 and possession of child exploitation material, but only served one year and nine months before he was released. He has been free to speak about his abuse of Ms Tame for some time and has previously taken to social media to brag to his followers. “The majority of men in Australia envy me,” he wrote. “I was 59, she was 15 going on 25. It was awesome.” Bester’s account has since been suspended by Twitter. Ms Tame said her tweets were an act of reclaiming power “against a predator operating in plain sight”. “This man seems to think he is still relevant and can maintain control over me,” she wrote. “This man who groomed and abused me when I was a child. “I’m not ashamed of any of it now. “But he should be. He was an adult who abused his authority. “Just because I have found the anger and strength in me now, does it make me an aggressor, or a survivor? "I know who I am. I am a survivor. "I have the power to be vulnerable. He will never have that. He is too afraid, and too weak. He is too weak to be vulnerable. Instead, he exploits others who are. He knows no other way to be. I see that now. And because of that, he doesn't scare me anymore.” Ms Tame added that her posts were “not for the critics” and were instead for survivors like her. "He is a sad, old menacing coward. “This is not for the critics. They will say what they always say. This is for the people like me. And you know who you are too. “I stand with you. We have the power.” If you or someone you know needs support as a result of sexual assault or child sexual abuse, contact the Blue Knot Helpline and Redress Support Service on 1300 657 380, or LifeLine on 13 11 14 for immediate support. Image: Getty Images

Legal

Readers Respond: What is your favourite childhood memory with your siblings?

Sometimes we love them, other times we hate them. And that is the nature of siblings whether we like it or not. No matter how old we are. Some things will never change. But remember, they will always be there for you. So we wanted to ask our readers what their favourite childhood memory with their siblings is. Check out some of your responses below. Beppie Snackers - No one is gonna believe this but for me it was doing the dishes, singing and making music, having all sorts of conversation and doing crazy stuff ie putting a cup of water on the top of the door knowing someone could step in and get all wet Cheryl Clark - Being with them! Best ever times, no matter what. Grace Boland - Playing with all our beautiful dolls - also playing shops! Dawn Dominick - Playing in the street out the front of our house with all the neighbourhood kids and my siblings... billy cart races, cricket, football, knocking on neighbors doors then running off to hide and so much more. Elaine Jay - Mine is with my younger brother who is no longer with us. We were lying in bed one night trying to go to sleep but we were both making up jokes. I told one and we’d both laugh our heads off then he’d make one up and we’d both kill ourselves laughing, they weren’t even funny but we just laughed because they were stupid and the more we laughed the funnier it was, we had so many laughs together. Love and miss you Doug. xx Janice Stewart - Bed time. Lots of stories and too much laughter. Often threatened with a smack if we didn’t go to sleep. Never happened as we giggled under our pillows to stifle the laughter. Rhonda Baker - Sitting in the back seat in dad’s old chevy on our way to Perth, took about 10 hours because the radiator kept overheating. The brakes made a hell of a noise which meant my sister and I would duck down and hide. Sheila Taylor - Playing in the fields across the road and building a seesaw with a plank of wood and a metal drum…so much fun. Sledding on the same field in winter. Jenny Jones - My big sister drew a number 2 on my doll's soft rubber face, in Biro Pen. It never came off. I cut her doll’s hair and pierced its ears in retaliation. Elizabeth Ann Bailey - Making up plays and performing them. Cleaning the gutters of leaves at my Grandmas. Share your favourite childhood sibling memories <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtys/posts/pfbid02BRFAM1TQVvq8wRLSXaAJJT83s1RQUjRJV4Xqn63i3rN9fv5to2Cswf9mRpNpQqKYl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Relationships

Princess Diana's childhood home catches fire

Soaring temperatures in the UK have caused fires to spark across the nation - with London’s firefighters recording their busiest day since WWII - with one of the many homes at risk including at Althorp House, the childhood home of Princess Diana. The home is now owned by Earl Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother. His wife, Karen Spencer, shared the news of the blaze on social media. “Fire in one of our fields today,” Countess Spencer wrote in an Instagram story on Tuesday. She later shared a follow-up video reassuring followers the situation was “under control” thanks to the “amazing” local fire department and team at Althorp. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/diana-fire2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Karen Spencer documented the fire that sparked at Althorp House and praised the “amazing” work of firefighters in quenching it. Images: Instagram Later that day, Earl Spencer posted a photo on his Instagram page of the home after it began to rain. “Althorp enjoying a few drops of rain tonight that follow the hottest recorded day England has ever had,” he captioned the shot. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgNO32OsTdC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgNO32OsTdC/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Charles Spencer (@charles.earl.spencer)</a> </div> </blockquote> The country experienced temperatures of 40.3 C in Coningsby on Tuesday, breaking 2019’s record by 1.6 degrees. The heat was followed by a welcome downpour that brought temperatures down to 19 C overnight in London. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, told Sky News it prompted a huge surge in calls to the city’s emergency services. “Yesterday was the busiest day for the fire services in London since the Second World War,” he told the program on Wednesday. The fire service received more than 2,600 calls - significantly higher than its usual 350-600 a day - with 41 properties destroyed and 16 firefighters injured. “The challenge in London is we have a lot of grass, a lot of green spaces and a lot of that impinges on properties. And when you have not had rain for a long period, when the grass is incredibly dry, fires can start very quickly and spread even faster because of wind and that leads to properties being destroyed,” Khan said. “A lot of the problems we have here today are a direct consequence of climate change, excess death because of the heat wave. “A lot of these problems can be solved by tackling climate change expediently, rather than kicking the can down the road.” Though the heat is expected to continue over the next couple weeks, the 14-day forecast has predicted significantly lower temperatures with tops of 28 C. Images: Getty Images / Instagram

News

Harrison Ford’s childhood Tudor home hits the market

The childhood home of Indiana Jones star Harrison Ford has hit the market for the third time in four years for just $USD 749,000 ($AUD 1.1 million). The 1922-era Tudor house in Park Ridge, Illinois, was home to the Ford family in the 1950s, per <a href="https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/harrison-ford-remodeled-childhood-home-on-the-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Realtor.com</a>, though it has been significantly renovated since. After nearly 50 years off the market, the home was listed for sale in 2018 with its original windows, plumbing, and electrical, with interior spaces that needed a serious refresh. Selling in February 2019 for $USD 350,000 ($AUD 513,000), its new owners undertook some major changes, replacing the dated wallpaper with a neutral grey and white colour scheme and transforming the avocado-green kitchen into a space filled with stainless steel appliances, a butcher block island, a tiled backsplash, and a breakfast nook. A formal dining area that connects to the large family room with views of the backyard now features pendant lighting, while in the living room, the built-ins and fireplace remain, with the wall-to-wall carpet being ripped out to show the original, refinished hardwood floors. Other updates include new windows, recessed lighting, baseboard heaters, and a completed basement, which features a bar and rec area, a home office, and a laundry. After the renovations were complete, the 198-square-metre home was sold for $USD 600,000 ($AUD 880,000) in July 2020. With the current owners looking to upsize, it’s back on the market with a 25 percent price bump, according to listing agent Peter Bellert of @properties Park Ridge. Bellert says the home is basically move-in ready, with just the driveway needing to be repaved. He also notes that the home’s style is unusual for the area. “English Tudors are not common. There are not too many in Park Ridge,” Bellert says. Other features of the two-storey home include a powder room on the first level and four bedrooms on the second, with an original balcony connected to the bedroom that reportedly belonged to a young Ford. Images: Getty Images / Realtor.com

Real Estate

Readers Respond: What was the happiest moment of your childhood?

As a child you’d always hear your parents say “they grow up so fast”. And they’re not wrong because soon enough you were saying that to your children who are now saying it to your grandchildren. It’s insane how time flies and we decided to ask our readers to think back to their happiest childhood moment. Check out some of your responses below. Cate Titulaer - Being in the warmth of my grandparents' love. Pat White - Mum died in January when I was 11 and my aunt made me a wonderful birthday cake in June. It was Cinderella's coach with six white horses and even footmen, a magic time for me, such a caring auntie. Tracey Baker - Going to work with my dad on the freight trains or spending time with dad anywhere. Pam Ballard - Time with my grandparents. I realised now how lucky I was to spend nearly every weekend with them. Gay Sharran Gold - When my father came home and told me we were going to see The Beatles perform at Sydney Hordern Pavilion! Omg I was a total fanatic! Margaret Inglis - Didn't have a 'happiest' moment. All my childhood was happy. Trisha Springbett - Not that I was aware of it at the time, but being adopted by my wonderful parents. Keralie Stack - Christmas Day was always an open house with family, friends and some who didn't have families. Lots of laughter, games for the kids and enough food for everyone. Great memories. Evelyn Hayward - Gosh, I don’t think I could pick just one. We were not ‘well off’ but neither was anyone else we knew but had a simple childhood with so much freedom and playing outside, food on the table and warm, loving home. Always someone to play with. Janine Jan Fran Kells - Living with my sister Valda and her family when l was about 7. She made me feel very special and have always loved her for it. Share your happiest childhood moments <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtys/posts/pfbid026HdnavFdLvaxm2wkLyzdUFnvxQf5RAKu55ZDSviD2B5PLE1LP4QKQVxdnobme85Tl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Retirement Life

Elvis Presley's childhood home heads to auction

The childhood home of Elvis Presley has been listed for auction - but the once-abandoned little blue house will be sold in an unusual way. Located in Tupelo, Mississippi, the dilapidated structure was home to the King of Rock'n'Roll and his parents, Vernon and Gladys Presley, from 1943 to 1944. According to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/06/28/elvis-presleys-abandoned-childhood-home-goes-up-for-auction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>, the home will be auctioned off on August 14 as part of week-long celebrations of Elvis Week 2022 in Memphis. However, the home has been listed by Rockhurst Auctions with an estimated price of $US 30,000-50,000 ($AUD 44-73,000) and doesn't come with any land. Instead, the house comes completely disassembled, ready to be taken to a new location. “The house itself has been dismantled and taken apart meticulously, so it can be put back together. It is being stored in a trailer,” Jeff Marren, owner of Rockhurst Auctions, explained to The Post. “So when someone buys the house, they’re going to get the whole trailer and the designs for putting back together. “Whoever buys it can actually hire the person who took it apart to put it back together for them.” When the home is put back together again, it's a simple three-bedroom, one-bathroom home with just 117 square metres of living space - a polar opposite to the sprawling Graceland, Presley's final home. Images: Domain.com.au

Real Estate

Woman buys her childhood home at auction

A young homebuyer has had an emotional win at auction, as she bought the home she grew up in. The auction was held at the home on election day in the Adelaide suburb of Para Vista, with Ray White’s chief auctioneer John Morris calling the sale a heartwarming result for the young woman. “Gemma was taken home to this house when she was born, and has now bought it back from the owners who her family sold it to in 2014,” Mr Morris said. “As you can imagine, it is a very special sale for her and her partner who was watching on Facetime,” he said. Gemma, 28, was the only bidder and bought the house for $460,000. Despite the emotional connection, Gemma said her childhood home was not originally on her radar when she started searching for a home. “My partner and I already have another house and we had been looking for another property as an investment,” she said. “As we were searching online, the house came up and I was surprised to see it listed for sale.” “We quickly spoke to our bank and decided to go for it.” “As my partner works away we weren’t able to come for the inspections, so I decided to go to the auction nevertheless.” “It was crazy. My parents were there too and it was a super emotional day for all of us.” Gemma lived in the house from 1994 to 2012, where she said she holds many fond childhood memories. “At the moment, I am not looking to move in. We want to do it up and see how it goes,” she said. Image credits: realestate.com.au

Real Estate

Peter Brock's childhood home sells at auction

The childhood home of the late racing legend Peter Brock has sold at auction for $893,000. The three-bedroom weatherboard home in the Victorian suburb of Hurstbridge, 28km north-east of Melbourne, exceeded its price guide of $750,000 to $820,000. As three bidders battled for the property, a local couple won the bid, as Ciaran Brannigan, director of Morrison Kleeman Estate Agents, told <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/racing-champ-peter-brocks-childhood-home-comedian-shane-bournes-house-sells/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">realestate.com.au</a>. The home was last on the market in 2006 when it was sold for just $337,000, decades after it belonged to the Brock family. Mr Brannigan said, "Definitely almost everybody mentioned it [the connection to Brock] but I don't think anyone was bidding because of that." The red-roofed cottage has bee renovated over the years, with both the kitchen and bathrooms being updated to a modern aesthetic. Features of the unique home include a large paved alfresco area ideal for outdoor entertaining, a free-standing studio and a sunny lounge area with a log-burning fireplace. Despite the up to date renovations, old-style charm has been maintained throughout the home with its decorative cornice work and tessellated tiles. Peter Brock first rose to fame in the 1970s when he won the six-hour endurance race for production cars at Mount Panorama Bathurst nine times between 1972 and 1987. He was soon dubbed King of the Mountain and maintained a high profile both as a competitor and commentator on Australian and New Zealand television. The Bathurst 1000 trophy was renamed the Peter Brock trophy one month after his death in 2006. Image credits: Getty Images / realestate.com.au

Real Estate

Muffin Break’s new menu item brings back childhood memories

Muffin Break is bringing back childhood memories with its exciting new menu item. The Fairy Bread Duffin is a delicious snack covered in sprinkles and perfectly accompanied with your morning coffee. The Duffin is baked fresh in-store daily and is a decadent mouth-watering fusion between a doughnut and muffin. Multiple layers of crispy, buttery pastry and filled with créme patisserie, with 100’s and 1000’s sprinkled on top and a swirl of Cream Cheese Icing you’d be silly to not indulge in this snack. “The newest Duffin, the Fairy Bread Duffin, is the fourth addition to Muffin Break’s luxurious Fancy Collection – indulgence, partnered with a moment of joy!” their website reads. Available for a limited time only, the Fairy Bread Duffin and a coffee will only cost you $9.50. However, if you’re looking to just purchase the Duffin, you can get a pack of four or six for just $1.50 extra. Muffin Break did warn its customers that the Duffin “may be dangerously addictive”. The Duffin is now available at all Muffin Break stores across Australia. Image: Muffin Break

Food & Wine

Centenarian's priceless reaction to virtual tour of childhood town

A 100-year-old grandmother has broken down in tears while exploring her hometown in Armenia through the use of a virtual reality headset. The woman, who now lives in the US, became emotional while using VR to take a tour around her hometown of Vagharshapat - something she never thought she would do again. Upon seeing the Etchmiadzin Cathedral that she used to visit as a child, she was hit by a wave of emotion and started to tear up. The woman's granddaughter, Michelle, captured the heart-warming moment and shared it on TikTok, where it racked up over three million views in just a few days. Michelle captioned the video, "Showing my 100-year-old Armenian grandma the Etchmiadzin Cathedral in virtual reality," that shows her grandmother, whom they call Nene. <div class="embed"><iframe class="embedly-embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2F7034663525347953967&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40shmellywelly%2Fvideo%2F7034663525347953967%3Flang%3Den%26is_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" scrolling="no" title="tiktok embed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div> <div class="embed">Nene dons the extravagant VR headset while her family members instruct her to look around, as they follow what she is seeing on their own screen.</div> Suddenly, Nene becomes emotional, as someone behind the camera asks, "Why are you crying?" "It's so beautiful," she responds, attempting to wipe away her tears with a tissue. The breathtaking Etchmiadzin Cathedral is often considered the oldest cathedral in the world, and a shrine for Armenian Christians. The comments on Michelle's video were flooded by people praising the sweet gesture, as one person said, "This is what VR should be used for." Another commenter noted, "She went from a time when televisions didn't exist to VR in her living room. Protect and love this sweet woman." Image credits: TikTok @shmellywelly

Technology

Beyond Bluey: why adults love re-watching Australian kids’ TV from their childhoods

Due to the COVID-19 extended lockdowns this year, as well as greater accessibility on streaming services, many adults have been returning to their childhoods via nostalgic kids’ TV viewing. As part of our research project, <a href="https://www.actcresearch.com/">Australian Children’s Television Cultures</a>, we surveyed over 600 adults about their viewing habits — and it turns out some viewers never forget the joy of the television shows that they raced home to watch after school. Many survey participants confessed they had simply never stopped watching children’s shows in the first place. Australia’s own <a href="https://actf.com.au/news/view/17433/7-australian-kidsa-tv-shows-that-parents-will-love">Dance Academy (2010-2013)</a> was frequently mentioned in the responses as a show that even adult viewers “can watch… anytime and feel connected with,” as one respondent put it. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427087/original/file-20211018-18-l9c9vw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427087/original/file-20211018-18-l9c9vw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="The cast of Dance Academy." /></a> Australia’s Dance Academy (2010-2013) is popular with adults today. IMDB <h2>Streaming Nostalgia</h2> For those who didn’t keep their old VHS tapes or DVDs, it has been the advent of streaming services, from YouTube to Netflix, that has enabled viewers to rediscover their cherished kids’ shows of old. Nearly two thirds of adult respondents have revisited Australian children’s shows in recent years, most often via online clips and streaming services. In our survey, <a href="https://theconversation.com/round-the-twists-fans-grew-up-and-their-love-for-the-show-grew-with-them-167695">Round the Twist (1989-2001)</a> emerged as the favourite Australian children’s television show to revisit, with Lift Off! (1992-1995), Lockie Leonard (2007-2010) and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/there-s-a-55-year-old-bear-in-there-happy-birthday-play-school-20210708-p587xr.html">Play School (1966-)</a> also highly placed. <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427090/original/file-20211018-38329-zawqys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427090/original/file-20211018-38329-zawqys.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> Lift Off! (1992-1995) is a popular show for adults to find clips from on YouTube. IMDB <a href="https://actf.com.au/news/view/18318/14-ozkidstv-series-to-stream-on-netflix">Netflix has licensed a swathe of Australian kids shows</a>, among them Round the Twist and Lockie Leonard. Our survey showed that these classic programs not only turn up as recommendations on Netflix kids’ profiles, but in adults’ recommendations as well, whether or not they have children. Indeed, <a href="https://cstonline.net/family-watch-together-tv-netflix-and-the-dark-intergenerational-fantasy-by-djoymi-baker-jessica-balanzategui-and-diana-sandars/">Netflix has been keen to license and commission nostalgic content</a> with intergenerational appeal. While there’s nothing new about adults getting swept up in nostalgia for childhood viewing, the streaming era has made it even easier to pass on these family viewing traditions. <h2>Kids’ shows in lockdown</h2> The heightened nostalgic urge to <a href="https://cstonline.net/reuniting-with-friends-during-a-pandemic-by-simone-knox-and-kai-hanno-schwind/">return to old TV shows</a> has also been linked to the COVID-19 lockdowns many of us have recently been through, or indeed are still experiencing. In our survey, many respondents mentioned the lockdown made them more likely to revisit children’s TV from their youth. As one survey respondent noted, “in these strange and chaotic COVID-19 times, I’ve been really feeding into the nostalgia.” Nostalgia emerged as a term in 1688 to describe a <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/when-nostalgia-was-a-disease/278648/">disease</a> primarily associated with soldiers longing to return home, even though upon their return, home was never quite the same. The word itself reflected this bittersweet combination, forged from the Greek nostos (homecoming) and algos (pain). In popular culture, nostalgia is frequently associated with warm and fuzzy feelings, but, as <a href="https://newleftreview.org/issues/ii14/articles/timothy-bewes-an-anatomy-of-nostalgia.pdf">Svetlana Boym influentially suggests</a>, nostalgia is also a type of grieving for a past that has been lost. Returning to kids’ TV is a way of both grieving for and celebrating our own <a href="https://library.oapen.org/viewer/web/viewer.html?file=/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/25965/1004118.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y">past childhood</a>, as well as a pre-COVID world we used to enjoy. In other words, nostalgia is not as simple as we might at first assume. <h2>Family viewing</h2> Our survey responses indicate families have been uniting across the divide of lockdown restrictions and closed borders to watch old kids’ TV shows together: “In lockdown, it’s provided a connection point for my family” by rewatching Round the Twist and <a href="https://actf.com.au/education-programs/id/188/">Sky Trackers (1994)</a>, one respondent noted. They explained, “we talk about what we remember, and tell jokes about it consistently through messaging services.” Not only parents but also grandparents and babysitters revealed they enjoy sharing beloved shows from their childhood with the next generation. This strategy <a href="https://cstonline.net/intergenerational-spectatorship-doctor-who-at-the-beach-by-djoymi-baker/">isn’t always successful</a> given tastes and expectations have changed, with today’s kids finding some old shows “bonkers” or describing the special effects as dated. As one parent from the survey notes, “having children now, I want to show them some of the shows I loved (whether they like it or not!)” Many of our survey participants discussed this shared viewing across generations, but also just among other adults. So as it happens, kids’ TV isn’t just for kids. <h2>Unifying a generation</h2> Beyond family members, our participants are finding connections with their own generation on social media through old kids’ shows they still enjoy. Even young adults are already feeling nostalgic. “I have loved <a href="https://punkee.com.au/h20-just-add-water-tiktok/77899">watching on TikTok people recreating some of the iconic scenes</a>” from H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010) and Blue Water High (2005-2008), one participant told us. They explained, “When scrolling through the comments of these videos there’s often hundreds of other young Australians that relate as they had the same fond memories of these shows which I feel unites us.” <a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427091/original/file-20211018-22-105e8dz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/427091/original/file-20211018-22-105e8dz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /></a> H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010 has become a popular worldwide meme on TikTok, and has spurred many people to revisit the series. IMdB With so much content now spread across broadcasting, cable and streaming television services, it’s uncertain whether today’s kids’ TV will offer this same sense of <a href="https://www.flowjournal.org/2020/03/streaming-comes-across-the-sky/">communal nostalgia</a> to future generations — though <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-idealised-australian-ethos-why-bluey-is-an-audience-favourite-even-for-adults-without-kids-168571">Bluey (2018-)</a> is surely a contender. Bluey is already the focus of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/blueyfanmemes/">popular memes</a> and a successful <a href="http://www.blueypod.com/">recap podcast</a>, so perhaps the show is a contemporary vehicle for adult viewers’ nostalgia about growing up in Australia, albeit in a new guise. Ultimately, our research indicates that engaging nostalgically with kids’ TV has been an important means of social connection during the pandemic, both between adults and within and across different generations. Although nostalgia was initially defined as a ‘disease’, today it is combating the division the pandemic has created, with locked down audiences using streaming services to reconnect with their favourite kids’ TV and each other.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169727/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/djoymi-baker-1269345">Djoymi Baker</a>, Lecturer in Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-balanzategui-814024">Jessica Balanzategui</a>, Senior Lecturer in Cinema and Screen Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joanna-mcintyre-333903">Joanna McIntyre</a>, Lecturer in Media Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/liam-burke-109751">Liam Burke</a>, Associate Professor and Cinema and Screen Studies Discipline Leader, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767">Swinburne University of Technology</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/beyond-bluey-why-adults-love-re-watching-australian-kids-tv-from-their-childhoods-169727">original article</a>.

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