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“Greatest innings of any kind ever”: Cricket world stunned

<p>ODI hero Glenn Maxwell has single-handedly rewritten the cricket record books, leaving fans and fellow players alike scratching their heads in disbelief.</p> <p>In the recent ODI match against Afghanistan, where Australia found themselves in a precarious position at 7/91 chasing 292, Maxwell delivered an innings that has now been dubbed the "greatest innings ever" – or, in the words of captain Pat Cummins, "Just ridiculous. I don't know how you describe that."</p> <p>Maxwell's adventure leading up to this awe-inspiring performance involved a mishap on the golf course that left him nursing an injury and missing Australia's previous World Cup game. It seems that the golf course has its share of hazards, but Maxwell was more than willing to make amends with his cricketing prowess.</p> <p>The drama reached its peak when Maxwell, the man of the hour, made his entrance. He defied all odds and stats, forming an unbroken partnership of 202 for the eighth wicket with the skipper, who contributed a modest 12 runs. While Cummins found himself with little to do but admire Maxwell's heroics, he summed it up perfectly, saying, "I couldn't get on strike! I just let Maxi do his thing, how am I going to say anything to someone batting like that?"</p> <p>The cricketing world was equally flabbergasted by Maxwell's performance. Former England captain Michael Vaughan declared, "This is the greatest ODI innings ever. It might be the greatest innings of any kind ever."</p> <p>And the accolades didn't stop there; even cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar couldn't contain his awe, taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) to exclaim, "From Max pressure to Max performance! This has been the best ODI knock I've seen in my life."</p> <p>Maxwell's knock of 201 not out featured 21 fours and 10 sixes and made him only the third batsman in World Cup history to score a double century. His list of records broken during the game is so long that you'd need a bigger scoreboard to fit them all. He set records for the highest score in an ODI run chase, the highest score at No.5 or lower, the first ever 200-run score in a run chase, the highest score for an Australian batter in an ODI, and the second-fastest 200 in an ODI.</p> <p>Maxwell's cramp attack while batting at 146 was just a minor hiccough in his incredible journey. Following on-field treatment, he continued to pummel Afghanistan's attack with an array of shots that had fans gasping for breath.</p> <p>After the match, the exhausted but victorious Maxwell said, "Horrific, I feel shocking. It was quite hot when we were fielding, I haven't done a whole lot of high-intensity exercise in the heat. It got a hold of me today, I was lucky to stick it out until the end."</p> <p>In the end, it was a rollercoaster of a match that had spectators on the edge of their seats. Maxwell's incredible innings will surely be talked about for years to come, and who knows, maybe the golf course will become the secret training ground for future cricketing legends.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Century-old typo at Melbourne train stop finally fixed

<p>One of Melbourne’s oldest public spelling errors will be fixed after almost a century.<br />In 1937, the suburb of "Glen Huntly" was incorrectly written as a one-word sign at the train station and has remained that way ever since.</p> <p>The southeast suburb is finally getting an updated sign, as two level crossing removals are about to take place.</p> <p>“That’s a historical spelling error ... It’s taken us nearly a century to fix that,” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said at a press conference.</p> <p>“But the local historical society and others who have an eye for detail will be very pleased to see us remedying that error.”</p> <p>Glen Huntly was named after a ship that arrived in Port Phillip all the way back in 1940, but there has been confusion surrounding the spelling ever since.</p> <p>Some local businesses in the suburb still have the spelling as 'Glenhuntly' and the name of the railway station has been changed three times.</p> <p>The stop was called ‘Glen Huntly Road’ when it was opened in 1881, before being changed to ‘Glen Huntly’ in 1882 and then ‘Glenhuntly’ in 1937.</p> <p>Andrews unveiled the new train station signage with the correct spelling as works to remove the level crossings and upgrades to the station commence.</p> <p>Those congested level crossings are at Neerim and Glen Huntly roads with expected closures in the area from May 5 until mid-July.</p> <p>Buses will be replacing trains on the Frankston line between Caulfield and Moorabbin during this time.<br />The new, typo-free Glen Huntly train station will open in August 2023.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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“Trashed the Royal Family”: Meghan Markle called out for comments

<p dir="ltr">Meghan Markle has once again been called out for her comments about Queen Elizabeth II by British TV host Nana Akua. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess of Sussex paid tribute to the late Monarch in an interview with Variety and said she had the honour and “deep gratitude to have been able to get to know” the Queen. </p> <p dir="ltr">“What’s so beautiful is to look at the legacy that his [Prince Harry] grandmother was able to leave on so many fronts,” Meghan told the publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Certainly, in terms of female leadership, she is the most shining example of what that looks like.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I feel deep gratitude to have been able to spend time with her and get to know her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, host Nana was not having any of the Duchess’ comments questioning whether people should forget she “trashed” the Royal Family. </p> <p dir="ltr">“So we should forget that you trashed the Royal Family on Oprah by putting it out there that someone in the Royal Family was a racist?” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And if my memory serves me correctly I believe the Queen’s extremely polite and measured response to that was that ‘recollections may vary’.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Meghan talks about how her California friends gathered around her after that ghastly interview.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She said, ‘it’s like they knew exactly what I needed to feel in that moment. It meant and still means so very much to me, the power of sisterhood and female support can never be underestimated.’</p> <p dir="ltr">“Shame you didn’t relate that to your own family and in fact, your own sister.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The broadcaster then continued to call out Meghan for all her comments that were previously called out. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Look, you keep going out with a load of claptrap. I could give you a few reminders, but it’ll take too long,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Okay. Remember the one about not being a prince? Or what about the Lion King one, the rejoicing in the streets.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And what about the Sussex survivors club? They can’t all be making it up.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty/GB News</em></p>

TV

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"Whose nana is that?": Adorable moment kindy kids don't recognise the Queen

<p>In the wake of Queen Elizabeth's passing, an adorable video has resurfaced of Her Majesty's 2000 trip to Western Australia.</p> <p>Out of the Queen's 16 trips to Australia, her visit to Vasse Primary School, Busselton, is being fondly remembered after the resurgence of a video on TikTok.</p> <p>The video has since gone viral, as the hilarious footage shows the monarch being taken aback when several students asked who she was.</p> <p>In the video, the Queen is brought into the pre-primary classroom and is asked separately by two young students, “What’s your name?”</p> <p>On both occasions, the Queen does not reply, and appears quite shocked by the question.</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7081233294037110021&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40itnarchive1955%2Fvideo%2F7081233294037110021%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26q%3Donthisdayitnp%26t%3D1663198266691&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;">At the end of the video, a young boy named Jake seemed as equally confused about the identity of the older lady visiting his class.</div> <p>Talking to ABC, the school’s former principal Brian Devereux recalled he heard one student yell out, “Whose nana is that?”</p> <p>“I got sent an article from London from The Daily Telegraph saying that clearly education in Australia was lacking somewhat, because these children at this particular school didn’t know who Her Majesty was,” he said.</p> <p>Devereux said he remembered the shock when he was first told who was going to be visiting the school.</p> <p>“I had only been appointed to this school for a few weeks when I got a phone call from my boss who said, ‘Would you be prepared to host an important visitor?’ And I said, ‘Oh, yes. Who did you have in mind?’,” he said.</p> <p>“He said, Elizabeth Windsor — and I said, ‘Oh, is she in education or something?’</p> <p>“And my boss said to me, after a little bit of a pause, ‘Brian, does the word Her Majesty or Queen ring any particular bells with you?’ I said, ‘Are you joking?’.”</p> <p>Despite the hilarious fumbles from the children, Devereux said it was an incredible day.</p> <p>“It was a particularly special day, I must admit, it was just lovely,” he said.</p> <p>“She was quite personable, she paid attention to everything she was told.”</p> <p>Image credits: TikTok</p>

Family & Pets

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Pippa Middleton to gain noble inheritance

<p dir="ltr">Pippa Middleton could be joining her older sister Kate in royal life with a title of her own, inherited from her father-in-law.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her husband, James Matthews, is the eldest son of David Matthews, and is in line to inherit his father's title as Laird of Glen Affric, along with a 10,000-acre Scottish estate near Loch Ness.</p> <p dir="ltr">If he does receive the hereditary title upon his father's death, that would see Pippa and James become Lord and Lady Glen Affric.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Commonwealth-recognised title would make the couple members of the nobility, one step down from royalty.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pippa and James, a former professional racing driver and hedge fund manager, married in 2017 and share three children: Arthur, three, Grace, one, and three-week-old Rose.</p> <p dir="ltr">The news of their future title comes as the family reportedly plan to relocate to a 31-hectare lot in Buckleberry, less than an hour’s drive from the Middleton’s new home in Windsor.</p> <p dir="ltr">Their new home will reportedly mimic Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop, complete with glamping, cabins and a restaurant. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e84dce1d-7fff-7ae3-1e08-e3412ea596e7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Kate and Pippa’s parents, Michael, 73, and Carole, 67, also live in Buckleberry, which has been a long-time base for the family and where they founded a party accessory company in 1987.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @pippa.middleton.matthews (Instagram)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Nana’s cure proves scientific fact

<p>Australian Clinical Nutritionist, Warren Maginn said scientists are now verifying the evidence behind the popular wholefood panacea that has endured for centuries.</p> <p>“Our grandmothers swore by a spoonful of cod liver oil a day. Today resounding evidence shows that cod liver oil may be one of the safest, easiest ways to promote heart health, boost brain efficiency and support a healthy immune system” Mr Maginn said.</p> <p>“Cod liver oil is making a renaissance as recent studies have shown its rich omega-3 fatty acid profile, along with its naturally occurring levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin D having a multitude of health benefits”.</p> <p>A clinical trial which collected data from over 21,000 Norwegians has shown that regular use of cod liver oil is negatively associated with high levels of depressive symptoms in the general population.</p> <p>Another clinical trial on 341 pregnant women found maternal intake of Cod Liver Oil during pregnancy and lactation may be favourable for later mental development of children.</p> <p>Between 1998 and 2004, researchers followed nearly 40,000 Swedish men and recorded details of their diets. Men who consumed a moderate amount (about 0.3 grams a day) of omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil and other fish oils were less likely to develop heart failure than those who consumed little or no omega-3 fatty acids.</p> <p>Mr Maginn says, “While both fish oil and Cod Liver Oil are both good sources of the two most active omega-3s, EPA and DHA, they each provide slightly different ratios—Cod Liver Oil generally contains about 50% more DHA than EPA, whereas fish oil generally contains about 50% more EPA than DHA”.</p> <p>“This means that aside from its valuable Vitamin A and D content, Cod Liver Oil is particularly useful for supporting healthy brain and nervous system function, as well as the overall health of all body cells including those of the skin and glands that require more DHA in order to be at their best. Whilst Fish oils, with a higher EPA content, might lend themselves more specifically towards supporting inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and autoimmune diseases”.</p> <p>“The natural Vitamin A and D content of Cod Liver Oil provides further benefits to eyesight, bone strength and overall immune balance, such as improved wound healing and increased resistance to allergies and infections”.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="http://bit.ly/3boSdaY" target="_blank">Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil</a>™has been derived from 100% wild Arctic cod. Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil is vertically integrated from boat to bottle. By managing every step of the supply chain, Nordic Naturals ensure the exceptional quality, safety, and sustainability of the Arctic Cod Liver Oil™.</p> <p><strong>Three More Proven Nana Cures </strong></p> <ol> <li><strong>An apple a day!</strong> - Prescribing an apple a day to all adults aged 50 and over would prevent or delay around 8,500 vascular deaths such as heart attacks and strokes every year in the UK -- similar to giving statins to everyone over 50 years who is not already taking them -- according to a study.</li> <li><strong>Chicken soup will cure your cold</strong> – it may not cure you but it may help. Scientists now believe that a bowl of the soup may reduce inflammation of the lungs. It is thought that chicken soup slows down the activity of white blood cells that can cause the inflammation.</li> <li><strong>Honey for coughs</strong> – In a trial, honey did even better than the drug, coming out head and shoulders above the popular cough medication (dextromethorphan) at relieving cold and cough symptoms. Researchers believe the stickiness and viscosity of honey helps the cough, while the natural antioxidants can help in the healing process.</li> </ol> <p>Unlike other “cod liver oils” on the market, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/3sXow6L" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil™</a> contains no fish body oils or synthetic vitamins or additives.</p> <p><u><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/3sXow6L" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">Nordic Naturals award-winning Arctic Cod Liver Oil™</a></u> is an ideal choice to help boost immune system health during the colder months. Vertically integrated from catch to finished product, Arctic Cod Liver Oil far surpasses the strict European Pharmacopoeia Standard for fish oil purity and freshness. Simply put it’s some of freshest cod liver oil in the world.</p> <p>Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver oil recently won in the 'Bone and Joint' category of the Good Magazine Best of Natural Awards.</p> <p>Available from all good health stores. To find a store near you visit <a rel="noopener" href="http://bit.ly/3ccOBrB" target="_blank">http://www.therahealth.com.au/store-locator</a></p> <p><strong><em>REFERENCES</em></strong></p> <ol> <li>Harrar S. Today’s Dietitian 2012; 14(1):22 Available at: http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/011012p22.shtml</li> <li>Bauer, I., Hughes, M., Rowsell, R., Cockerell, R., Pipingas, A., Crewther, S. and Crewther, D. (2014), Omega-3 supplementation improves cognition and modifies brain activation in young adults. Hum. Psychopharmacol. Clin. Exp.. doi: 10.1002/hup.2379</li> <li>A statin a day keeps the doctor away: comparative proverb assessment modelling study. BMJ 2013; 347 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f7267 (Published 17 December 2013)</li> <li>Chicken soup inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro. 2000. Chest. 2009 Nov;136(5 Suppl):e29.</li> <li>A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Jul;16(7):787-93. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0311.</li> </ol> <p><sup>1</sup><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17184843" target="_blank"><strong> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17184843</strong></a></p> <p><sup>1</sup><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12509593" target="_blank"><strong>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12509593</strong></a></p> <p><sup>1</sup><a rel="noopener" href="http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/12/1495.abstract" target="_blank">http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/12/1495.abstract</a></p> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div class="Maincontent"> <p><strong><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://therahealth.com.au/brands/nordicnaturals/" target="_blank">Thera Health</a>.</em></strong></p> </div> </div>

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Heartbroken Russell Crowe shows bushfire damage to multimillion dollar property

<p>Russell Crowe has shared a sad video of the bushfire damage done to his property.</p> <p>The Hollywood actor said he originally intended to just send the small clip to his friend, but felt the need to share it with Twitter too.</p> <p>“Fires still burning, logs smoking everywhere you look,” he wrote.</p> <p>“Got halfway to where we were trying to get to, will try again in the morning when it’s cooler.”</p> <p>The actor previously shared images of his NSW property after the bushfire left regions of it “scorched” and out of water.</p> <p>He noted he “was overall very lucky” at the time after a couple of buildings were lost on his property.</p> <p>Crowe owns 400 hectares of land around Nana Glen, inland and northwest of Coffs Harbour.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Sent this to a friend. Thought I’d share with you too . Fires still burning , logs smoking everywhere you look. <br />Got halfway to where we were trying to get to, will try again in the morning when it’s cooler. <a href="https://t.co/eCjR8QXXMm">pic.twitter.com/eCjR8QXXMm</a></p> — Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) <a href="https://twitter.com/russellcrowe/status/1198808392803860480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 25, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“So we’re up here trying to get up to this ridge road but we keep coming across things like that,” he said in the most recent video shared, before panning the phone to a tree across the road.</p> <p>“So I’ve got a few boys behind me chopping through with a chainsaw, but I don’t think we brought enough chainsaws because we’ve got a long way to go to get to where we’re supposed to be.</p> <p>“Look at this place, mate,” he shows his friend.</p> <p>“Absolutely f***ing smashed.”</p> <p>On Sunday it was recorded 65 fires continued to burn across NSW, with 31 yet to be contained.</p> <p>Blazes in Victoria and north Queensland are still causing alarm.</p> <p>NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced there would be $48 million set aside for bushfire recovery, after blazes devastated many communities.</p> <p>The community recovery package, which is both a federal and state government initiative – was announced on Sunday morning and included a grant of up to $15,000 to aide small businesses and farmers.</p> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see the impact on Crowe's property. </p> </div> </div> </div>

News

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Can you spot the typo in this Melbourne highway sign?

<p>VicRoads has copped a bit of heat on social media this week after motorists and local residents noticed an unfortunate typo on a newly-erected highway sign.</p> <p>The sign appears on the Monash Freeway, directing drivers to the Springvale Road exit to ‘Glen Waverly’.</p> <p>But it seems the signwriter left out an ‘e’.</p> <p><img width="316" height="421" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7818221/glen-waverley.jpg" alt="Glen Waverley"/></p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook / Glen Waverley Community</em> </p> <p>And Glen Waverley locals are not happy about it.</p> <p>“What a disgrace!” one man commented on the Glen Waverley Community Facebook page.</p> <p>Interestingly, there is a “Glen Waverly” out there, but it’s a rural holding about 1400km from Melbourne’s south east in the NSW Northern Tablelands.</p> <p>VicRoads Project Director for South Eastern Projects, Ray Paterson, <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>told Herald Sun</strong></em></span></a> the sign would be fixed as soon as possible.</p> <p>“We’re aware of the issue with this Monash Freeway exit sign and apologise for any confusion this may have caused drivers,” he said.</p> <p>“The sign will be corrected within the next week.”</p> <p>What are your thoughts?</p>

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Country music legend Glen Campbell dies aged 81

<p>The family of legendary country music singer Glen Campbell have announced his passing at the age of 81. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and legendary singer and guitarist, Glen Travis Campbell ... following his long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease,” they wrote on Facebook yesterday.</p> <p>His daughter, Ashley Campbell, took to Twitter to share a heartbreaking yet touching tribute to her beloved dad.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Heartbroken. I owe him everything I am, and everything I ever will be. He will be remembered so well and with so much love. <a href="https://t.co/1Z8mm8Jzth">pic.twitter.com/1Z8mm8Jzth</a></p> — Ashley Campbell (@ashcambanjo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashcambanjo/status/895023923393433600">August 8, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>Campbell was known for his smooth vocals and genre-defying hits that earned him 10 Grammy awards and countless others. His best-loved songs include “Gentle on My Mind”, “Rhinestone Cowboy”, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”, “Wichita Lineman”, “Galveston”, “Southern Nights” and “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle”.</p> <p>Campbell also found success on the small screen, hosting his very own music and comedy variety show, <em>The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour</em>, from 1969 to 1972. A successful actor as well, he was lauded for his role in 1969’s <em>True Grit</em>, for which he received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.</p> <p>He is survived by his wife, Kim Woollen, and his eight children, Debby, Kelli, Travis, Kane, Dillon, Cal, Shannon and Ashley.</p>

Music

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New-age nanas: a guide to successful grand-parenting in the 21st century

<p>From the naughty-step to catching up on Skype, grand-parenting today is a whole new ballgame. Susan Moore – the author of <em>New Age Nanas: Being a Grandmother in the 21st Century</em> – talks to Over60 about the ins and outs of grand-parenting now.</p><p>So you’ve got a gorgeous new grandchild – or one on the way – who you think is the best thing since sliced bread. And you cannot wait to be a part of their life. Although, it’s not always that simple. You have to be careful what you do and say. You’re no longer in charge, your child and their spouse are&nbsp;– and deferring to their rules and wishes isn’t as easy as you might think. This is only one of the many conundrums grandparents today are faced with.</p><p>This day in age, it’s quite common for both parents to work which means mums are looking to return to work sooner than generations past. As a result – sometimes because of the high cost of childcare – grandparents are looked to as part-time carers. But with new parenting styles, like the naughty step and timeouts being popular these days, coupled with there being a world of new gadgets to navigate, like iPads as TVs and Skype, grand-parenting duties can be taxing. So how do you talk to your kids if you’re feeling overwhelmed?</p><p>Emeritus professor of psychology and author, Susan More, says that when it comes to grand-parenting, you have choices. “Thankfully, most grandparents have choices in the way they grandparent,” she explains. “From sitting back and admiring how well their children are doing as parents right through to being an active and engaged source of childcare.”</p><p>When professor Susan Moore and her co-author&nbsp;– emeritus professor Doreen Rosenthal&nbsp;– began researching their book, they wanted to know what grandparents were thinking, feeling and doing with their grandchildren. “We asked these Australian women questions like ‘what’s the best thing and the worst thing about grand-mothering?’” Susan told Over60. “Most of those we surveyed and interviewed were overwhelmingly positive about their experiences; the love they felt for their grandchildren had given many a new lease of life. In fact, in response to ‘what’s the worst thing’, many said ‘nothing’ or ‘I don’t see them enough’.”</p><p>Susan is quick to say that today’s world is more complicated than it once was. "In most young families, both parents need to work,” she explains. “Young women are keen to return to careers but often feel torn and guilty about leaving their children in the care of others.”</p><p>The research conducted by the two professors found that families feel it a great comfort if it’s the grandparents who can help with care of young children. “If grandparents can help out, everyone benefits. But there’s no point in being a martyr and feeling resentful,” Susan says. “It’s important to work out what you think is a fair thing and discuss it with the family.”</p><p><strong>Here are professor Susan Moore’s tips on ensuring you’re comfortable with your grand-parenting situation:</strong></p><p><strong>Make the effort</strong><br>“It’s a great joy to be involved in a grandchild’s life. Many grandmothers we spoke to said that being a grandparent made them feel younger and gave them a new and more enthusiastic perspective on life. It’s a way of strengthening family ties and mending fences if that is needed.”</p><p><strong>Negotiate</strong><br>“Some of you have likely reached the age where you were hoping for some ‘me time’, with travel plans and personal interests to follow up. New parents can have expectations that do not align with what the grandparents had in mind! Time spent with grandchildren needs to be negotiated.”</p><p><strong>Be prepared</strong><br>“It helps to talk about these things even before the grandchild is born. Be positive and enthusiastic about the role you want to play in your grandchild’s life; make suggestions early about the kind of commitment you believe you can fulfil and what you don’t want to do. In other words, it’s good to set limits before they become an issue.”</p><p><strong>Don’t make promises</strong><br>“Don’t promise too much at the beginning. In the first flush of love for a grandchild it’s easy to get carried away. Be realistic – you can always offer more later, but it’s hard to cut back once you’ve made a promise because the parents will have arranged their work life around your commitment.”</p><p><strong>Set time limits</strong><br>“Put a time limit on your offering. This might be along the lines of ‘I’ll try it for three months then can we see how it’s going?’, or ‘I can do that this year, but we’ll need to talk again next year because my work commitments will have changed/I have travel plans/whatever’. A time limit offers you the option of change and somehow helps remove that ‘taken for granted’ feeling that some grandmothers can experience.”</p><p><strong>Have a back-up plan</strong><br>“You will get sick some times, or have an urgent commitment. Like everyone else, you’ll probably want a holiday from time to time. Discuss this with the parents beforehand so everyone knows where they stand and a back-up is arranged.”</p><p><strong>Assess your energy</strong><br>“Caring for a toddler when you’re over 60 is a very different matter from doing so when you’re 50. Your energy levels have changed and so have your reaction times – you may not be quick enough to stop her/him from eating the dog food. The sort of care you were able to give your first grandchild may not be possible 10 or 20 years later when the last grandchild is born. Discuss this with your family and let them know in as many ways as you can that it doesn’t mean you love the last one any less than the first. The grandmothers we spoke to were very keen not to show favouritism; especially those who remembered what not being the favourite felt like when they were children.”</p><p><strong>Advice. Don’t give it</strong><br>“A wise grandmother told us ‘keep your mouth shut and your arms open’. Times have changed, so have fashions in child rearing, sometimes for very good reasons. Even if you don’t agree with the parents’ methods of discipline or what they feed the children, or how they ‘hover’, grandmothers we spoke to recognised they were not the ones doing the parenting. Advice, no matter how well meaning, is likely to be resented, unless it’s asked for. If you want to discuss these issues with a parent, do it subtly and with a cool head, and be prepared to compromise.”</p><p><strong>Keep up with new gadgets</strong><br>“Learn how to manage those pesky child car restraints. You’ll also want to keep up with the new technologies so you can Skype the grandkids and keep up with the ones who are travelling in their gap year.”</p><p><strong>Talk to other grannies</strong><br>“It’s helpful to chat to other about what they do and how they cope – it broadens your perspectives and gives you a forum for sounding off if things don’t always work out how you’d like.”</p><p><strong>Enjoy it!</strong><br>“It’s a new and exciting phase of life, a chance to have new experiences and grow as a person. Make the most of it.”</p><p><em>New Age Nanas: Being a Grandmother in the 21st Century is available now</em></p>

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