The April 13 Edition
Twenty hours a week. That’s the point at which many grandparents begin to feel resentful about looking after their grandkids. Not all grandparents, and not all the time – but enough to show up in research. I found this a fascinating figure in light of the central theme of today’s cover story, which is that Gran and Gramps are the unpaid bedrock of our childcare system. They’re spending their days reading to the babies and toddlers, ferrying the older kids to and from sport, and are on call for date night. Many are paying the school fees, while others are housing three generations under their own roof. Older family members have always helped out, I hear you say. But a combination of factors, from high house prices and childcare costs to the predominance of two worker households, plus the normalisation of mum returning to work once baby hits six or 12 months, means grandparents are contributing more than ever. So much for relaxing into retirement. How resentful are they? Less than you might expect, but perhaps more than many of their own kids might realise. So let’s hear it for the grand army, without whose free labour – and endless, selfless supply of love – many Australian families simply wouldn’t cope. Katrina Strickland, editor
Mind the baby, Boomer: How more grandparents are ending up on the childcare frontline
Who’s looking after the kids? Increasingly, it’s Gran and Gramps.
- by Jenna Price
Is logging off the new black?
Twenty years after Mark Zuckerberg and his mates started Facebook, tech watchers are beginning to ask: have we passed peak social media?
- by David Swan
‘My Errol Flynn’: How Ethne fell in love with a dead serviceman
Diaries and love letters scribbled in cursive by soldiers at the front can be difficult to decipher. To the rescue: this 91-year-old – and others like her.
- by Tim Elliott
Two of Us
For subscribers
‘We all suffered’: Louise and David Helfgott’s complicated upbringing
Pianist David Helfgott and his younger sister, writer Louise, are still close after a tumultuous early life that was detailed in the 1996 film, Shine.
- by Dani Valent
Dicey Topics
For subscribers
‘People are asking’: Why Kerry Armstrong’s make-up artist checked behind her ears
The actress discusses raising three boys as a single mum, making lasting impressions – and whose body she’d like to have in her next life.
- by Benjamin Law
Modern Guru
Modern Guru
Bidding against my friend at an auction – what’s the worst that could happen?
House auctions are terrifying enough – now, let’s play out the scenarios, writes our Modern Guru.
- by Danny Katz
Letting it all hang out: The he-vage (for men!)
Plus: get ready for the weekend with these fresh diversions.
- by Various
Crime and punishment
Soon after she’d yelled at him for pretty much no reason, Huxley’s mum called him to dinner. “Not hungry!” he yelled, though he was starving. “Come to the table anyway,” she insisted, materialising in his doorway. “Can’t. Going for a walk,” he said impulsively. She frowned. “But it’s bucketing down. Stay here, love.” “Nah,” he muttered, enjoying her objections. The rain fell like nails but, wincing, he stepped out into it, figuring he’d stay away long enough to ensure her suffering. How awful she’d feel knowing it was her fault he was out here; so wet, so cold, so unbelievably hungry. Words by Paul Connolly. Illustration by Jim Pavlidis.
Grilled steak and vermicelli salad with spicy dressing and smashed cucumbers
A simple, herbaceous salad that packs a punch, and is a perfect picnic option.
- by Danielle Alvarez
Spiced apple cake with mascarpone and maple frosting
This warming, spiced apple cake is one you’ll return to again and again.
- by Julia Busuttil Nishimura
Review
Good Weekend
This charming wooden hut − and its peachy dessert − is a fairytale find near an airfield
Basq is an unexpected but pleasing all-day restaurant with really good − and dare I say “yum” − food.
- by Dani Valent
Review
Salumeria Norcino
‘The best sandwich I’ve eaten all year’: Meaty spot enlivens a dead patch of Pyrmont
Callan Boys is a big fan of everything Salumeria Norcino – jack of all trades, master of salumi – is trying to do.
- by Callan Boys
End of the line: Why are we queuing for food in-person (and online for reservations)?
Is it just social media hype, or are some restaurants worth the long wait?
- by Terry Durack
