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About me - Branwen Smith

I'm 35 and I live in Exmouth, a lovely little town on the north west coast of Australia.

I'm a Scot from the Hebridean island of Islay and I'm married to an Aussie Craig. We've a daughter Eilidh who is nearly 3 and is the centre of our universe because she's

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Parenting & Pregnancy > Problems Parents Face Dealing with unsolicited parenting advice
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It begins the moment you announce you are pregnant, and it's there to stay. You'll still be receiving a diatribe of advice when your babies are all grown up and you are helping to plan their weddings.The only way to deal with this advice, and not drown in it, is to understand that it can be one of those "not so pleasant" part... More..

Politics, News & Issues > International News 2nd Lt. Prince Harry deployed to Iraq
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There are reasons for and against here - it really is a tricky one.I believe that we must all give Prince Harry the credit though, that if the decision is taken that he should not go to Iraq, it will not have been his wish.Prince Harry is clearly a well trained and well respected member of the British army, and the obvious ar... More..

Relationships & Family > Married Life When you met your spouse: Stories of how married couples met
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Some girls fall in love with and marry the boy next door - not me.Craig, the man of my dreams was on the other side of the planet from my Scottish home, but we firmly believe that we were always destined to meet and be together.I grew up on a Scottish island and then spent my twenties studying and then working in Cardiff, Wal... More..

Home & Garden > Furniture How to furnish your patio as an outdoor room
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I became quickly educated on patios when I moved to Australia. The Australian's put as much effort into their outside room as they do the inside of their houses.The idea is that during the warmer months you are pretty much going to be living outside. You will be relaxing, eating and entertaining in your al fresco room so it i... More..

Parenting & Pregnancy > Problems Parents Face Are you a backstage parent? How to tell if you're pushing your kids too hard to achieve
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Overly pushy parents - as a flute teacher of 15 years I've come across quite a few.In truth though I've never met one whose heart wasn't fully in the right place, firmly believing they were doing their best for their child.The reality however is that the children of very pushy parents frequently reach burnout and suffer long ... More..

Education > Education (Other) How to get a child ready for the school bus
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Preparing a child for the school bus is a tricky balancing act between making sure those first trips to school are viewed with joy and excitement, and giving the child the knowledge of how to deal with the situation if it doesn't turn out as happy an experience as everyone hopes.BULLYINGWay up high on most parent's worry list... More..

Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Development Issues Setting realistic expectations for table manners with children
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Good behaviour at the dinner table is important for several reasons, but it also important to maintain a balance so that meal times do not turn into a Dickensian nightmare.You need to be aware of what you are trying to achieve, and set your table rules to suit. You must also be very firm with the basic fact that the parent is... More..

Entertainment > Music Education Tips for learning how to read music
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As a professional musician, who has taught musicians how to read music for the last 15 years, here is my advice.Written music is just another written language, that can be mastered just like you mastered English. It uses a series of symbols to show which note should be played and for how long. Extra symbols indicate beat spee... More..

Relationships & Family > Break-Ups & Exes When the 'ex' becomes the 'hex'
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The 'Ex' who is an 'ongoing irritation' in my life isn't actually my ex - she's my husband's. I generally feel somewhere between irritation and anger towards her, but my over-riding feeling towards 'Ex' is in fact pity. Only an extremely sad, pathetic and desperate person would behave in the way she does.My husband and 'Ex' w... More..

Jobs & Careers > Job Interviews Is it acceptable to re-schedule a job interview
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Your attitude towards your job interview gives your prospective employer an insight into your probable attitude as an employee. If you reschedule your job interview, you are indicating that there are things in your life that take priority over your work and that these things make you unreliable.Of course there are things that... More..

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