Welcome to Margie's Insights and Interviews

May 24, 2021
Trust Your Wings. You Can Do Hard Things.
Last week was an exciting week in our family. My oldest son Lachlan graduated university and my youngest son Matthew graduated high school. Matt’s graduation was all the more special given that of the four graduations in our family over the last 12 months (including
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Apr 25, 2018
The Deathbed Test
Two weeks ago I got an email from the dean of academics at my daughters’ school notifying me that she was to be inducted into her school’s Cum Laude academic honor society. They looked forward to seeing my husband and me there. Maddy is finishing
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Jun 09, 2017
Parent From Faith, Not Fear
Last weekend I was back in Washington D.C. celebrating my son Lachlan’s high school graduation. I vividly remember the day I gave him a hug at Melbourne airport as he boarded his flight to travel across the world to pursue his passion for basketball and
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Sep 10, 2016
How To Raise Brave Girls
On my 40th birthday my daughter Maddy, 10 at the time, gave me a handcrafted birthday voucher on which she wrote: “This vowcher lets you be my gest at the Oscars when I am nomnated for best actres.” (I figured she stood more chance of
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Jul 01, 2016
Kilimanjaro: Testing your limits expands them
When our guide came by our tent shortly after 3 AM to wake us up to begin the climb up Mt Kilimanjaro I’d already been awake for some time. The sleeping bags we’d rented for our week hiking to the rooftop of Africa weren’t quite
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Apr 29, 2016
Lift as we climb... up Mt Kilimanjaro
"So what would be your ideal way to celebrate your 50th birthday?" I asked my husband Andrew earlier this year. "Go on a safari with my family in Africa," he replied. My fourteen-year-old son Ben piped up from the couch where I'd assumed he was in
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Apr 04, 2016
#TalkToMe: Dad's wisdom on life, love & loss
At eighty year of age, my dad's had his share of hard knocks, from losing a son after a long battle with mental illness to supporting another adapt to life in a wheelchair. Yet while I'm clearly biased, I believe he's one of the most
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Jan 26, 2016
Grow Your Kids Muscles For Life
Let me begin by saying that I am not an educational specialist, child psychologist, school counsellor, ex-teacher, parenting expert or athletic coach. However as a mother of three teens and one 'teen-wannabee', I often see parents get a little (or lot!) too preoccupied with the external measures of
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Nov 25, 2015
Teach Your Kids To Handle Failure
I can’t think of a single parent who doesn’t want their child to grow up to be happy, healthy and whole. But it requires walking a fine line. The line between protecting our kids from pain and teaching them to handle it; between supporting them
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Sep 02, 2015
Deep Roots, Strong Wings.
“Your children are not your children. They are sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you. And though they are with you yet they belong not to you. You are the bows from which your children as
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May 09, 2015
To All Imperfect (But Awesome) Mothers This Mother's Day
It’s Mothers Day this weekend and hopefully my four children have remembered (with a little reminder from their dad) to at least get me a card. But as I reflect on this day dedicated to celebrating motherhood, I can’t help but think of the less
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Sep 29, 2014
It's not what you THINK you fear, it's what you LINK to fear
When I asked my son Ben what he wanted for his 13th birthday in August he pondered the question for about ten seconds before replying, “To go sky diving.” While I was a bit taken aback I knew that given both Andrew and I had
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Aug 26, 2014
Mother Courage: Learning a new 'Brand of Brave' as my son spreads his wings
So early this morning I kissed my sixteen-year-old son Lachlan goodbye. He has left our nest; he has spread his wings. Despite steeling myself for months for this moment, it didn’t lessen the wrench on my heart as I waved him goodbye. I am not
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Jun 01, 2014
Are you making yourself miserable? What you focus on expands!
I have to confess that I’ve been a bit ‘emotional’ lately. I usually share my ups and downs in my blog and newsletters but in this case, I haven’t. Quite honestly, it’s all been a bit too close to my heart to wrap any words
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Apr 02, 2013
Ten years. Four kids. Five homes. Seven lessons learned.
Ten years ago today my son Matthew arrived into the world. As I made the kids a special celebratory pancake breakfast this morning (complete with chocolate milkshakes and a special operatic rendition of Happy Birthday) it dawned on me that it’s also ten years today
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