Hello Wentyl,

Have you got a two-year-old kid? No? Then do you want mine?

More than two decades ago, when my oldest son was two years old, I wrote a piece about raising toddlers with that opening line. 

I remember those days well: the worst moments were always about the smallest things.

My son would have a screaming fit, demanding at top volume that I reattach grapes that I’d dared to pluck off the stems and place in a bowl. 

He was also very independent. 

"Mines," he would say petulantly. "Me do it! Meeeee doooo itttttt."

Susie and her son.

He also seemed to instinctively crave whatever he couldn’t have.

"No whining," I told him one day.

"Me want whining, me want whining," he screamed immediately, not even knowing what whining was. 

Gee, I wish Jessica had come into my life back then. 

The name has been in the news this week, with parents claiming it has magic powers to avert toddler tantrums. And guess what… it actually works! See what parents have to say about it here.

In other stories this week for parents and grandparents, we compiled details about the nation's most notorious childcare centres that have been closed down, slapped with sanctions or fined due to their poor treatment of vulnerable young children.

CHILDCARE SHAME FILE: See the centres smacked with sanctions in New South Wales | Victoria | Queensland | South Australia | Tasmania

We also looked at the impact of the cost of living crisis on tertiary students, compiled a list of the insane (and sometimes kind of hilarious) demands some entitled parents place on teachers, and looked at why Gen Z are skipping gap years. 

I also wrote a column defending my decision to buy a diesel SUV last year. I could have bought an EV … but didn’t. Sigh …

Have a great week and keep in touch at education@news.com.au

PS: I should point out that my son is now all grown up, and is a mature, smart and wonderful human being who bears little resemblance to his two-year-old self. And I didn’t ever learn how to reattach those grapes.