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Daniel Morcombe’s twin tells of his grief

Twin brothers Bradley and Daniel Morcombe shared everything. They rode their bikes together, cared for their horses together and took turns in opening their presents on their joint birthday.
Daniel Morcombe's twin, Bradley, tells of his grief

An undated photo of Daniel Morcombe © AAP.

Twin brothers Bradley and Daniel Morcombe shared everything. They rode their bikes together, cared for their horses together and took turns in opening their presents on their joint birthday.

It was unusual then, for Daniel to go out solo in December, 2003. Daniel asked Bradley to join him on his trip to the shops to buy Christmas presents, but Bradley decided he would go the next day.

Related: Daniel Morcombe accused will fight charges

It was a decision that will haunt him for the rest of his life. Daniel never came home. His family has spent almost eight years searching for him, hoping he was still alive. But last month, a man was arrested over his murder.

“I wonder what might have happened if I’d gone with him,” Bradley tells the September edition of The Weekly.

“Perhaps it would have been both of us that disappeared. But I think that whoever came along probably wouldn’t have tried if there were two people. If I’d gone with him, it’s more than likely he’d still be here.”

Brad, now a fencing contractor, paid tribute to his parents, who have pushed for a resolution to the case since Daniel’s disappearance in December, 2003.

“Mum and dad are amazing people and I think they are inspirational,” he says. “The best thing has been that we can rely on each other, know when we need support and help each other through, even though sometimes it’s hard.”

September cover story: Ita Buttrose on life, love and family

Read the full interview with Bradley Morcombe in the September issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Subscribe to 12 issues of The Australian Women’s Weekly for just $69.95 and receive two FREE profile photo frmaes, valued at $37.90. That’s a 15% saving on the retail price.

Video: Daniel Morcombe’s parents discuss their grief

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Not enough time? Personal concierge service on the rise

Personal concierge service on the rise

Are you one of those people who feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get things done?

Well, as strange as it sounds, a personal concierge might just be the answer.

They can take care of everything from taking the dog to the vet to buying birthday presents.

Personal concierge Debbie Alford told the TODAY show she can assist with everything from planning parties to helping out new mums.

“For the women it’s the wife they have always wanted and for the men it’s like having a wife without the sex,” she said.

So what else does the personal concierge service provide and how much will it cost? Find out more in the video player above.

Your Say: Would you consider hiring a personal concierge?

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“Living doll” boutique to open in the UK

Mum throws sugar-addicted child elaborate candy fantasy preschool party

A UK couple are giving a whole new meaning to interactive toys by opening a “doll boutique” where young girls can purchase dolls that look like them and dress them in the same clothes.

The UK’s Daily Mail reported department store My London Girl will open in London’s Westfield Shopping Centre this month offering young girls the opportunity to choose a designer outfit and accessories for themselves and then buy a doll to match.

The store is aimed at girls aged three to 12-years-old, with the same clothing range available to buy in doll-size. The 43cm-high dolls retail for £79 ($120).

Store owners Paul Neagle and wife Kathryn Fleetwood-Neagle, who were inspired by a similar store in the US, said the outfits available would be suitable for girls to wear on special occasions like birthday parties and weddings, with the ability to dress a doll the same way adding to the fun.

Apart from matching clothes, the dolls are available in different skin tones and eye color and the hair can also be as closely matched as possible with different shades from blonde to black available in curly or straight.

Mr Neagle said the store is not about encouraging girls to grow up too fast.

“It will be nice, fun, child fashion,” Mr Neagle told UK newspaper the Evening Standard.

“We will not be selling make-up or anything like that. We are not trying to turn little girls into adults.

“My wife’s background is in education, so she knows what little girls like and what’s good for their development in terms of role play.”

The current clothing range has been created by David Charles who designs clothes for UK stores Harrods and Selfridges, with plans for more British designers to take part in the future.

Your say: What do you think about the concept of the store? Does it encourage young girls to act like adults? Share your thoughts below.

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Husband throws out $80,000 jewellery collection

Husband throws out $80,000 jewellery collection

A Caloundra truck driver overdid his cleaning duties, and threw out his wife’s $80,000 jewellery collection.

The couple kept the jewellery wrapped in garbage bags to fool thieves, but Geoff accidently throw it in the garbage.

“My wife rang and said where have the jewellery bags gone and I got that sick feeling in my stomach,” he said.

Tell us: Have you ever thrown away something of value by accident? Tell us in the comments box below.

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What’s Miranda Kerr’s health secret? Coconut oil!

What's Miranda Kerr's health secret? Coconut oil!

While celebrities have been associated with a number of health and diet tips and tricks, supermodel Miranda Kerr’s tip seems to be one of the easiest to live by!

The 28-year-old new mum, who is famous for her organic lifestyle, swears by certified organic coconut oil for everything from her healthy glow to her after baby weight loss.

Kerr, who recently launched her new certified organic products for Kora Organics in Sydney and Melbourne, said she includes the healthy oil as part of her daily routine.

“I will not go a day without coconut oil. I personally take four teaspoons per day, either on my salads, in my cooking or in my cups of green tea,” she said in a recent interview.

Writing about the benefits of using coconut oil on a daily basis in her Kora Organics blog, Kerr has listed the oil as one of her favorite supplements. She also posts recipes which include the oil on the blog.

“Living a busy life as a working mum I recognise the importance of balancing our wellbeing; from making time for rest and relaxation, taking care of our skin and focusing on a diet that includes healthy, natural foods,” she wrote on her blog.

So how does coconut oil work?

Although the oil was once mistakenly found to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it has been found to be a healthy fat.

The difference in coconut oil compared to other natural oils is the fat molecules called fatty acids. The fatty acids found in coconut oil are more easily absorbed and metabolised by the body than other fatty acids.

Coconut oil does not have a negative effect on cholesterol and helps to protect against heart disease. The oil has also been attributed to giving hair and skin a healthy glow and shine.

Apart from coconut oil, Miranda attributes her super slender body to a few other supplements. Here are a few of her favorites.

Grants Liquid Chlorophyll: This product offers a vitality boost along with vitamins, minerals and every essential amino acid. It helps increase energy and improves wellbeing.

Tahitian Noni Juice: Miranda credits this vitamin-rich supplement to boosting her immune system and keeping her skin looking soft and beautiful.

Floradex: Suffering from low iron, Miranda uses this supplement to give herself an iron boost, along with eating iron rich seeds and nuts such as pumpkin seeds.

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VIDEO: Prince Harry dives into pool fully clothed

Prince Harry dives into pool fully clothed

While his brother Prince William settles into married life, Prince Harry has been living it up on Croatia’s Hvar Island.

The partying prince, barefoot and wearing jeans, blue shirt and cap, danced at a local nightclub on the weekend before tumbling into the nearby pool fully clothed, the UK’s Sun reported.

But this didn’t bother the prince who jumped out of the pool, climbed back onto the pool’s ledge and continued dancing.

Throughout the evening he was spotted chatting to models and taking photos with people in the crowd.

Prince Harry, who recently split from lingerie model Florence Brudenell-Bruce, is said to be on a break from his Apache helicopter training in Suffolk.

Watch the video of Prince Harry’s pool dive in the video player above.

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Overprotective parents raising Generation Fat

Overprotective parents raising Generation Fat

Overprotective parents are raising a generation of anti-social, obese and excessively cautious children, experts have claimed.

Two parenting experts discussed the impact of ‘hovering helicopter parents’ in an article in the American Journal of Play.

The claim that today’s children have virtually no opportunity for unsupervised ‘free play’, leaving them prone to obesity, poor physical health and unable to develop social skills.

In pictures: 10 things your kids talk about and what they are

Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children, and Hara Estroff Marano, author of A Nation of Wimps: The High Cost of Invasive Parenting blame media hype about ‘stranger danger’, video games and social media for the decrease in free outdoor play.

Marano and Skenazy — who caused controversy when she let her nine-year-old son ride the New York subway by himself — say kids who don’t experience regular unsupervised playtime turn into uncreative, risk-averse and excessively cautious adults.

While many parents are worried lack of supervision will put their children at risk of injury or worse, Skenazy says they should be more concerned about the kind of kids overprotective parenting creates.

“I do what I call ‘yuppie jujitsu,’ which is that I take the critics’ fears about unsupervised play and try to turn them into fears about what happens if their children don’t play and don’t develop creativity, compassion, and communication.

“A child who doesn’t engage in unsupervised free play doesn’t develop the self-regulation that comes from hearing another kid say, ‘It’s not your turn, go to the end of the line’.”

Related: Teen boys at risk because brains lag behind bodies

Marano suggests parents slowly give their kids more freedom, while still keeping them safe.

“Let the leash out gradually, allowing kids to become responsible for themselves in relatively small increments,” she said.

She suggests selecting an area where it is safe for your kids to play without supervision and then leave them alone.

Your say: Do you think children should be allowed to play unsupervised?

Video: Free parenting

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Should under-18s be banned from babysitting?

Should under-18s be banned from babysitting?

Placing children in the care of the teenager next door or a trusted young relative has long been a preferred alternative to hiring expensive agency-provided babysitters, both by money-conscious parents and teens looking to pocket some extra cash.

But nanny agencies are calling for the NSW government to enforce a minimum age for child minders, saying teenagers are not old enough to care for themselves, let alone someone else’s children.

In pictures: 10 things your kids talk about and what they are

Such an initiative would follow New Zealand, where minors are not allowed to be in the care of children under the age of 14.

Teens look to child-minding to relieve busy parents and start earning money before they are allowed to enter the workforce, making babysitting the most common job for 12-15 year olds in NSW.

But founder of online nanny agency careforkids.com.au, Roxanne Elliott, says parents who use young baby sitters are putting their financial interests ahead of their children’s safety.

“I think 18 and over should be the legal age,” she told The Sunday Telegraph.

“How does a 12-year-old react in an emergency? Are you prepared to put your child’s safety at risk?”

Of course, it could also be argued that childcare agencies are only pushing for age restrictions to stop them losing business to younger, cheaper babysitters.

But manager of another online agency, Megan Beasy, insists there are more practical reasons for older carers. She argues that a babysitter should be able to drive and have their licence.

“They need to be able to get a child to hospital as they can’t always rely on an ambulance,” she said.

While the NSW Commission for Children and Young People has compiled a guide for young babysitters, it says the traditional informal approach to child minding arrangements among family, close friends, and neighbours, make babysitting difficult to regulate.

Related: Overprotective parents raising Generation Fat

“Despite its widespread popularity and practice, babysitting generally isn’t an activity that forms part of a formal structure,” spokesperson Michelle Neathercote said.

“It is important to remember that young people mature at different ages and have different strengths.”

Your say: Should there be a minimum age for babysitters?

Video: Suing grandma – what happens when babysitters drop the ball

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VIDEO: Beyoncé shows off her baby bump

VIDEO: Beyonce shows off her baby bump

Beyoncé Knowles announced she “had a surprise” before showing off her baby bump on the red carpet of the 2011 VMA Awards.

The 29 year old, who is married to rapper Jay-Z, arrived at the awards show wearing a long red dress and carefully held her bump.

Inside, the singer performed her new single Love On Top dressed in high-waisted black pants, a white shirt and purple sequin jacket. Following her performance the star dropped her microphone, opened her jacket and lovingly rubbed her bump!

In previous interviews Beyoncé has always let it be known that she wanted to have a child before she turned 30.

Click on the video above to watch Beyoncé’s performance.

Your say: What do you think of Beyoncé’s performance?

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Rebecca Gibney and Richard Wilkins’ secret fling

Rebecca Gibney and Richard Wilkins' secret fling

At the tender age of ?22, the much-loved actress fell for another homegrown star…

His legendary love life is the one subject Richard Wilkins doesn’t cover in his new book Black Ties, Red Carpets, Green Rooms, but that hasn’t stopped one girlfriend from unexpectedly coming clean about their affair – Rebecca Gibney.

The Packed To The Rafters actress made the surprising revelation about the pair’s relationship in an interview with Kyle and Jackie O on Sydney’s 2Day FM last week, admitting Richard, then 33, won her heart back when she was youngster at the beginning of her rise to fame in the 1980s.

“I was 22 and he swept me off my feet,” Rebecca confessed, adding that their dalliance, while passionate, was doomed. “We were having a lovely time until I found out about a flight attendant and then it didn’t go so well!” she admitted. “I bought him a rose when I took him to Melbourne, and unbeknownst to me he gave that rose to the flight attendant on the flight!”

Even more amazingly, the hostie Richard left Rebecca for after meeting her on that flight went on to become his wife. Richard married Michelle Burke and together they had a son, Christian Anthony.“He did go on to marry her, so she was pretty special,” Rebecca explained, laughing. “He fell in love with her, and she and I became friends. So it’s all good.”

Read more about Rebecca and Richard’s secret fling in this week’sWoman’s Day, on sale August 29, 2011.

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