Welcome,
Quite incredibly we're almost mid way through the year and many of you are still confused about the Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate. If you are, you're not the only one. So this week we have a recap on what it's all about, how you can claim it and how often. Plus a a great article from our own writer on the alternative 42 Lessons Life Taught Me. We're sure you'll identify with a lot of them.

The Child Care Rebate and Child Care Benefit continues to baffle parents in terms of whether or not they're entitled to either or both, with 25% of parents in our survey saying they don't know if they're entitled or not, or they believe they are not eligible.

Half of the parents surveyed who had children currently in some form of child care are paying over $300 in child care fees per week. Around 12% of parents say they are not eligible for child care benefit, which is no surprise given that this benefit is means tested. But you may be pleasantly surprised to find out you are in fact eligible for up to $7500 per child per year in rebate.

Last year DEEWR estimated that there was over $200 million in unclaimed child welfare payments waiting for Australian parents who have not got around to claiming or just don't know their entitlements.

In previous surveys we have revealed that over a third of parents with children in child care had not been assessed for eligibility for the child care benefit – almost half of which was simply not getting around to it because of the perception of the hassle of being assessed with Centrelink.
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I've just turned 42. Quite depressing on the one hand, but on the other I find myself at the beginning of a new phase in my life and am looking forward to what the second half of my life will bring. I have plans and it's actually quite exciting, but it has definitely been a time of reflection.

Recently pretty much everyone I know has gone through some sort of upheaval. I think it's our age. Your forties are when you're strong enough to take stock of your life, your achievements, your failures, your relationships. You find yourself taking a look at what you've done and what you haven't and saying, right, this has to stop or right, I'm going to make sure I actually enjoy my forties.

I can't speak for men, but I think for women it's also a time when we are able to feel in control and there's a very distinct shift of power in relationships. It's definitely a time for change.

As women get older, they get more confidence and feel more in control. They may have had children, raised a family, and managed a home. They realise their own strengths and weaknesses and have the confidence to act. Recently I was sent the picture in this article on Facebook which really resonated with me.
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