Best of the Web: Missing the Olympics? Join Australia’s Olympic legends in these free online events, and more

The pandemic has meant the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, the first time the games have been called off since World War Two.

But the Olympic spirit is still burning bright among Australia’s Olympic community, who will be the stars in live chats hosted by gold medalist Kerri Pottharst, above, and Luke Power, founder of Cuppa of Life, a virtual cafe keeping us positive in these tough times.

Starting Friday 24 July and running until Sunday 9 August – the period when the games would have run – the series features a galaxy of Australia’s biggest Olympic names, streaming straight into your living room.

Ian Thorpe, Kurt Fearnley, Dawn Fraser, Louise Sauvage, Steve Hooker, Anna Meares and Andrew Gaze are among some of the legends who will share stories from their Olympic experiences in a live and interactive web series initiated by Pottharst. There will also be a chance to ask questions.

The nightly events are free, but Kerri and the team would love you to donate to a very good cause: helping community sports clubs survive.

(Melissa Hart, The Washington Post)

The headline on this article will be familiar to the parents of many teenagers. The pandemic and lockdown are particularly hard on teens.

The author knows it first hand. When school and dance classes were off, her 13-year-old declared: ‘I hate you, and I hope you go to hell.’

The article explores why teens are reacting in this way – in part, they have been practicing for adulthood, and that independence and freedom has been snatched away. There’s also some useful ideas about how to support them.

(Maggie Dent, ABC)

Trying to work from home with the kids around is often both trying and stressful, and the lived experience of so many parents at the moment.

There is some help at hand in the form of this brilliant Parental As Anything podcast by parenting guru Maggie Dent, first posted back in April when this all began.

She interviews productivity researcher Dr Kristy Goodwin about her strategies for working at home. It includes planning activities to keep the kids engaged and give you some work time, and setting realistic expectations on what you can achieve.

You can also check out Maggie’s blog on best tips for parents of teens, on The Parents Website.

(Natalie Reilly, The Age)

Our new masked-up Melbourne can be confusing and even a little scary for kids. This timely article seeks out expert views on how to explain to children what’s happening.

For small children who are mask-free, psychologist Debra Campbell suggests relying on a bit of fantasy.

‘Superheroes often wear masks, so we can think of wearing a mask as being like superheros for each other, by keeping each other safe,’ she says. ‘Have a look at some pictures of superheroes who always mask up. Play a game of being a masked superhero at home together.’

Like this post? Please share using the buttons on this page.