The August 23 Edition

I tend to think of myself as a person who can be sentimental but not one easily moved to tears. I had to revise this self-characterisation after reading staff writer Tim Elliott’s piece about the grief he felt when his daughters moved out of home. There is abundant advice for most stages of parenting, as Elliott notes, but perhaps not enough to help navigate the emotions that come as your children reach adulthood. Whether you’ve gone or are going through the grief of empty-nester syndrome yourself, or it looms in your future, this beautiful piece will give you pause for thought. Elsewhere in the magazine today, our cover story looks at the lives of those who keep our communities ticking over as part of the night-time workforce, which now includes some 4 million Aussies. It’s fascinating to gain some insight into the worlds of those who clock on as we are all clocking off. – Melissa Stevens, editor.