I will not always be the mother of three teenage boys, so I’m going to give you my top tips now, in case I forget them. 1. Windows. Keep most of them open, most of the time, even if there’s a frost. 2. Soccer balls in the house. This is a tricky one. Start by telling them they can’t dribble soccer balls past you in the kitchen, while holding a plate of food. 3. Washing. Try making a rule that by the time they each turn 15 they have to do their own. But note that they may merely become better at pinching each other’s clean socks and underwear. 4. Your makeup and jewellery. They don’t want to borrow it! That’s so cool. 5. Small devices and the internet. This is even trickier than the soccer balls. Enjoy the soccer balls!

… with lots of love from Naomi, on an autumn day in the Blue Mountains, with the windows wide open and the soccer balls outside.