It's an odd but true phenomenon that on certain days certain words can dominate the news. The world for today is, apparently, "secret".

Starting with a report from Australia, an article titled, "Adoption secret a betrayal" isn't new news ... or shouldn't be to anyone reading adoption blogs ... but is worth repeating, nonetheless.

The point being that raising adopted children in secrecy, not being open about the fact of adoption itself, denying access to information about background, and outright lying is damaging to the child and makes them more likely to see their adoptive parents as "controlling and uncaring".

A study at the University of Southern Queensland found that: "Adoptees who found out later in life that they were adopted were especially likely to experience a loss of trust or sense of betrayal."

The study shows adopted children raised in an open atmosphere tend to feel close to their adoptive parents when they are adults. Their parents' openness also provided a good model for their relationships with other people.

Sounds like a no-brainer to me, but I'm sure even research this basic is needed to advance reforms and educate.

Secret number two in today's hit parade, British mothers hesitantly admitting to co-sleeping in "What's the big secret, Mummy?"

Not so much an exposé of the practice as a revealing of the fact that so many who do make a habit of having their kids in their beds are guilt-plagued about it, it's a refreshing look at a controversial bit of parenting that too many keep under the covers.

Noting that the UK's Department of Health and the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths do not recommend bringing kids into the parental bed, the author takes issue with the stance.

Only a very foolhardy parent would ignore such a tidal wave of advice. Unless, like me, they try to trust their instinct and brave the scaremongering.

... And for all the tutters who think it’s best to let children cry themselves to sleep alone in a separate room, allow me my own spot of scaremongering. Research published this year shows that training a baby to sleep in a cot is likely to increase stress hormones such as cortisol. Margot Sunderland, of the Centre for Child Mental Health in London, found that co-sleeping makes children more likely to grow up as calm, healthy adults.

Citing 2004 Royal College of Midwives guidelines that suggest parents be informed of the benefits of co-sleeping, a comparison is made between British practices and the take in Germany that has two nights spent in a "family bonding room" following births as standard practice ... one big bed for the new mom, dad and baby.

In yet one more 'secrets-related' article, taking up for dads is the story.

Australia's latest census has apparently included figures on housework that one newspaper announced with this headline, "Men's dirty little secret," insisting that men have it easy while women are doing twice as much as the guys.

In a none-too-gently misogynistic tone ... and Oz is a country rife with men's men ... the rebuttal is all about men putting in more hours at work, blah, blah blah, and how "in real life" how much they help out at home has little to do with marital happiness.

Get this:

Yes, women put in tedious hours sorting whites from darks and wiping tiny noses.

But many men face hours behind the wheel in snarling traffic, often working long hours in dreary jobs to pay the mortgage.

And this:

Little kindnesses, sweet talk, cuddles. Housework, while it may be the main game for many female sociologists, is only a tiny part of the real deal.

This report is in complete contradiction to this one out of the US that says taking turns with the dishes and sharing household chores is the key to a successful marriage...

A new Pew Research Center study found an increasing number of American adults considered sharing household chores as very important, ranking it third in a list of nine items associated with successful marriages -- and put ahead of children.

Coming in third, and given second place a run for its money, on the top important things in a marriage, keeping house was just behind "happy sexual relationship" in the hit parade. (Faithfulness was number one.)

So, what year is it in Australia?