Are Smart Toys Safe?
There is a toy revolution building. Kids toys are becoming smarter. It’s part of the “internet of things”, which basically means that every “thing” you can buy can be connected to the Internet. Read more
Six Top Tips For Reading To Kids
By: Anne Rinaudo
New research from Australian Catholic University finds that HOW you read to kids is very important. Learning Sciences and Teacher Education researcher Dr Ameneh Shahaeian has six tips for parents. Ameneh read a story to Stephen O’Doherty to demonstrate the how best to read a story. Read more
You Could Have Been: The Children’s Book Written For Grieving Parents
By: Clare Bruce
When Ann-Maree Imrie lost her first baby mid-pregnancy, her whole world crumbled. Read more
How to Motivate Kids – and Why Rewards aren’t the Answer
How do you motivate kids? It may be one of the biggest struggles parents and teachers experience. We remind them to clean their room or do their schoolwork. They reply that it’s too hard. Read more
Responding Well When Your Child’s Sexuality Is Not What You Thought
By: Amy Van Veen
Several times a week, our care and counselling department receives phone calls from parents whose child has just “come out” to them, either identifying as LGBT or revealing the fact that they are struggling with their attractions or sexuality. Read more
My Son Won’t Talk About His Day
“Hi Dr Justin
My son won’t talk when he comes home from school. I ask him how his day was and he just says, “Fine.” I ask him what he did and he says “Nothing”. I ask him who he spent time with and he shrugs or mentions a friend or two. That’s it. Why won’t he talk? Is he being bullied? How can I get him to open up? He’s 9 years old.” Read more
Seven Strategies to Combat Teen Porn Use
By: Danny Huerta
Pornography is pervasive, but avoidable with the right skills. It can quickly become an addiction. There are seven things you can do to help your teen either not access pornography or begin turning away from needing to access pornography. Read more
When Is It Ok to Leave Your Child Home Alone?
I was born in the 1970s, and raised in a lower-to-middle-class suburb. Mum and Dad ran their own business and they both worked long hours. This meant that when I was a kid, I let myself into the house every afternoon after school, and I was free to play anywhere in the neighbourhood until my parents returned home from work. I spent the afternoons riding my bike down to the park or to the shops with my best mate Andy. Read more
Does Your Teen Have HSC Exams? Try These Six Simple Tips
By: Duncan Robinson
Teenager: so you’ve started the HSC. You’ve had months of preparation to get to this point. It might be one of the largest and most challenging events that has happened in your life so far. Read more
How to Raise Kids Who Read
There’s a reason that experts make a big deal about telling parents to read to their children. Reading to kids (not using devices but using real books) is one of the best things we can do to help them develop positively. Read more