Parenting related discussions, videos interviews and researched based approach to life skills and education of children
Parenting, as every sleep-deprived one of us can attest, is hard work. Wonderful, rewarding, meaningful and difficult. “Each stage has it’s challenge, from managing a toddler’s tantrums to keeping teens safe from the harms of drugs, alcohol and fast cats
Read MoreIf it’s happened once, it’s happened a thousand times. You call out to your child for dinner, ask her to get undressed for the bath or tell him to come inside from the back yard, and it’s as if your requests evaporate into thin air. Or you check in to see how homework is coming along, only to see that he hasn’t even gotten started. Frustrating? Incredibly. Uncommon? Certainly not.
Read MoreEffective communication and social skills enable children to develop strong relationships with family, colleagues and friends and work in a productive, harmonious and enjoyable way. Learning how to cooperate and work in a group as well as understanding when to lead and when to follow are valuable skills. Other social skills for children to learn include understanding how to avoid unnecessary conflict and how to be a good communicator. Building relationships is essential for creating a happy and productive life.
Read MoreParents often feel guilty about not spending enough time with their children. Life is so busy with work, taking care of the home and all of the things that need to be done of when raising a family so there is often so little time to spend with the kids.
It’s easy to see that if parents don’t spend quality time with their children, their children could come to the conclusion that they are not important and this can harm a child’s sense of self.
Do you find yourself frustrated… escalating to anger and even rage with your children?
Does that lead to feelings of guilt and self criticism?
We all know that parenting has its joys but it also has its challenges. In this show, Dr Robyn Mills interviews Dr Rosina McAlpine to explore why and how being a parent can trigger:
Do you ever wonder if your kids plot, plan or simply know how to get their way? I’ve heard many parents say that their children know exactly how to manipulate them to get what they want and that it’s both young children and teens who knowingly and consciously misbehave and choose not to do the right things.
If you’re wondering if your little angel could really be that clever find out what brain science has to say on this topic as I interview my fabulous guest Dawson Church PhD.
Read MoreDo your toddlers, young children or teens have trouble managing their emotions?
Do your children fight with their siblings and engage in sibling rivalry?
If you answered yes to any of those questions then please join me, Dr Rosina McAlpine and my dear friend Dr Robyn Mills as we explore the many practical tools you can use to turn tantrums and fights into a learning opportunity to teach your children many life skills like:
Interview can be heard here
OK, we all know that siblings fight and we all know that children can have difficulty managing their big emotions like anger, jealousy and fear, SO, let’s not see this as a negative thing BUT see it in a positive light. You might be sceptical right? Stay with me - how about we reframe these difficult times as opportunities we can use to teach our children how to get on in life, whether they are toddlers or teenagers.
Read MoreParents want to raise respectful children who make good choices. We want our kids to be well behaved and choose the right way to act in the world and the right way to speak with people.
If your children do something “naughty” or act “disrespectfully,” how do you help your children to learn the right thing to do?
Do you get angry and yell at the kids or do you send them into time out? Do you give them a reward if they have good behaviour or take something away if they do the wrong thing?
I was hit as a child and I hated it. I also hated seeing my siblings get hit as well. So I was determined not to hit our son.
When I’ve yelled at our son, or put him in time out or made him do things for a reward or punishment - it didn’t feel good to me… I felt guilty and I hated seeing him upset. I can’t imagine any parent who likes disciplining and punishing their children... it doesn't feel good to yell, put them in time out or smack them. They are our precious babes ... but at the same time we can't have them running wild right?
So I asked the questions:
Read MoreWhen it comes to parenting, discipline is a very controversial topic. There are many approaches parents use to discipline their kids including: time out, hitting, spanking and a variety of rewards and punishments. In many cases parents simply do what was done to them as kids, other parents choose to do the exact opposite.
Do you need positive parenting advice and parenting strategies to support your child’s development? The key is to consider whether discipline is the best way to raise happy, healthy and well balanced children? And if so, which forms of discipline are best?
This is the definition of discipline from the online dictionary:
"The practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behaviour, using punishment to correct disobedience".
Read More"I have a 7 yr old who gets into trouble a lot at school for talking. At home he is loud and interrupts quite a bit. What can I do to help him calm down? He has missed out on special activities in school because of getting into trouble for talking."
Please remember to read these answers as information you might find useful and suggestions you can try as opposed to advice, as you know your family and can make the best decisions for them as outlined in the disclaimer below.
First of all, let me say this was me as a child at school and I face the same challenge with our 6 year old son at home and at school, so believe me I understand and empathise with you completely. Bright, inquisitive and happy kids are often talkers and love to interact with others. I am very sorry to hear that your son is missing out on activities at school and so here are some ideas you can try to help him manage his talking at certain times.
Read More"How do you stop a 17mo old from biting people. He does it when excited and mad."
Great question Kim, and one that is commonly asked by parents of babies and toddlers! First of all it’s important for you to know it is quite common for babies and toddlers to bite as part of their development and that it does pass with time and support. But I completely understand that even though it is ‘normal’ it can be a problem that you want to solve as soon as possible. Babies bite for quite different reasons including: teething, their way of exploring the world, as a spontaneous reaction, to get a reaction, or if they can't communicate in another way. I’ve discussed each of these below and possible solutions your can try.
Read MoreToday children are experiencing unprecedented rates of childhood anxiety and depression. Are you worried that you or your child might be depressed? In this 3 part video series, Dr Rosina interviews Dr Samantha Madhosingh, a clinical psychologist known as the emotional wellness doctor.
You’ll learn about the many signs of depression so you can recognise them in your young child, teen or in adults. The signs are different for young children and teens, and the sooner you can seek help the better. Dr Madhosingh shares in her experience of depression in her teens of her own journey of recovering from depression in adulthood.
Key 1: Discover Purpose and Passion
Key 2: Dissolving Emotional Blockages
Key 3: Living Fearlessly
Key 4: Unshakable Self-Confidence
Key 5: Owning your Magnificence
If you’re like so many parents today, you carry around a feeling of guilt because you wish you could spend more time with your kids, but between work, taking care of the home and all of the after-school activities there seems to be so little time. Well in this short video, Dr Rosina explores the benefits of making a small amount of quality time available each day rather than worrying about trying to find a lot of time. Find out how to open a regular communication channel between you and your child, build a strong relationship and provide an opportunity for your child to share any difficulties they might have before they become big problem.
Are your kids cooperative contributing members of your family or are you forever trying to get them to do the right thing and help out?
A common way parents try to influence their child’s behaviour is through rewards and punishments. Rewards can include: praise, a sticker on a chart, TV or electronic games time or even financial rewards as an incentive to behave a certain way. Punishments can include: a stern talking to, time out, loss of privileges and even harsher punishments for really ‘bad’ behaviour.
Are you stuck in a cycle of rewards and punishments? And, if so is this the way you want to relate to your child?
Read MorePeople are inherently social beings. We seek to connect with each other in our personal and professional lives. The Inspired Children program activities help your child learn essential communication skills that will enable them to interact with family and friends in a productive, harmonious and enjoyable way. They will learn how to cooperate and work in a group as well as understand when to lead and when to follow. Other valuable social skills include how to avoid unnecessary conflict and how to be a good communicator and listener. The ability to nurture friendships and build relationships is essential for creating a happy, harmonious and productive life.
Read MoreThrough her research based approach, Parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine provides practical, up to date parenting advice - Win for parents, Win for kids and Win for business
