Winning isn’t everything… but how we raise our kids to think about winning might be.

Parenting and Family Wellbeing expert Dr Rosina McAlpine interviewed on ABC Radio

In this thought-provoking ABC Illawarra interview, Dr Rosina McAlpine family and wellbeing expert challenges the classic “dog eat dog” mindset many of us grew up with. Instead of teaching kids to beat others at all costs, she argues the real key to success lies in empathy, collaboration and striving for personal bests.

It starts with something simple. After a game, instead of asking “Did you win?”, what if we asked “Did you have fun?”, “What was your highlight?” or “What could you improve?” Small shifts like this can build resilience, confidence and a stronger sense of self.

Dr Rosina also reminds us that empathy isn’t something kids just naturally develop. It’s a skill we need to actively teach through everyday moments, like encouraging them to notice how others feel or involving them in finding fair solutions during sibling disagreements.

One of the most powerful takeaways? Kids don’t just listen to what we say, they watch what we do. When we model respectful conflict and genuine repair, we’re teaching them lifelong emotional intelligence.

If you’ve ever struggled with “that’s not fair!” or wondered how to raise kind and capable kids, this conversation is well worth a listen.