When 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". The online example used to give it the word 'discipline' context is: "a lack of proper parental and school discipline" and the synonyms include: control, regulation, direction, order, authority, rule, strictness, a firm hand Hmmm? Is this what parenting is about? Control, Authority, and Strictness? Or is parenting about nurturing and educating our children to become the best they can be for themselves, their families and their communities? In this interview with Inspirational speaker Dr Robyn Mills  parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine discusses the pro's and cons of various common forms of discipline and punishment used by parents. Dr Rosina also shares her insights into a life skills approach to parenting which eliminates the need for discipline and punishment. Intrigued?… listen in and get loads of positive parenting advice. Listen to the Interview Find out more about developing your child’s Communication Skills  and how the Inspired Children Life Skills Home Activity eBook can benefit your whole family. Here are some of the key life skills your children can learn to help them fly through life: Managing emotions - practicing effective strategies for managing anger and expressing feelings;  Helping your child understand that they’re smarter when they’re calmer; Learning to listen actively to build strong relationships with family and friends; Nurturing your family’s connection: the daily catch-up; Exploring the meaning of friendship: your child’s views and your view’s; Evaluating current friendships: do I have good friends? These activities help your child make good decisions and make the ‘right’ kind of friends; Discovering your family history – a fun activity for your child; How to work effectively in a team or group for a school project; Exploring emotions: expressing anger in a healthy and safe way; Nurturing a relationship with yourself, knowing your personal goals. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle. Most importantly, imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s communication skills and ability to make great friends and get along with family members. The ability to build personal and professional relationships through effective communication supports your children to become successful and inspiring leaders in the world.

Most parents today say they don’t have work-life balance. In this interview Dr Robyn Mills and parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine discuss 5 keys to crafting and living a life you love- one that works for you and for your kids…the whole family. Come join us and listen  to this interview and learn more about going from a life that’s just okay to one that makes you shine – you owe it to yourself and your family! Key 1: Take time to re-evaluate your life The biggest break throughs in achieving work life balance begin with taking stock of all you, your kids and your family does. Most importantly identify things you can take out that aren’t important. Practical Parenting Tip : kids are often as overscheduled as parents. By reducing the number of unnecessary and unenjoyable things you all do, your family will make space for the things you love. Key 2: Have a clear vision for yourself and your family Now that you have some space – what will you fill it with? By sitting down with your kids and partner as a family, you can work out personal and family goals and create an inspiring vision – one that all members of the family are motivated to participate in. Setting goals and creating an empowering vision is a great life skill for your child. Key 3: Make your changes small, incremental and systematic Big life changes take time. Trying to do too much at once sets us up for failure. So make the changes small but significant and once you have them set – make another change. For example, if you have a health goal – how about swapping one drink per day with water and fruit instead of a processed snack. Have a plan and a system that will help everyone make the changes last. Positive parenting advice:  take the time to record and appreciate even small achievements. This is motivating. Key 4: Be OK with mistakes, setbacks and become resilient We are creatures of habit and changes take time to become embedded in our life – especially if we’ve had bad habits like saying “yes” to everything when we really mean “no”! So, be kind to yourself if you don’t get it right, pick yourself up and keep going! Having a buddy (friend, partner, child or other family member) can really help keep you stay on track. Key 5: Enjoy and be grateful your life every day. Gratitude is SO important. Research shows people who are grateful live happier lives. When we focus on the wonderful positive things in our lives we are less likely to feel anxious, depressed or defeated. Seeing the positive helps us feel good about our lives and see a bright future.

Parents love their children and so when they see their kids struggle it's natural to want to jump in and help. BUT, this is not always helpful as it teaches them to rely on others to "save them" or to tell them what to do. Here are some valuable parenting tips: Of course if your child is in physical danger - you move them out of the way first and then have the conversation - but this rule doesn't always apply in other situations. Helping kids to work through their problems, rather than solving them for our kids means they’re learning how to navigate life safely and successfully. If we help our kids navigate life’s challenges when they’re small challenges, then by the time they’re teens they’ll have the skills to overcome the challenges that can have a huge negative impact on their whole life – like drugs, sex and alcohol. Wouldn’t you be relieved to know that your child could anticipate the problems they might encounter, have strategies they can draw on to overcome the problem and considered the consequences of each action before they made a choice? Learn how you can help your child do just that by listening to this interview (located above) conducted by inspirational speaker Dr Robyn Mills with parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine advocate of Life skills in 15 mins at a time

It’s not uncommon to hear parents, particularly mothers, say "I put my children first and my needs last". BUT, is good parenting really about being selfless?  Positive parenting is about setting a good example for your children. Do you want them to learn to put themselves second? In this show you'll get lots of positive parenting advice and learn about the many benefits to you, your family and your children of being "self full" rather than "self less". And the steps you can take to make it happen in your life. Happy parents are the foundation for a happy family … depleted and unfulfilled parents don’t have energy, inspiration and joy to share around. Parenting tip: don’t miss out on being fulfilled and making YOUR positive difference in the world. Follow your dreams, share your talents and be a great role model for your kids. Taking care of yourself supports everyone in the family to live engaged and meaningful lives. Join us for another a great show and learn more about this important topic.

Do you find it difficult to get kids to follow a routine for bedtime and in the morning? Do you find it stressful, get annoyed… and even angry when they won’t get ready for bed and rush around in the morning to get things done? If you’d like some ideas then listen to my interview with Dr Robyn Mills. With children experiencing increasing levels of stress and anxiety you’ll also learn about helping your kids to be positive and appreciate the good things in life – rather than focussing on the negative.  This is especially helpful in the teen years when kids experience loneliness, rejection and anger if life doesn’t go their way. Helping children manage their emotions and overcome life challenges are key life skills. HEALTH AND WELLBEING If you need some help in supporting your children to learn more about healthy eating, exercising, helping around the home and even making healthy snacks, please check out the Inspired Children Health and Wellbeing Life Skills Home Activity eBook.  The book has 12 easy-to-follow activities that only take 15 minutes to complete and are designed to help your children learn about the importance of exercise and good nutrition as well as personal and home cleanliness, providing a sound foundation for a happy and healthy life. Find out more about developing your child’s Health and Wellbeing and how the Health and Wellbeing Life Skills Home Activity eBook can benefit the whole family. You’ll have many opportunities to help your kids develop important life skills. If you’d like to know more about how to help your children eat well, exercise and even help you tidy up around the home, have a look at my Inspired Children Health and Wellbeing Life Skills Home Activity eBook. There are twelve easy-to-follow life skills activities you can complete in just 15 minutes at a time. Here are just some of the skills and knowledge your child can learn: The fun 15 minute clean up technique; How to make a healthy snack; Getting kids to enjoy a variety in food as part of a healthy diet; Household cleanliness: doing the dishes with a difference; A before bed routine to prepare for the next day... no more rushing around in the morning; The benefits of stretching; Playing team sports – more than just good health; How to help your kids reduce their junk food intake by learning about ‘Treats’, ‘Weekend Food’ and ‘Sometimes Food’; Relaxation for general wellbeing; Chewing food correctly for improving digestion and getting good nutrition; and the many health benefits of being in nature. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle... Most importantly, imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s understanding about how to care of themselves by eating well and exercising. So many kids are suffering right now because they are overweight, others because they can’t manage stress. Learning how to be healthy as a child is a foundation for a long and happy life. Find out more about Health and Wellbeing

I hope you enjoy my interview with the delightful Jean Harris from Launching Life Strategies. One of the key life skills kids can really benefit from is an age appropriate growing understanding money. Whether your child is a toddler demanding toys at the cash register or a tween needing the latest fashion or electronic gadget, you can really help them see that an endless amount of money isn’t available to them, and that money has to be earned and managed before it is spent. Kids of today see endless supplies of money coming out of the cash machine as we withdraw it each week and that purchases can be made with the wave of a plastic card and a signature. As parents we know this certainly isn’t the full story. In this interview Jean provides positive parenting advice about raising kids who understand the value of money. You’ll get great ideas and develop good parenting skills on how you can help your children have a realistic and healthy understanding about money. Jean started this process when her son was around 4 years old and talks about how you can introduce ideas about money at difference stages of your child’s development. How great would it be if your child really understood how money works? Wouldn’t it make it easier for you? Who wants to say no to their kids when it comes to purchases? Here’s good parenting help about giving your children - toddler to tween an  understanding of how: money is earned and how to earn money to plan and save towards purchases they want to value money and to get value for money when they make purchases to manage their allowance by managing, saving, investing and donating money. Jean gives some great examples of how her parents supported her financial literacy and how she passed on that valuable learning to her child. It really is never too soon to start teaching kids about money. Not only will they get great skills for life, but it will help you avoid the arguments about money with your kids. There are heaps of creative ideas for teaching toddlers and young kids about money in this interview! Also look out for Jean’s book – coming this fall: When it snows all you need is a broom: life lessons from Pearl and Dan It’s filled with heart-warming stories about life’s many lessons If you would like to take your child’s learning about managing money a little further as well as help them to learn more effectively and explore possible career directions you might find the Education, Careers and Money Life Skills Home Activity eBook a good parenting guide. Here are twelve important life skills you can help your child to develop with the Inspired Children Education, Careers and Money eBook: A love of learning; planning and completing homework; a positive attitude towards making mistakes; understanding the value of money and household spending; learning about saving money; active learning versus passive learning; understanding why learning is important; the many different roles in life; exploring possible future life directions; investigating the health and medical professions; benefits of active listening for learning; understanding the concept of ‘value-for-money’. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle... Most importantly, you’re developing your good parenting skills and your child is getting skills for life. Imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s education, career and their financial literacy by completing these simple, fun and effective life skill activities. To find out more please go to Education. Careers and Money Life Skills

Join parenting expert Dr Rosina as she interviews Annie Fox, an internationally known teen expert and award-winning author. Her books include:  Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating ;  Too Stressed to Think ? and the  Middle School Confidential ™ series. Annie is a relationship counselor  who answers emails from teens from around the world. Learn about common teen concerns and problems and most importantly how to support them. There is often a disconnect when it comes to teenagers and their parents. Parents of teens can learn how to improve their relationship with their sons/daughters. Annie will also discuss her views on the bigger social issues like how our choices matter and what we model for our children (as parents, educators and creators of media) influences their behavior in profound and often unconscious ways. Annie explain how if it is our intention to raise and educate a generation of young people who are socially responsible, then we need to prioritise compassion, friendship as well as justice.  For more information on Annie Fox and her books please see  AnnieFox.com

This interview provides latest research on raising healthy and happy babies with expert advice for new parents and or professionals working with babies. You will learn: The safest ways to put your baby to sleep whether you share a room or bed with your baby  How to reduce the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Ways you can prevent baby flat head syndrome and avoid the need for a helmet to correct your baby’s misshaped flat head How you can help your baby become a child who is patient and doesn’t demand instant attention Ways to keep your baby calm and reduce their anxiety and stress. The process for raising a child who is empathetic, caring and understanding of others as well as patient and can delay gratification The many benefits for your child’s future if they can delay gratification and be patient including: reduced chance of obesity, grater ability to complete long term projects and less stress and anxiety. Dr Wendy Middlemiss is an Associate Professor at the University of North Texas and is an expert in the Essentials of Safe Infant Sleep.

If you are a new parent or a professional working with babies, then this interview will help you understand the latest research on raising healthy and happy babies. You will learn: What is ‘normal’ sleep for a baby The many potential harms of using the controlled crying method The best ways to help your baby to sleep When to feed your baby:  understand the positive effects of feeding on demand and the negative effects of sticking to a rigid routine for feeding a baby. Dr Wendy Middlemiss is an Associate Professor at the University of North Texas and is an expert in the Essentials of Safe Infant Sleep.

Today 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, parenting expert Dr Rosina interviews Dr Samantha Madhosingh, a clinical psychologist known as the emotional wellness doctor . In Part 1: Recognising depression 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. Part 2: The 5 Keys Toward Emotional Freedom Key 1: Discover Purpose and Passion Key 2: Dissolving Emotional Blockages Key 3: Living Fearlessly Part 3: The 5 Keys Toward Emotional Freedom Key 4: Unshakable Self-Confidence Key 5: Owning your Magnificence

In the many places we live and those we may visit around the world, we generally find ourselves in a multicultural environment. So, to prepare our children make the most of life, it is important to help them understand the benefits of cultural diversity and how important it is to accept that other people may have different values and beliefs. One of the wonderful advantages of living in a diverse society is the opportunity to eat foods from different cultures, meet people with different beliefs and ideas, enjoy the wonder of creation by accepting and respecting that people from different racial background may look, speak, act and even eat differently. It is also important to explain to our kids that that some people are discriminated against based on their race, and to empathise by considering how hurtful that would be for them. Perhaps your child is being discriminated against and so understands this concept first hand, - if so seek help from the school and friends and family members so you don't have to deal with it alone. No one wants to experience being treated unfairly or harmed, so take the opportunity to help your child become empowered and resilient and overcome the issues the racial discrimination they may be facing. Social awareness is about being conscious of the problems, difficulties or hardships that different people, communities, or societies face on a day-to-day basis. Children with an awakened social consciousness are more likely to become socially active in a positive way by being empathetic towards others regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, disability, class, or sexual identity. So, if we are to raise children who care about the planet and the people who live on it, we need to help them understand about social inclusion, not exclusion. By discussing racial discrimination with your children you can help them to: 1. increase their awareness of how they and others live in society and learn why it is so important not to participate in any acts of discrimination towards other children based on their race or culture. 2. understand their own situation if they are being discriminated against and to find ways to resolve it; or 3. become more empathetic towards others who are being discriminated against and think about how they could make a positive difference either now or in the future. By helping our children to develop empathy and acceptance and to value cultural, racial, social and other differences we can look forward to a bright and peaceful future. If you’d like to know more about helping your child become more socially and environmentally aware, develop their understanding and empathy about social issues to support them to become a responsible and caring adult, take a look at the Environment and Social Understanding Inspired Children Life Skills Home Activity eBook. There are twelve easy-to-follow life skills activities you can complete in just 15 minutes at a time. Here are just some of the skills and knowledge your child can learn: Understanding and managing bullying; Using the garbage and recycling bins at home and school;  An introduction to making ethical choices and frameworks for making ethical decisions; Social awareness about children with disabilities, homelessness, racial discrimination and social classes; environmental awareness including water conservation and paper recycling. Remember each activity only takes around 15 minutes to complete and you can complete them at your own pace at a time that suits you and your family’s lifestyle... Most importantly, imagine how good you’ll feel about the huge difference you’re making as a parent to your child’s understanding about how to care for family, friends and peers as well as the environment. By helping our children to develop empathy for people’s hardships and an acceptance of the cultural, racial, social and other differences in the world we can look forward to a bright and peaceful future.

Family life is so busy that we spend most days running around with no time to relax and play with our kids. Does this sound familiar? In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina shares a simple idea you can try, so you can make time to relax with your children. It only takes as little as 10-15 minutes... or longer if you like! Ten or fifteen minutes might not seem like much, and you might say “so why bother”, but actually, even taking just a little time out can bring so many benefits for the whole family right now and in the future.  When you and your children relax together your stress levels go down, you’re calmer and there’s less chance you’ll get angry and snap at the kids. And who doesn’t want peace and quiet at home? Also, relaxing a little each day is good for your physical and mental wellbeing and it is great role modelling for your child which will make a huge difference in the long term. Good habits for a healthy life, start in childhood. There is every reason to take time out to relax with your child and create wonderful memories together. Please sit back, relax and watch the video