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Parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine interviewed on ABC Illawarra. When was the last time you really checked in with your child or grandchild? Not just a quick “How was your day?”—but a real, meaningful chat about how they’re actually  feeling? With the rise in mental health concerns among young people, taking time to connect deeply with the kids in our lives is more important than ever. This week, Dr Rosina McAlpine, explores how parents and carers can support children through life’s ups and downs—and why positivity in the home matters more than you think. The Alarming Rise in Mental Health Challenges Among Kids Rosina shared a sobering reality: "One in seven children experiences mental health challenges—just behind one in five adults." For working parents, this can create a double load. Not only are they juggling work and family responsibilities, but they’re also navigating their children’s emotional wellbeing—often without the support they need themselves. When a child is struggling, it inevitably affects the entire family’s mental health. How Parents Can Support Kids When They’re Feeling Down The first step? Check in. But not in a rushed, surface-level way. Create a safe, judgment-free space where your child feels genuinely heard. Rosina emphasised: “Don’t be too quick to dismiss what they’re feeling. If a child is sad or anxious, validate that. Don’t jump straight to fixing—just listen.” Many kids won’t come out and say, “I need to talk.”  Instead, they’ll act out or get “annoying” as a way of seeking attention. It’s their way of waving a little emotional flag. Pro tip: When your child is acting up, try pausing for just two minutes. Stop what you're doing. Give them your full attention. Often, that's all they need to open up and move on with their day. Why Positivity Matters in Family Life So what exactly is  positivity? According to Dr Rosina, it’s not about pretending everything is perfect or ignoring real emotions. Rather: “Positivity is a mindset—an openness to seeing the good around you, appreciating small joys, and choosing to respond with hope and kindness.” Positivity matters Practising positivity has been linked to: Greater resilience after failure Stronger relationships Higher levels of happiness and wellbeing And yes— positivity is a choice , and it can be learned at any age. “Our brains are neuroplastic,” Rosina explained. “We can train ourselves to be more positive, just like we learn maths or a new language.” Strategies for Cultivating Positivity at Home Start a Gratitude Practice Referencing a powerful study called "Count Your Blessings vs Burdens" , Rosina shared that people who wrote daily gratitude journals reported: Better emotional wellbeing Improved physical health Stronger social bonds Try this:  At dinner, ask everyone to share three highlights  of their day—only one can be about food! Reframe Negative Moments When challenges arise, practise shifting your focus. Instead of reacting with frustration, pause and ask: “What can I learn from this?”  or “What am I grateful for right now?” Express Appreciation Out Loud Rosina’s favourite exercise? Write a letter to someone you’re grateful for. Revise it until it truly captures your feelings—then read it to them in person.Warning: tears (and hugs) may follow! Final Thought: Let Positivity Be Contagious Whether it’s putting on music to lift the morning mood or sharing a giggle with your child, positivity is  contagious—and it starts with you. So, here’s your challenge for today: Pause. Check in. Listen without fixing. Share a moment of gratitude. What are you grateful for today?

Parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine interviewed on ABC Illawarra. Do your little ones sometimes get overwhelmed by big emotions? You’re not alone. Many parents wonder how to best support their children when they’re frustrated, sad, angry, or even jealous. That’s why I recently joined ABC Illawarra  to talk about one of the most powerful skills we can nurture in children: emotional intelligence . Why Emotional Intelligence Matters Emotional intelligence is about more than just “managing emotions.” It’s the ability to: Recognise emotions in ourselves. Regulate and manage them in healthy ways. Understand how others are feeling. Build stronger, more caring relationships. When kids develop these skills, they do better at school, enjoy stronger friendships, and grow into more resilient adults. Practical Tips You’ll Hear in the Audio In this conversation, I share simple strategies parents can use right away with preschool and primary school-aged children, including: Expanding your child’s emotional vocabulary (“Is this frustration or disappointment?”). Calming activities like the flower and candle  breathing game or balloon breathing . How to handle sibling rivalry as a learning opportunity for empathy. Listen to the Full Conversation This blog only scratches the surface. To dive deeper into these practical tips - and to hear how parents can turn emotional challenges into growth opportunities - tune in to my chat on ABC Illawarra . Coming Up Next In this series, we’ll also explore how teenagers can develop emotional intelligence-because those years bring a whole new set of challenges (and opportunities!). Stay tuned!

Resilience. Self-belief. Emotional strength. The Personal Power – Life Skills eBook  is a must-have guide for helping kids build self-confidence and inner strength. It focuses on key areas like self-esteem, decision-making, problem-solving, and standing up for what’s right. The activities are short, simple, and impactful. Your child might create a “strengths poster,” practise saying “no” in role-play, or journal about a time they overcame something difficult. Every page is designed to affirm your child’s unique value and potential. Parents often notice a shift—children who feel more secure, speak up for themselves, and bounce back after challenges. This eBook is perfect for children who are sensitive, shy, or just in need of a little boost in their belief in themselves. When we teach kids that power doesn’t mean perfection—but progress, self-trust, and values—we give them a foundation that lasts. Help your child grow into a resilient, confident human. Learn more about Personal Power .

Confidence starts with connection. The Communication & Relationships – Life Skills eBook  helps children build vital social-emotional skills—from listening and speaking kindly to handling conflict and expressing emotions. Through short, child-friendly activities, your child will learn how to understand their own feelings, communicate clearly, and navigate tricky moments with peers. Whether it’s role-playing conversations, creating a friendship map, or practising “I” statements, the tools in this guide are designed to grow emotional intelligence in fun, bite-sized ways. Why this matters: Children who can connect, express themselves, and resolve conflict are better equipped to form meaningful relationships, succeed at school, and handle life’s social ups and downs with confidence. Parents often ask, “How do I help my child become a better communicator?” This eBook makes it easy—with practical prompts and thoughtful guidance. Let your child find their voice and build strong connections. Learn more about Communication & Relationships

Build healthy habits that last a lifetime. Health & Wellbeing  helps children learn how to care for their bodies and minds—with fun, 15-minute activities that make nutrition, movement, and self-care easy to understand and practise. In this Health & Wellbeing – Life Skills eBook, your child will explore topics like healthy eating, exercise, sleep routines, personal hygiene, and emotional check-ins. Activities include making a "feel-good" food plate, designing a bedtime wind-down, and creating a daily self-care routine. Every lesson is built around empowerment and understanding, not rules or restrictions. Parents will appreciate how it simplifies the message: looking after yourself is a daily act of self-respect. Children who understand their bodies and emotions are more likely to make confident, healthy choices as they grow. And it’s not just about physical health—emotional wellbeing plays a starring role. Kids learn how to recognise stress, ask for help, and bounce back from setbacks. Help your child feel strong, safe, and confident? Learn More

Parenting is one of the most rewarding yet challenging roles anyone can take on. Positive parenting focuses on nurturing a child's development through respect, understanding, and encouragement. To support this approach, many resources are available that provide guidance, strategies, and inspiration. This article explores valuable tools and materials that can help parents foster a loving and supportive environment for their children. Understanding the Importance of Positive Parenting Positive parenting is about building a strong, healthy relationship with your child. It encourages good behaviour through positive reinforcement rather than punishment. This method helps children develop self-esteem, emotional intelligence, and social skills. For example, instead of scolding a child for making a mess, a positive parenting approach might involve calmly explaining why tidiness is important and helping the child clean up. This teaches responsibility and respect without fear or resentment. Practical Tools and Techniques for Everyday Parenting Implementing positive parenting requires practical tools and techniques that can be used daily. Here are some effective methods: Active Listening Listening attentively to your child shows respect and helps you understand their feelings. This can be as simple as making eye contact, nodding, and repeating what they say to confirm understanding. Positive Reinforcement Praise and rewards for good behaviour encourage children to repeat those actions. This could be verbal praise, stickers, or extra playtime. Setting Clear Boundaries Children need clear rules to feel secure. Explain the reasons behind rules and be consistent in enforcing them. Problem-Solving Together When conflicts arise, involve your child in finding solutions. This teaches critical thinking and cooperation. Emotional Coaching Help your child identify and express their emotions in healthy ways. Use phrases like "I see you're upset because..." to validate their feelings. Engaging in family activities strengthens bonds and teaches cooperation. Where to Find More Positive Parenting Resources For those seeking comprehensive and expert advice, positive parenting resources provide a wealth of information. Dr Rosina’s website offers articles and videos and that can help parents navigate challenges with confidence. Building a Supportive Parenting Network Parenting is easier when you have a network of support. Building connections with other parents, family members, and professionals can provide encouragement and practical help. Attend local parenting groups or meetups. Share experiences and tips with friends who have children. Seek advice from child psychologists or family counsellors when needed. Remember, positive parenting is a journey. Using the right resources and support can make this journey more enjoyable and effective for both parents and children. By exploring these valuable resources and applying practical techniques, parents can create a nurturing environment that promotes growth, happiness, and resilience in their children. Positive parenting is not about perfection but about progress and connection.

Cultivating Calm, Creativity & Emotional Balance In today’s busy world, children face constant hustle. They deal with pressure to perform, screens, extracurriculars, and more. Relaxation and Play offers a refreshing antidote. It is a curated collection of short, joyful activities that help children recognize stress, self-soothe, and reconnect with playful calm. The Relaxation & Play – Life Skills eBook This Relaxation & Play – Life Skills eBook is built around 15-minute sessions. These sessions include deep breathing, mindfulness exercises, guided visualizations, and unstructured play. These tools are designed to reduce anxiety. They help your child express emotions safely and build resilience when feelings become overwhelming. Unique Approach to Emotional Well-Being What makes this guide special is its emphasis on self-regulation combined with joyful exploration. Instead of simply telling children to “relax,” it offers games, storytelling, and calm movement. These are activities children actually want to do. Each section ends with reflective questions like “How did you feel after this?” This encourages emotional awareness and self-reflection. Practical and Transformative for Parents Parents find the format both practical and transformative. You don’t need hours—just a little pause in the day and a willingness to guide your child. Over time, your child builds powerful emotional habits. They learn to recognize when they’re overwhelmed, how to pause, and how to reset. Building Emotional Resilience Emotional resilience is crucial for children. It helps them navigate challenges and cope with stress. The activities in the eBook are designed to foster this resilience. They encourage children to explore their feelings in a safe environment. This exploration is vital for their emotional development. The Importance of Play in Learning Play is an essential part of childhood. It is not just fun; it is a powerful learning tool. Through play, children develop social skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. The Relaxation & Play eBook incorporates play into its activities. This makes learning about emotions engaging and enjoyable. Encouraging Mindfulness in Daily Life Mindfulness is another key component of emotional well-being. It teaches children to be present in the moment. The eBook includes mindfulness exercises that can easily fit into daily routines. These exercises help children manage their emotions and reduce anxiety. Conclusion: Start Building Calm and Joy Today Start building calm and joy today. Learn more about the Relaxation and Play - Life Skills eBook. With just a few minutes each day, you can help your child cultivate emotional balance and creativity. Embrace this journey towards a more relaxed and joyful life.

It’s never too early to prepare your child for the real world. Education, Careers & Money  is a unique life skills eBook that empowers children to think ahead—while having fun. Designed as a series of short, engaging activities, this guide helps your child understand learning goals, imagine future career paths, and start building basic money smarts. Each 15-minute session explores a practical theme: setting goals, saving money, identifying strengths, or planning a dream job. Kids might draw their “future self,” create a pretend budget, or brainstorm how education connects to real life. These activities make big concepts feel simple, personal, and achievable. Why parents love it: You don’t need to be a finance expert or teacher to give your child this head start. The Education, Careers & Money – Life Skills eBook offers guided questions, reflective prompts, and plenty of encouragement—making it easy for you to support your child’s awareness of their future. Why it matters: Kids who learn about money, goal-setting and career planning early are more likely to feel confident, motivated, and capable of navigating life’s choices later on. Equip your child with the tools to dream, plan, and thrive—Learn more about Education, Careers & Money Life Skills

Raise a child who cares—for people and the planet In an increasingly connected world, we want our children to grow up kind, conscious, and capable of making a positive difference. Environmental and Social Understanding  offers 15-minute, discovery-based activities to help children explore empathy, community, and environmental responsibility. Each chapter invites your child to reflect on questions like “How can we be good friends?” or “Why do trees matter?” Activities include neighbourhood litter hunts, kindness treasure maps, and family discussions about sustainability. These simple yet powerful experiences help children feel part of a bigger, interconnected world. The Environmental & Social Understanding – Life Skills eBook doesn’t preach—it empowers children to notice, question, and act. As they collect natural items, write gratitude notes to community helpers, or invent eco-friendly home habits, they build a sense of agency. And parents love how easy it is to include in daily routines. Why it works: When empathy and environmental care are linked to play and curiosity, children internalise values naturally—without feeling lectured. Begin your child’s journey to kindness today with Environmental and Social Understanding

Unlock your child’s creative superpowers! In Inspired Creativity , Dr Rosina offers a powerful collection of 15-minute activities designed to nurture imagination and problem-solving skills. Rather than passive screen time, this guide actively encourages children to dream, create, and build—transforming curiosity into confidence. Each chapter of the Inspired Creativity – Life Skills eBook focuses on a real-world skill: goal-setting, planning, visualisation, and productive reflection. Through storytelling, art, and exploration, your child learns to see challenges as opportunities. Whether they’re writing a short story, sketching a new invention, or mapping a personal dream project, these exercises give them tools to wonder, wonder again—and then act. Parents will love how easy it is to integrate creativity into daily life. No special equipment is needed—just time, curiosity, and a positive spirit. The eBook’s playful yet purposeful approach helps kids connect imagination with positive outcomes, building resilience along the way. Why this matters: Creative confidence isn’t just for artists—it’s for any child navigating the complexities of modern life. When children practice imaginative thinking, they learn to adapt, innovate, and believe in themselves. Ready to spark your child’s inner artist, dreamer, and problem-solver? Learn more

Do you find it hard to talk to your children about sex? Are you embarrassed, confused not really knowing what or how to even start the discussion? As parents we all realise our children need to know about sex and understand their sexuality, but it isn’t an easy conversation – so we often deflect it or avoid it all together. BUT, if you don’t talk to your children about sex, they’ll get their information from someone or somewhere else – and that’s a highly risky strategy because you don’t know what they learn about sex and how it will shape their beliefs and attitudes towards sex –and of course ultimately their sexual experiences in the world. Well, if you don’t know how to start – don’t fear – join Dr Rosina , entertaining and educational parenting expert as she interviews Amy Lang  who is an author and sexual health educator and enjoys helping parents have the sex talk with their kids from tiny tots to teens. You can find out more about Amy, her books and her programs at her website. Today is all about learning how to have easy and open sex talks with your kids. In this show you’ll learn: How to introduce the topic to very young children – including how to answer ‘that’ awkward question many kids have – “ Where did I come from?” Explaining sex and sexuality to older children – including how to get them to talk to you and understanding the benefits of conversations with both mum and dad. The keys to raising well-balanced and responsible teenagers by talking about sex, pregnancy, contraception, relationships and intimacy for boys and girls. Are you struggling with parenting? You can get the ongoing support  you need with my 12 month online program. Learn at your own pace with videos, audios and articles to help you handle day-to-day parenting challenges, get your parenting questions answered and join our community forum where you can share with like-minded parents – all for around US $16 a month. A tiny investment for more peace of mind and more peace in your home. You and your family are worth it! Dr Rosina’s practical parenting approach empowers you to raise well-rounded and capable kids from toddlers to teens, get great tips, resources and support.

In today’s fast-paced busy life everyone needs a break – parents, teachers and even the kids! Stressed-out parents need simple tools to help their kids wind down at the end of the day and relax before bed, and Our wonderful school teachers and pre-school teachers need something to help calm kids in the classroom. Our beautiful children have to navigate all of the ups and downs in life and being able to manage stress, relax and wind down are important tools for life success. Kids Yoga offers a simple, easy to use and fun practice that helps parents, teachers and children take a calming break together. Even if you’ve never done yoga before with a little help from Rebecca Schafer and Nancy Lawford-Miles from GOYOkids you’ll be up and running in no time… or should I say relaxing and enjoying down-time in no time! If you’d like to learn more about the many healthy benefits of yoga for kids and how easy it is to start a daily yoga practice with children as young as 3 years old, then join parenting expert Dr Rosina as she uncovers the great ideas, tips, tools and resources that GoYoKids ( www.goyokids.com ) has to offer to make kids Yoga fun and educational in your home or classroom.  By doing yoga with children you get to relax and they get to learn: How to be still using fun yoga poses… being a tree, a turtle or riding on a magic carpet To use their breath to calm– an important tool for managing emotions. To listen carefully, increase their attention and follow instructions Yoga is fun, healthy and a practice everyone can continue to use throughout life! Listen to the podcast here and enjoy more peace, focus and fun in your classroom or home!