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Do you find it hard to get your children off the iPad or computer? Are your children exhibiting disturbing behaviours like out-of-control crying and screaming for screen time? Do you need HELP? Well, you’re not alone. Technology addiction is now considered a psychological disorder and a growing number of children are experiencing the many harms of too much technology. Screens are an integral part of life – televisions, phones, tablets, electronic games and computers are in most homes and our children are spending varying amounts of time on them. A little of the  right  kind of technology for kids can be of great benefit. However, many children spend far too much time on screens – well over the recommended guidelines and are interacting with the wrong  kind of content and this can result in long term harms. So what can worried parents do? Join Dr Rosina , entertaining and educational parenting expert as she interviews Dr Kristy Goodwin , mum of two and children’s technology and brain researcher at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. You can find more on Dr Kristy and her research by visiting her website Every Chance to Learn . Dr Kristy’s mission is to help parents feel confident about raising their kids in the digital age. Rather than worrying about screen time and banning it, today’s show is all about how your children can use technology in a healthy, safe and educational way. This show is filled with practical tips that work. In this interview you’ll learn: What screen time includes The recommended guidelines 0-12 years The benefits of screen time The harms of screen time that have been revealed in research What parents can do to make screen time educational and safe For help raising well-rounded and capable kids from toddlers to teens, get great tips, resources and support see Dr Rosina’s practical online parenting program . Here are the links we talked about in the show and promised for our listeners. http://www.everychancetolearn.com.au/screen-time-resources/  (extra screen-time resources) http://www.everychancetolearn.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Screen_time_audit.xls  (for the screen-time audit) https://www.commonsensemedia.org/   (helpful website that reviews technology for children)

Life is not always easy and we all encounter setbacks, obstacles and difficulties at one time or another. How resilient are your children when it comes to navigating life’s challenges? How do your children handle life’s downs? Are they OK if they lose a race, fail a test, fall over and hurt themselves or have a disappointment? Resilience is the ability to get up and move on when things are tough, some of the most successful people failed the first time but were resilient enough to persevere. Help your children understand that  “you never fail until you give up”. Help your child 1. understand what it means to be resilient 2. learn about some of the strategies to help them cope with adversity and bounce back when times are tough.

Many parents are worried about how much time their children spend on screens. Do you know how many hours per day or hours per week your kids spend on technology? You can use this spreadsheet to calculate screen time use for your whole family. Download Spreadsheet Once you know the total hours of screen time use for each child you can compare it to the recommended government guidelines for safe technology use. https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians

Some of the most common questions I’m asked are: What is self-esteem and self-confidence? What is low self-esteem? How can I build self-esteem and build self-confidence? In this article I’ll explore the answers to each of these questions. Self-esteem and self-confidence are words we use regularly in our day-to-day discussions with friends, family, colleagues, peers and with our children. Many people use the words interchangeably, assume they have the same meaning and even define one using the other but what most people don’t know is that they are NOT the same and that it’s important to know the difference as it can have a huge impact on the quality of your life. People generally aspire to have good/healthy/high self-esteem and self-confidence and want to avoid low self-esteem. Here are some of the reasons why. Benefits of good self-esteem and self-confidence Adults and children who have healthy self-esteem and self-confidence feel good about who they are, believe in themselves and are more likely to have a positive attitude to life. People with healthy self-esteem and self-confidence are more likely to try new things and therefore they have a wider variety of life experiences and a richer life. This makes perfect sense right? Importantly, from a strong sense of self, adults and children alike are more resilient. Being resilient means that no matter what hardships life throws your way, you are more able to manage what is happening, pick yourself up and bounce back after the difficult experience. Finally, people with good self-esteem and self-confidence are less likely to be bullied and less likely to succumb to negative peer pressure. This is especially important for our children so they don’t get mixed up in the wrong crowd and take actions they know are harmful to themselves and others. So, having good self-esteem and self-confidence provides many benefits and is a highly valuable personal attribute for everyone. Do you and your children have good self-esteem and self-confidence? Evaluating self-esteem and self-confidence? Many people evaluate themselves as having low self-esteem and want to know how to build self-esteem. And, like many parents you may feel you have a child with low self-esteem and so you probably want to know to build self-esteem in children or build self-confidence in your kids. However, when you understand what self-esteem and self-confidence are then you will see that asking how to build self-esteem and self-confidence just aren’t the right questions. There is a fundamental difference between self-esteem and self-confidence yet, most of us don’t understand the difference. I first learned of the distinction when I was interviewing and working with child development and parenting experts for the book   Inspired Children: how the leading minds of today raise their children . Michael Hall PhD, contributed a chapter on Raising Psychologically Healthy Children and he talks about the difference between self-esteem, self-confidence and self-efficacy. While good self-esteem is a valuable personal quality to have, on the other hand, we want people (adults and children) to have realistic levels of self-confidence based on their experience and ability in relation to a particular task. So while it is beneficial to always strive for good self-esteem, our self-confidence may range from low to high depending on the activity or the task we are working on. Before you evaluate your self-esteem and self-confidence and the self-esteem in children, it’s good to understand what they are. You need a definition of self-esteem and self-confidence so that it’s clear what we’re talking about. Most people think they are similar or the same. What about you? Before reading on, take a moment to reflect and to ask yourself the following questions about self-esteem and self-confidence. Why not jot down a few notes and then compare it to the definitions provided below. What is self-esteem and what is self-confidence? Have you described them as being the same thing, similar or different? What is self-esteem and self-confidence? At the simplest level - self-esteem is about ‘being’ and self-confidence is about ‘doing’. It is easier to start by explaining self- confidence as many people confuse self-esteem and self-confidence and believe they are the same or similar. What is self-confidence? Self-confidence is about doing. It is about the activities we undertake and the things we do in life and how we judge ourselves in relation to those activities. Our self-confidence is based on our experience and ability with a particular task or activity. For example, if you’ve been driving a car for a long time and you haven’t caused road accidents then you probably have good self-confidence in relation to your driving skills and abilities as a driver. However, think back to when you were learning to drive. Can you recall having lower self-confidence about your driving skills when you didn’t have much experience on the road? Recall at the time how much there was to think about and to do: watch the road and other vehicles, focus on how hard you step on the accelerator and the brakes, turn the wheel just right to go around the corner etc… As your skills and experience grew, your self-confidence grew. Let’s look at a different example one that relates to children. If your child has been riding a bicycle for a number of years and is relatively accident free, then it makes sense that they will have good self-confidence about riding a bike. This is an accurate judgement and self-evaluation about their experience and ability to ride a bike. On the other hand, if your child has never ridden bikes or is just learning to ride, then it would be completely inappropriate for them to have good self-confidence about riding a bike and tackling a big hill or a dangerous road. In this case, good self-confidence is in fact a poor judgement call, which could lead your child to danger because they are overconfident about their ability. So, self-confidence is about doing a task and making a sound judgement about your level of experience and ability, or your child’s level of ability. So can you see that it doesn’t make sense to ask how to build self-confidence or about building confidence? It is actually good to have low self-confidence in areas in which we have limited experience and abilities, and it’s good to have high self-confidence when we have lots of experience and capabilities for a particular task. The more relevant questions are: How can we make self-assessments of our abilities on activities and tasks so that we have accurate assessments of our self-confidence? How can we help our children learn to make self-assessments of their abilities on activities and tasks so that they can make accurate assessments of their self-confidence? How can we accept that it is a good thing to have low self-confidence on tasks and activities we are not good at and use that to inspire us to practice, learn and have more experiences so we can increase our self-confidence as our skills and knowledge increase? How can we stop attributing low self-confidence to low self-esteem? Low self-confidence is not the same as low self-esteem. Remember low self-confidence is about not feeling confident about an activity you don’t have much experience with or a topic you don’t have much knowledge about. Self-esteem on the other hand has nothing to do with doing! So low self-confidence should NOT result in, or be equated with low-self esteem … here’s why! What is self-esteem? Self-esteem is about being and has nothing to do with doing. Self-esteem is a judgment we make about ourselves. Self-esteem is about being a human being - so it is all about our human ‘beingness’. We are not called human doings, we are called human beings, and self-esteem is at the heart of being a human. I want to explain this fully, so you really understand this idea at a practical level and then share it with your children. Think of it this way: every person is a miracle. If you are a parent, do you remember the day you held your child in your arms for the very first time and you thought - wow - this is a miracle? Your baby couldn’t really do anything, but that never took away from the marvel and wonder you felt about this child’s being and the potential of this new life. Remember, you were once a baby being adored by your parent too! Every person is a miracle in their own right - just for their very existence. Every person is a unique being in the world that no one else can be. It is every person’s birth right to have good self-esteem just because they exist. Self-esteem has nothing to do with what a person can or can’t do. It has nothing to do with what they look like: brown hair, blue eyes, tall, short, fiery tempered or calm - these attributes are all part of the wonder and perfection in life - and all people have the right to good self-esteem. Unlike self-confidence, where it is important for you or your children to be more confident performing tasks that you’re good at and less confident with tasks you have limited experience in, good self-esteem is the right of every person - adult and child. From a place of healthy self-esteem, every person can feel good about who they are and live a life filled with new experiences, learning; activities and love. From a place of low self-esteem people are less likely to try new things, more likely to feel bad about themselves and less likely to lead a happy and fulfilled life. The great thing about self-esteem is that it is SELF-esteem, so you have the power within to believe in yourself and to have good self-esteem. It’s your judgement - it’s your choice - it’s in your power to choose to believe you have: Good self-esteem or Low self-esteem Your self-esteem is in your mind and heart. It’s your call to decide which way you will judge (esteem) yourself. So which choice are you going to make? Food for thought. Reflect on your learning and your new understanding about the difference between self-esteem and self-confidence. Here are some questions for you to ponder: What is self-esteem and self-confidence? How are they different? Are you now able to simply accept that it’s your right to have good self-esteem and drop any beliefs you might have about low self-esteem?  Can you simply accept yourself and feel loved just for who you are being - and not tie your self-esteem or your self-worth to what you look like or what you can or cannot do? How different would your life be if you felt good about yourself and about self-esteem? Who is the only person that can stop you from having good self-esteem? How can you support your children to know they are unique and valuable human beings so they can live from a heart-feeling of healthy self-esteem and soar through life? I hope this article helped you understand more about self-esteem and self-confidence.

In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina talks about her personal experiences growing up and the effect on self esteem and confidence parents can have in their child's lives. Dr. Rosina thought Leader for the international consciousness movement Parenting 2.0 and author of Inspired Children , presenting at the  P2.0 Talks.  P2.0 Talks was the first conference in history to gather educators from multiple professional fields and continents and recognize Life Skills as distinct, critical skill sets teachable by third party educators.

In this video, parenting expert Dr Rosina McAlpine's talks about how to turn the constant No's we get from our children into a YES. She discusses how we should take an audit of how many times we say No to our children during the day and how this is reflected back at us. Obviously we can't say yes to everything but Dr Rosina shows how we can give a No in a way that will change the way you and your kids interact with each other. This video was extracted from one of her recent parenting seminars. Learn more about Dr Rosina and her online parenting program and how it can support you in your parenting efforts managing those difficult and day-to-day situations without resorting to rewarding or punishing your children.

In this short video, parenting Expert Dr Rosina shares her heart-felt personal story about her own low self esteem as a girl and her research into how to support healthy self esteem and self confidence in children. Rosina discusses: What is self esteem (internal validation versus external praise) Do we really want to raise ‘confident’ children even if they are ‘overconfident’? Why we want our children to have low self confidence if they are new at a task and high self confidence when they have mastered a task?

Time-out has become a popular approach to parenting, choosing it as a ‘better’ alternative to smacking. However there is evidence that this parenting tool is more complex than many parents think and some experts even consider that time-out can be a harmful practice. Dr Rosina, entertaining and educational parenting expert and Dr Robyn Mills, psychologist and inspirational speaker, explore the in’s and out’s of time-out. In this interview you’ll learn: What time-out is and how it’s supposed to work. The controversial history of the development of time-out as an approach Why the experts who claim time-out is an effective method for parents caution implementing time-out as it is a complex procedure and requires training. The ‘eight’ factors time out experts recommend parents consider when implementing time-out. The practical challenges of getting children into time-out and keeping them there. What the anti-time out researchers say about the potential harms of this approach to parenting. Most importantly you’ll learn about positive parenting strategies like ‘time-in’ to help you raise happy, well-balanced and capable children. For help raising well-rounded and capable kids from toddlers to teens, get great tips, resources and support using Dr Rosina’s practical approach to parenting .

Do you find that even with the best intentions to stay calm with your children, before you know it you are annoyed or even angry and yelling at something they have done ? “HURRY UP! Get ready we’re running LATE AGAIN!” “Don’t you speak to me with that DISRESPECTFUL TONE!” “How MANY TIMES do I have to say the SAME THING? Will you EVER learn?” Join parenting expert Dr Rosina as she discusses how to STOP, take a breath and respond rather than react to your children.  Dr Rosina also talks with Dr Craig Hassad an expert on incorporating mindfulness-based strategies into everyday life. Craig published 7 books including Mindfulness for Life  and Mindful Learning .

Helping children understand the opportunities that developing effective learning strategies can bring and how learning provides the vehicle for personal and professional development are fundamental to developing a positive attitude to learning at the individual level and a skilled workforce at the national level.  Benefits of the Education, Career and Money life skills for children The benefits of the Education, Career and Money life skills for kids are that they introduce children to a range of vocations and enables younger children to understand how the world works. Further, it invites teenagers to consider possible career directions and seek knowledge about possible fields of specialisation for their future which provides children with the motivation to learn driven by their personal interests. This life skill also explores finances and money as key aspects of life and empowers children’s with an understanding of the nature and functions of money within society and in relation to their personal lives. These are all very valuable life skills for your child. Education, Career and Money life skills for children A valuable personal attribute is the motivation to learn. Associated with this is the skill or ability to learn. We all need to develop our parenting skills to inspire our children and develop our child's life skills? This Education, Career and Money e-book offers affordable, there are 12 practical and easy to follow 15 minute life skill activities that empower parents and make you feel like you are doing something that will help your child throughout their life. Developing your childs life skills around education, career and money will give them the best chance for success in their life.  How to develop the Education, Career and Money life skills for children There are a number of ways you can help in teaching children life skills around education, career and money. Parenting advice and helpful parenting tips on supporting effective learning for kids, career ideas for kids and money management for kids include: Purchase your child a ‘piggy’ bank and open a savings account with the bank to teach them about money and savings. With each deposit the savings grow. Many children complete secondary education and still don’t know the career directions they might like to pursue. By encouraging your child to talk to family members and friends about the advantages and disadvantages of working in a variety of vocations and professions so that they can develop an idea of the areas they might like to investigate further. Encourage and nurture a child’s inbuilt love of learning by inviting your child to go onto the internet and research a topic of interest to them. Then ask them to explain to you what they have learned. This will support their memory and recall. Obtain a diary and help your child learn about scheduling home work, assignments and extra curricula activities like music lessons and sports trainings. Make it a daily habit to look in the diary and complete all tasks for the day. Celebrate the achievements as your child ticks or crosses off the items they’ve completed. How does your child view mistakes and failures? Do they engage in negative self talk and quit? If so help them see mistakes and failures as opportunities to learn and grow as a person. Learn more  about how teaching children life skills can take the pain out of parenthood.

Importance of the Environment and Social Understanding life skills for children It’s crucial that children understand how to act ethically and are aware of the social and environmental consequences of their own and other’s actions if they are to make a positive difference in the world. Benefits of the Environment and Social Understanding life skills for children By teaching children the many facets of ‘sustainability’ they will be able to see themselves as not just part of a family but a member of a community and a global citizen. The benefits of the Social and Environmental life skills for kids are achieved by completing activities that help your child develop a social conscience by becoming aware of the many inequities in society like homelessness, different social classes, and racism among many other areas. It will also increase your child’s respect and gratitude for what they have in their own lives. These are all very valuable life skills for your child. Environmental and Social Understanding life skills for children We now know that to sustain our planet for future generations we need to start taking care of our environment and people. Social and Environmental life skills for kids explores those topics! All parents want the best for their children and this Environment and Social Understanding e-book can make a life time of difference to you and your child developing life skills around Environmental and Social understanding. In this e-book there are 12 practical easy to follow activities that can be undertaken in just 15 minutes at a time, you will receive support in teaching children and developing your parenting skills step by step. The easy to follow activities are fun, inspiring for children and parents with good parenting advice to support the development of your kids life skills.  This is an example of some of the life skills your child can learn: How to develop the Environment and Social Understanding life skills for children You can help your child become a responsible global citizen by being a role model and working together. Activities, parenting advice and support for parents on developing social and environmental understand for kids include: Going for a walk down the street with a large bag and a pair of gloves with the intention of picking up litter in your local area. Ask your child to tell you all of the things they usually do in each room of their home. For example in the kitchen they can take food from the fridge, cook and enjoy delicious meals. In the bedroom they can sleep, store their belongings and clothes and have a quiet space to relax. Then ask your child to imagine what it is like for a homeless person. Ask them how and where they might cook or store their clothes or sleep. This activity promotes empathy for others and gratitude. Ask your child to solve ethical dilemmas like. “If your best friend asks to copy your homework or test paper as they had to take care of their sick mother and couldn’t study, would you let them?”We are teaching our son the difference between rubbish that goes in the ‘blue’ bin which is the recycling bin and what goes in the ‘silver’ bin which is waste that goes into landfill. He’s pretty good at it now and gets it right most of the time. As he gets older, when he can understand more, we will also explain why he has been doing this and how recycling and waste impact our planet. It’s a step by step process - he will gain these life skills as they become age appropriate.  about how teaching children life skills can take the pain out of parenthood - Win Win Parenting

Importance of the Health and Well-being life skills for children A child can function more efficiently and effectively in a clean and tidy environment. Further, a child’s diet and exercise play crucial roles in their physical and mental well being. These are very valuable life skills for your child. Benefits of the Health and Wellbeing life skills for kids The benefits of the Health and Well-being life skills for kids are that they increase a child's knowledge of nutrition and exercise and reduce the likelihood of childhood obesity and ill health. Health and Wellbeing life skills for children Are you interested in inspiring children and teaching your kids life skills? Then Inspired Children can help. The Health and Wellbeing e-book provides support for parents by assisting them in teaching your children a little at a time. The e-book contains 12 practical activities that are easy to follow and can be done in 15 minutes. These easy to follow parenting tips will empower you to support your child's life skills development and to inspire your  children. You and your child will learn life skills in relation to health and wellbeing which covers areas like personal and school/home cleanliness as well as exercise and nutrition.  How to develop the Health and Well-being life skill Parenting advice and helpful parenting tips for activities that can support health and well being for kids include:  Learning about the five food groups. When you prepare a meal you can explain to your child why you chose to include a variety food groups to help your child receive optimal nutrition for a balanced diet. Explain which foods are proteins, carbohydrates, grains and vegetables etc.  Inviting your child to help with the household chores like the dishes not only shows them how to clean up but helps them take responsibility and work together as a valuable member of the family Teaching your child how to make a healthy snack after school and to avoid snacking on high sugar and high fat foods Go for a walk with your children on a regular basis to ensure they get their 30 minutes of exercise every day! My husband my mum and I often go for a walk in our neighbourhood or go to the park to allow our son to experience time in nature and to run, run, run!  about how teaching children life skills can take the pain out of parenthood - Win Win Parenting