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Published on Fox News. Article by Nicole Darrah View original article A 2-year-old child was found dead inside a parked car in  Kansas  on Sunday — marking the ninth such death in the country in the three-week span since a  New York  dad made national headlines for accidentally leaving his twins in a hot car for hours. The toddler who died Sunday was discovered just before 6 p.m. in  Lawrence , a city roughly 40 miles southwest of  Kansas City ,  Mo . Investigators said they received a call about someone who'd been "left unattended," and medical responders determined the child was dead at the scene. FLORIDA MOM ACCIDENTALLY LOCKS BABY IN VEHICLE, OFFICER SMASHES WINDOW TO SAVE BABY FROM HOT CAR At least 33 children have died so far this year from heatstroke while in parked cars,  according to Kids and Cars , a nonprofit organization that tracks such deaths. The deaths of Luna and Phoenix Rodriguez on July 26 are among the most high-profile of those cases and helped merge discussions about the annual epidemic from separate, localized tragedies into a connected, national issue. Juan Rodriguez, 39,  said he "blanked out"  when he left Luna and Phoenix in his car as he worked an eight-hour shift. "My babies are dead! I killed my babies!" he reportedly said after realizing he left his twins in the car, where officials said their internal body temperatures registered 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Described as an "amazing" father of five, Rodriguez told police he thought he dropped off the children at daycare before he went to work. Already this year, nearly three dozen juveniles — children as young as 4 months and as old as 13 years, living in states from  California  to  New York  — have died, often due to parents who say they simply forgot their child was in the vehicle. How can this happen? Such deaths are incomprehensible to many who read about them and are particularly puzzling to most parents, who can't begin to fathom how anyone can forget where their kid is — nevermind when that kid is just inches away in the backseat of a vehicle. Dr. Rosina McAlpine, a  parenting expert  and CEO of  Win Win Parenting , told Fox News that parents or caregivers are often in such a rush to get to work, or an appointment, or any one of countless other obligations, they "forget they haven't dropped the child off at daycare or school and rush off to the meeting or work distracted, leaving their child behind." ARIZONA BABY REPORTEDLY RESCUED FROM HOT CAR AS MOM SHOPPED AT TARGET "Later they remember in shock but often it is too late," she said, noting some parents alternate dropping their child off at daycare, and might "forget it was their turn." Similarly, McAlpine notes that people other than a parent, like a caregiver, a teacher, a grandparent or other relative, "may not be used to having a child in the car on a regular basis." As noted by the parenting expert, 429 children who died from heatstroke in cars from 1998 to 2018, or 53.8 percent, were forgotten by their caregivers,  according to an analysis  from NoHeatStroke.org . Another 209 children gained access to the car on their own. The deaths of Luna and Phoenix Rodriguez on July 26 are among the most high-profile of those cases and helped merge discussions about the annual epidemic from separate, localized tragedies into a connected, national issue. Juan Rodriguez, 39,  said he "blanked out"  when he left Luna and Phoenix in his car as he worked an eight-hour shift. "My babies are dead! I killed my babies!" he reportedly said after realizing he left his twins in the car, where officials said their internal body temperatures registered 108 degrees Fahrenheit. Described as an "amazing" father of five, Rodriguez told police he thought he dropped off the children at daycare before he went to work. Already this year, nearly three dozen juveniles — children as young as 4 months and as old as 13 years, living in states from  California  to  New York  — have died, often due to parents who say they simply forgot their child was in the vehicle. What are other ways I can protect my child? Experts often suggest placing items — especially ones people know they won't forget — like a cell phone, or a purse or wallet, in the back seat of a vehicle to remind you of a child's presence, or even putting one of the child's toys on the front seat to remind the driver of who's in the back. It's also recommended that parents place their children in the middle of the back seat, rather than near the doors. Since drivers are constantly looking at their rearview mirror while they drive, if they can see the child in that line of sight, there's less of a chance caregivers will forget them.

As a parent, when your kids throw a tantrum, it can make you feel all kind of things, depending on the day. But it's all completely normal, in fact it would probably be weird if your kids were perfect angels all of the time. There are some reasons behind the dramatic outbursts though. Dr Rosina McAlpine, from Australia, is a childcare expert at Win Win Parenting, and knows a thing or two about why children misbehave. Read full Article

Article by Cosima Marriner for Sydney Morning Herald Extract Rosina McAlpine wrote  Inspired Children: How the Leading Minds of Today Raise Their Kids , because she believes child-rearing is a skill that must be learned. ''We've got this perception that we're supposed to inherently know how to be a good mother, but it's time we 'fessed up - we've got no freakin' clue,'' Dr McAlpine says. She defines a good mum as one who teaches her child to manage their emotions, develop healthy eating and exercise habits, build resilience, and believe in themselves. ''The best thing you can do right now is go on a parenting course rather than worry about what clothes your child is wearing,'' Dr McAlpine says. ''You're developing a child's brain, emotions, physicality. How about getting a bit of help?'' Link to full article

Interview audio courtesy of 2GB We've all heard of the terms "mummy's boy" and "daddy's girl" and usually it comes with negative connotations. Well not anymore! A new UK study by the Marriage Foundation (August 2018) reveals that children who are close to their parents have better mental health outcomes and stronger social skills. In this short audio clip Ben Fordham, radio host on 2GB interviews parenting expert, Dr Rosina McAlpine, CEO of Win Win Parenting.  You'll learn why having a close relationship with your kids is important and tips for how to achieve it!

Article writen by Laura Donovan - Romper Extract: Dr. Rosina McAlpine, a  parenting expert  based in Australia, tells Romper via email that stigmatizing this form of parenting with labels, or any other form for that matter, isn't helpful to parents or children, and that it's wise to remember that many of these parents are simply trying to do right by their kids. "We need to understand that parents are thrown in at the deep end when it comes to parenting — no manual comes with the child — and there is so much pressure on parents to be 'good parents' even though they may have had no training in child development or parenting and not have the skills they need to raise happy, healthy, well-adjusted children," McAlpine says. Read full article

Supporting Children After Major Events: Dr Rosina was aked to comment on an article for The Australian after the recent tragic events in Bondi and how parents can help support, manage and understand their childrens fears and worries. “You can tell your children that this is a rare event and that it is tragic but it is not something that happens everyday and it is not something to be fearful of,” she said. “Have open conversations with them and to ask you any questions. “Reassure them that it is okay to feel scared or worried, these are all normal when events like this happens.” Read the Full article here