Keeping our Children Safe from Child Abuse
In Australia in 2014/15 there were just under 320,000 reports of suspected child abuse and neglect. Can I say that one more time for emphasis?…
Category: Articles
Raising Confident Kids: Help them be Competent First
One of my daughters was struggling at her school. In Grade 3, her schoolwork was average despite us being told she was an exceptionally deep…
How to Discipline Children Effectively Without Using Consequences or Punishment
Hi Dr Justin, “I’ve been reading your books and trying my hardest to follow what you say we should do. But I’m struggling with one…
7 Tips to Tackle Fussy Eating in Toddlers
Fussy eaters: what affects toddler eating behaviour Danielle and Jason are MasterChef fans, and feel like they have gotten in touch with their inner ‘foodie’. Their…
STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN to your Kids
Some years ago I came across a parenting questionnaire developed by thoughtful, careful researchers. One of the questionnaire items asked, “Do you stop and pay…
7 Toilet Training Myths
There are many poop-ular methods for toilet training our children. Let’s flush out the myths and aim for the proper science to help with this…
Sexting: What to Do if it Happens to Your Child
Last week a friend of mine had an awful ‘sexting’ incident occur with her 11 year-old daughter. Her daughter was having an innocent conversation with…
Raising Children to Love or Fear
Are you raising children to love or fear you? Most parents have a deeper goal in mind for their children than mindless obedience. “I’m in…
My 13-Year-Old Doesn’t Pick up a Single Thing
Most parents can relate to having a lazy teenager. And while laziness does seem to be common characteristic of teenagers, there are some things we can…
Is Homework Helpful? The Homework Letter I Send To School Each Year
A few years ago, I wrote the below homework letter to my children’s teachers. I’ve used it every year since for all of my children…
My 6-Year-Old Gives Up On Everything
Dear Dr Justin, My six year-old gives up on everything. I ask him to tidy his room and he says “I can’t”. I enrol him…
Am I Not Pretty Enough?
Hi Dr Justin, I wanted to ask your advice about my 2.5 year old daughter. Recently she said to me that she is not pretty.…
Are Sleepovers OK?
Dear Dr Justin, My husband and I have decided that our children won’t have sleepovers until they’re at least 10. We’ve heard too many stories…
16 Gifts our Children Need For Christmas
There’s no denying that gifts are a huge part of Christmas, especially for children. And every year at Christmas time articles appear warning of rampant…
My 4-Year-Old Goes From Angel to Absolute #devilchild
My four year old son is very sweet and lovable, but he can be very challenging – he goes from angel to absolute #devilchild. At…
Have I Ruined Christmas for My Child by Telling the Truth About Santa?
Determining the right time to tell your kids the truth about Santa (if ever) is a tough decision that many parents are unsure about. So when…