The harmful message being pushed onto senior students—that individual academic success is the ultimate priority in their final years of school—sends Mrs. Happy Families on an angry rant!  You can help guide your senior student towards a healthy balance between academic achievement and the joy, connection, and recreation that are essential for their well-being. In this episode: Preparing for final year of school Scarcity mentality & competition Coping with stress/anxiety Finding...

"I’ll Do Better Tomorrow"—looking back on the week that has been: what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong, and how we can be better parents. In this episode: Family meetings Check in with each member of the family 3 questions: What’s going well in your life at the moment? What’s not? What can we do better? The power of emotional availability One-on-one time with kids The need to feel seen Family holidays Related links:  #1045 – The Art & Science of Family Meetings Find us...

  In today's Book Club episode, Justin and Kyle share what they have been reading this month! Kylie's books: The Measure by Nikki Erlick The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks Troubled by Rob Henderson The Winter Dress by Lauren Chater Justin's books: Hello Darkness, My Old Friend by Sanford Greenberg The Expat by Hansen Shi The Weirdest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous by Joseph Henrich Find us on Facebook or TikTok Subscribe to...

Most people recognise that consent is essential for a healthy sexual experience, yet many still find it challenging to fully understand its meaning. In this conversation, we'll explore the complexities and nuances of consent and how we can address these crucial topics with our children, step by step, as they grow.  In this episode: Consent Can't Wait | consent.gov.au Body safety, boundaries, respect Consent in play When consent is taken to the extreme Verbal and non-verbal...

Term 4 is crunch time, with the stress of end-of-year (or final!) exams, report cards, deadlines, and more, leaving students feeling under pressure! Today's conversation includes our top tips to help parents reduce exam stress and guide kids to exam success. In this episode: Hope The marshmallow test Self-control Resilience and wellbeing The role of failure Taking the pressure off Strategies and tips for parents The 3 Es of Effective Discipline: Explore, Explain, and Empower Finding...

Is it okay to go away with your friends and leave your partner at home managing everything and everyone? How do you make it work, and should you even try?  A successful trip without your partner hinges on a strong, trusting relationship. Open communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to support one another are crucial. With the right approach, solo trips can enrich both your individual experiences and your relationship, creating a healthy balance for both partners. In this episode,...

Are we doing more harm than good by pushing our children to excel early? The pursuit of excellence can feel rewarding for parents and children alike, but scientific evidence highlights the conflict between short-term gains and long-term success.  Today, we say a sad farewell to Craig Bruce as he concludes his remarkable tenure as Executive Producer of this podcast, and a heartfelt thank you from the entire Happy Families team for the extraordinary contributions Craig has made to Happy...

Dr Justin’s 3 E’s (explore, explain, and empower) are the pillars of autonomy-supportive parenting. But there are times when they just do not work (we are all only flawed humans after all!). Today's tips will help you calmly and confidently navigate through the heat of these challenging moments. (R) This episode originally aired 3/6/24. In this episode: The 3 Es of Effective Discipline: Explore, Explain, and Empower Self-determination theory Basic psychological needs of every human...

Justin shares four big ideas based on Jonathan Haidt's new book in the hope that it generates some constructive conversations with your kids at home: The key to building a resilient child, Getting comfy with our children experiencing a healthy level of discomfort in life, The impact of social media on the brain development of teens, and Looking at problematic use of or addiction to social media. (R) This episode originally aired 01/5/24. In this episode: Healthy/unhealthy childhood...

Are you wanting to return to work but struggling to know what on Earth to write on your resume after years out of the workforce? Listen in for some ideas that will inspire and encourage mothers to confidently claim the skills, strengths, and unique value you possess and can offer the world!  (R) This episode originally aired 29/4/24. In this episode: Cost-of-living increase Returning to work Motherhood Being a mum is valid and valuable work, so I put it on my CV - ABC Everyday Writing a...

If you are struggling to "keep the spark alive" with your loved one, you're not alone. Exhaustion, screen addiction, lack of time, resentment - all these issues (and more!) can lead to zero interest in nurturing intimacy. Today we share some surprising secrets to sustaining a strong sexual connection! (R) This episode originally aired 2/05/24. In this episode: Reasons for having zero interest in intimacy  Connection and friendship Prioritising sex Slowing things down Female pleasure Book...

Is it just me...or are sleepovers a really bad idea? (R) This episode originally aired 28/3/24. In this episode: Pros and cons of sleepovers Social development Memories Safety concerns Peer pressure/exclusion Screens Prearming your kids #926 Who Tops the List of Child Sexual Abusers? – Happy Families Being on the Outer – Happy Families Are Sleepovers OK? – Happy Families Find us on Facebook or TikTok Email your questions and comments to [email protected] Find out more about...

The meltdown out of nowhere, an angry and aggressive child, the emotionally flooded teen - kids of all ages have BIG emotions, and experience emotional dysregulation! Discover the tools and skills that will help you respond to your child with compassion and kindness - and build emotional awareness and regulation for you both. (R) This episode originally aired 17/10/23. Topics in this episode: No Matter What Emotion regulation  The magic of Nature Moving forward, finding solutions...

Marriage is not just about the "happily ever after", but rather the real-world benefits of a life of meaning, joy, purpose, and growth. Keep your relationship strong by avoiding 5 things that harm marriage the most. [R] This episode originally aired on 7/3/24. In this episode: Damaging mindsets Commitment, trust, connection Intention vs action Divorce contagion Provocative statistics Get Married by Brad Wilcox Positive outcomes for children Household work, mental load Find us on...

*Content warning: parental discretion advised* Australia's e-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant describes the fast-paced and aggressive tactics used by sexual extortionists targeting children and young adults. She gives clear directives to parents on how to prevent online harm, and what to do if your child experiences sexual extortion.  [R] This episode originally aired on 27/2/24. In this episode:  Online sexual extortionists targeting kids Screen rules, limits, safety measures, and...

*Content warning: parental discretion advised* In a brave and vulnerable conversation, Jake and his mother Hayley talk about their 'honey trap' experience when Jake was 15, sharing just how quickly and easily this can happen to a child or adolescent.  (R) This episode originally aired 26/2/24. In this episode:  Honey traps and online safety Real-life experience of a 15-year-old boy Advice from Hayley and Jake "No Matter What" Related links: Capping: How the Bad Guys Get to Your Kids...

When your child wants to quit an activity, especially one they’re good at, it can be challenging to know the right thing to do! Should you encourage them to push through, knowing the long-term benefits, or let them move on to something new?  And then there's self-care—how do we even fit it into our hectic, overwhelming lives? It's so easy to let it fall by the wayside, especially for busy parents. But self-care can be more achievable than you think, with little things we can do on a daily...

A lot of families love to "roast" or tease one another as a means of good-natured camaraderie. When done well (in the right circumstances, the right tone, and for the right reasons), this kind of humour can increase connection. However, when done wrong, it can be disastrous, particularly when children are involved, as they may not understand nuance and sarcasm and tend to internalise this style of humour. Justin and Kylie discuss the role of humour within families, the importance of empathy,...

Would you let your 9-year-old ride the NY subway alone or your 15-year-old son travel abroad with friends? For doing just that, one mother received the label of "world's worst mum," and another was reported to social services! In today's risk-averse society, our children lack adventure. We want resilient children, and yet we try to control them in the name of safety, preventing them from being too adventurous. The problem is that if our kids don't do hard things, they don't get to be...

An anonymous listener shares their frustration and exhaustion with a husband who feels more like an additional child than a partner, offering little support with household and family responsibilities. Justin unpacks "weaponised incompetence" and the unfairness and resentment that build when one parent is left carrying the load and provides guidance on how to address the issue in a way that avoids blame, accusations, and an all-out conflict. Michelle, from Victoria, has a daughter...

In Australia, children below a certain age will be banned from social media as part of a national plan to counter its negative effects on youth. We discuss the government's commitments, the challenges this new legislation may face, and what parents can do now to protect their kids in a screen-saturated world. In this episode: 'National Social Media Age Limit' | A Current Affair Why 13+ is the current legal age Collecting personal data Politics and obstacles facing this legislation The...

Justin shares his disappointment in unwittingly missing out on the opportunity to share meaningful, heartfelt words with the people he loves after choosing to clean the kitchen during an extended family get-together rather than participating in a family activity.  We all have a need to belong. You can help your child to have a sense of who they are and how they belong by creating family traditions and sharing family stories with them. Kylie shares how she included son-in-law Jared in one of...

A recent study has shown that parents who use humour have better relationships with their kids. But does all humour work in the same way? Are Dad jokes ok? Can sarcasm or roasting your child play a a positive role in parenting? And what are the consequences for our children when humour goes wrong?  In a large-scale Denmark study, data from 1.1 million people has shown associations between moving house in childhood and increased risk of depression later in life. We look at ways that parents...

Have you ever wondered if becoming a foster carer is something you could do? Our guest today, Belinda Baxter, has 13 children (6 biological, 7 foster) and joins us for an important conversation about foster care: what it looks like for her family, the challenges and the rewards, and what you can do to get the process started. This week, communities across Australia come together to celebrate Foster Care Week, an annual event dedicated to recognising the invaluable contributions of foster...

This episode originally appeared as episode #1013. When we make feelings “King”, our children can become stuck in their emotion, unable to regulate or move forward. Justin shares the right way to respond to feelings, helping them understand, process, and then move through their emotional state.  In this episode: Revolutionary change in how parents respond to emotions Impact of TikTok parenting influencers Validating emotions Feeling seen, heard, valued Ways to regulate and tame emotions...