Toddlers and Television
I have written in this column – for years – that excessive screen time, including watching television, is not good for anyone, but is especially…
Category: Articles
Making Mornings Magic
A mum recently had the morning off. Her husband agreed to get the kids set for school, and she took advantage of her newfound freedom…
How to Motivate Kids – and Why Rewards Aren’t the Answer
How do you motivate kids? It may be one of the biggest struggles parents and teachers experience. We remind them to clean their room or…
People Matter More Than Things
As Chad walked into the kitchen he spotted his three-year-old son riding a skateboard around the kitchen island. He was in a hurry, so he…
How Play is Changing
In today’s blog I want to ask you two questions. Pretty simple ones. First, how do your children play? Second, how is their play different from…
My Son Won’t Talk About His Day
Hi Dr Justin, “My son won’t talk when he comes home from school. I ask him how his day was and he just says, “Fine.” I ask…
Can Mindfulness Calm My Child?
Mindfulness has become one of? the? buzzwords of the past decade. Mindfulness is receiving hype in corporations,?educational institutions, psychologist’s offices, fitness centres, and increasingly in…
Emotional Intelligence
The bell had just rung for the end of recess. Children were heading back to their classrooms, and Year 1 teacher Mrs Boonen was preparing…
Same Page Parenting
Hi Dr Justin, “My husband and I see parenting so differently. He expects the kids to always be ready to listen, do as they’re told,…
How to Raise Kids Who Read
There’s a reason that experts make a big deal about telling parents to read to their children. Reading to kids (not using devices but using…
The Tech Experiment
“Kids! We have an announcement. No limits on screens for this weekend!” This was our friends’ announcement on a recent family weekend. An “experiment” if…
How to Prevent your Child Becoming A #metoo (and Prevent your Child from Creating One)
Over recent months, the #metoo hashtag has become a global phenomenon. Women have acknowledged, publicly, the abuse they have suffered at the hands of men,…
Playing it Safe May be the Biggest Risk of All
A few weeks ago our whole family jumped into the car for an adventure. Some nearby National Parks were beckoning. We had a hike planned…
When Your Child Exposes Themselves
Hi Dr Justin, “Yesterday my children’s school principal rang me. My 5-year-old son exposed himself to a girl in class. They were talking about private…
Screens Are The Enemy… But They Don’t Have to Be
Screens are creating bigger issues in our homes than almost anything else. They interrupt routines and distract us and our children from other priorities. There…
How to Play with your Kids – and Enjoy It
You may have noticed a really big difference between children and grown-ups. No I’m not talking about the physical size difference, or the more obvious…