It’s several weeks into the primary school year and my five-year-old son is experiencing his share of ups and downs adjusting to life at ‘big school’. The highs (for both of us) include waving me happily off each morning, and the beautiful hug he gives his sister every afternoon on their reunion at the school gates ... But then there are the difficult moments. Such a big life change has also come with its fair share of big emotions for my sensitive boy. After trying so hard to concentrate and control his impulses all day, those emotions often came home looking for an outlet. Any small thing has the potential to set him off ... Read full article
On the day we went to Sea World our girl Ivy was tired.
We all were.
As we walked into the park two girls pushed past us hurriedly and into the bathroom, which is where we were headed to. We took our place right behind them. It would have been fine except that those two little girls then turned around and made loud comments about Ivy’s "fat" face and her "fat" cheeks and her "squishy eyes" (whatever those are anyway). Then they proceeded to whisper and look back at Ivy in that hateful little girl way that makes me want to stab something ... Read full article
This parenting business can make you feel all manner of insecure. I worry about my kids being safe, about them being healthy, having friends at school and trying to do their best in class. I get worried when the boys fight and squabble, and I used to often wonder, “Is this normal?” ... But this week, an unexpected and wonderful thing happened. So wonderful I even had a little cry. Read full article
When I was in high school I was bullied. For about six months, a group of older girls and some guys would follow a few of my friends and I around the school grounds threatening us. They never physically hurt us, but they scared us. It got so bad that my Mum would come and meet me at the school bus stop and walk me home. On the days she couldn’t meet me I would run as fast as I could, in the hope I would outrun my bullies. I wasn’t always fast enough and they would ride their bikes beside me, taunting me as I walked home. Read full article
Like you, there are certain topics I often wonder about - one of them is why yawning is contagious. I remember reading a theory somewhere suggesting that yawning allows more oxygen into our lungs and the contagious response is because our brain automatically assumes that if someone else is yawing, there's a shortage of oxygen and we need to respond accordingly! Could that be true? It was the best explanation I'd read ... until today. Read full article
Tuesday 11 January 2011 - Links to Latest Parenting and Education news: Chinese Parenting ~ Princess Culture ~ Babies' Perception ~ Breastfeeding Boys ~ Mood & Intuition ~ Adoption & Attachment ~ Abortions Read full article
Book: Heart to Heart Parenting by Robin Grille is about nurturing your child's emotional intelligence from conception to school age. More than just a book about raising happy and resilient children, Robin Grille writes about how to create a deep and lasting relationship with your child. Guidance on your child's emotional needs, how to deal with tantrums and how to talk and listen to your child in a way that benefits your child's social development and wellbeing. Read full article
Recording of webinar with Robin Grille on 29 October 2010 - The Influencing Parent - part 1. Robin Grille talks about a different approach to getting children to behave well, and not just 'do as they are told'. He talks about why punishment of children does not work but natural consequences do.In this podcast Robin Grille also discusses the value of intrinsic rewards and the transient effect of systems such as start charts. Questions and comments from audience and Yvette Vignando, publisher of happychild. Read full article
We have three boys and like many other kids, I suspect, they have had a tendency to refer to things they don't like as "gay" or even "retarded". This is playground speak and some people might advise me to just let it go. But I detest this kind of language coming from kids or anyone...language is a tool much stronger than the proverbial "sticks and stones" and I feel strongly that children need to learn about its impact and develop some empathy for people... Read full article
Dr Sophie Havighurst is a child clinical psychologist and senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne in the Child Psychiatry Department. Sophie is the principal investigator in the Tuning Into Kids Parenting Program. In part 1 of this interview, Sophie talks about parents learning how to teach children about dealing with emotions and feelings and even reduce tantrums. Read full article
