How do you navigate the conversation around family rules and boundaries with your child when "everyone else is doing it"?
In this episode:

"Fairness antennae"
Mobile phones, social media, sleepovers, curfews, M-rated shows and more!
How to respond to "but everyone else is doing it"?
Avoiding judgement of others
Empathy and compassion
Explain, explore, empower
Resentment
Autonomy-supportive parenting

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Find out more about becoming a Happy Families member at our website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#921 But Everyone Else Is Doing It!

The Happy families podcast with Dr. Justin Coulson is designed for the time poor parent who just wants answers now. Every day Justin and his wife Kylie provide practical tips and a common sense approach to parenting that Mums and Dads all over the world are connecting with. Justin and Kylie have 6 daughters and they regularly share their experiences of managing a busy household filled with lots of challenges and plenty of happiness. For real and practicable advice from people who understand and appreciate the challenges of a time poor parent, listen to Justin and Kylie and help make your family happier.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Kids & Family

Relationships

Parenting

Anonymous asks, "My 3-year-old is asking questions about his absent father. How do I answer in a way that supports my young son's mental health and self-esteem?". Justin gives examples of a healthy and developmentally appropriate response to this difficult situation in a way that honours the father, supports the child, and also advocates for our anonymous listener.
Lisa, from Canada, is concerned that catching the school bus will potentially expose her 11-year-old daughter to explicit material. Justin shares some suggestions that will help every parent safely lead their child along the path to independence.
In this episode:

Single parent
Absent father
Mental health 
Answering sensitive questions age appropriately
Honesty and transparency
Children need to feel safe, secure, loved
Building independence, confidence & self-efficacy
Cocooning, pre-arming, deference
The Three E's (Explore, Explain, Empower)

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Related links:

How Do I Support My Daughter Now That I'm Divorcing? - Happy Families
Pornography Is The New Public Health Crisis - Happy Families
#898 Porn-Proofing Your Kids, with Kristen Jenson
Creating Confident Kids - Happy Families
Navigating Your Teen's Quest For Independence - Happy Families

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Subscribe to the Happy Families newsletter
Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au
Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#999 When Dad Isn't There & School Bus Stress

There is a growing movement to commit to giving our primary-aged children unplugged childhoods! Dr Justin shares four things you can do NOW to give your children a play-based childhood, free from digital distractions and social media. 
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In this episode:

How would an enforcement even work?
Censorship
Age-verification for social media
Importance of holding platforms accountable
A movement to keep smartphones and social media out of primary school
Unplugged childhood
Kids need smart parents not smart phones

Related links:

Tech Giants Are Anti-Kids - Happy Families
#991 This Week In Parenting: Vape Zones, Baby Bans, & Nicotine Pouches
 How Do I Get My Daughter To Drop Social Media And Study For Exams? - Happy Families
Social media has the “exact same negative effect on depression” as eating potatoes | Quartz

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Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au
Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#998 Social Media Shutdown

Justin reads a personal letter aloud to his children, sharing insights into what life was like for him growing up. 
In this episode:

Sharing childhood memories with your kids
Pets
Give your child roots
Benefits to keeping a journal
Rituals of connection
To a child, love is spelled T.I.M.E

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Related links:

5 Ways to Promote Happiness in Your Family - Happy Families
Enough: Overcoming Anxiety, Perfectionism, & Self Loathing - Happy Families
Family Traditions Help Kids Make Sense of Life - Happy Families
Miss-Connection | 7 Day Connection Challenge

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Subscribe to the Happy Families newsletter
Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au
Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#997 A Dog's Life

Study 1: Is your child feeling unhappy, pressured, or teased about their weight? Navigating growing up in a society so focused on physical appearance is difficult, but there are practical steps parents can take to decrease the risk of internalised stigma and other challenges around weight.
Study 2: So, you think you can read a baby's cry? Think again! 
Study 3: The secret to getting your teen to listen to you can be found in the very foundation of what Dr Justin teaches in The Parenting Revolution! 
In this episode:

Teasing children about weight increases risk of self-stigma as adults, study finds | The Guardian
Weight stigma - what is it?
Internalised incompetence and low sense of self-worth
Babies’ cries alone don’t convey what they want | The British Psychological Society
Dunstan Baby Language

The secret to getting your teen to listen to you | The British Psychological Society

Autonomy support
Unsolicited advice from parents
How to talk to teens about hard stuff

Related links:

9 Strategies for Soothing A Crying Baby - Happy Families
#957 Diet Free Families with Meg McClintock - Happy Families
5 Ways To Nurture Positive Relationships With Food and Body For Your Kids - Happy Families
The Parenting Revolution (The Course) Normally $149, FREE when you purchase The Parenting Revolution [The Book]

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Subscribe to the Happy Families newsletter.
Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au.
Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our website. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#996 From the Doctor's Desk - Weight Stigma & Baby Language

Most families have screens in their home, which means a steady stream of movies, TV shows, games, apps, and more! How can parents know what content is or isn't appropriate for our children, when ratings are so broad and arbitrary? 
In today's interview with Prof. Elizabeth Handsley, President of CMA, we explore why it is so hard for parents to navigate the current classification system, and share some helpful resources and advice to minimise the risk that our children will be exposed to inappropriate content. 
In this episode:

Children and Media Australia - supporting children and families to thrive in the expanding world of screen media
Ratings and classifications
Movies, apps, games,
Inquiry into the Australian Classification Scheme
Aged-based and research-based information
Dose-response relationship to media
Children become desensitised to content

Related links:

Movies and Kids: When Is It Ok For Them To Watch That? - Happy Families
Everyone Else Can Do It! Why Can't I? - Happy Families
Common Sense Media - Age-Based Media Reviews For Families

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Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au
Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#921 But Everyone Else Is Doing It!

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