There's a brand new nicotine product out, so invisible you may not even be aware your child has it! Plus, the dangers of vaping, a nation-leading move by SA to protect our children from social media, and 118 reasons to be child-free. 

In this episode:

• Bluey 'The Sign' - a missed opportunity?
• Advocate pushes for vaping areas in schools as NSW holds inquiry into vape laws | news.com.au
• Harm-reduction policy regarding vaping
• #498 Children and Vaping, with Lisa Damour - Happy Families
• Vaping is a 'young person' phenomenon in Australia | Pursuit, Uni of Melb
• A new nicotine product that tastes and smells great - known as zyns, snus or little lip pillows
• ‘Invisible threat’: Nicotine pouches taking over schools | news.com.au
• Should social media be banned for children?
• How should you approach your children's and teenagers' social media use? | abc.net.au
• Parents in defensive mode
• Australian model Ellie Gonsalves shared 118 reasons to be childfree | ABC

Related links:

• Pots, Pills, & Parenting: A Masterclass with Paul Dillon and Dr Justin Coulson - Happy Families
• 4 P’s to Prevent Peer Pressure in your Teens - Happy Families

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Anne Hollonds was the opening speaker at the Breaking Point Digital Conference. On the podcast today you will hear an excerpt from Anne's presentation, discussing the mental health of young people around the country and what we can do to help them.

In this episode:

• Anne Hollonds - National Children’s Commissioner.
• Young people and mental health

• Residual effects of Covid pandemic

• Barriers to accessing mental health support for young people

• Strong therapeutic alliance = better outcomes

• Breaking Point Digital Conference: Unpacking the Crisis in Youth Mental Health

Related links:

• Enough: Overcoming Anxiety, Perfectionism, & Self Loathing - Happy Families
• We Need to Talk About Parent Wellbeing
• Screen Time and Our Teens’ Mental Health Crisis - Happy Families

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Today, Justin is answering two listeners' questions.

First up is Bridget from Victoria, a mum of two. Her question is about her five-year-old son, whose over-competitiveness and inability to handle losing are causing issues in the family and in his wider circle of friends.

Becky, a single mum from Melbourne, is looking for ways she can implement rules and boundaries that won't lead to anxiety-fuelled and explosive reactions from her son, who has autism and OCD.

Helpful links:

• Winning Or Losing: How To Handle A Bad Sport – Happy Families
• #78 Boundaries and the Three E’s – Happy Families
• 3 Pillars of Practically Perfect Parenting – Happy Families
• Connection – Happy Families

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Do you have a child who refuses to or is unable to go to school?

Sydney mum Alice joins Justin on the Happy Families podcast today to share the day-to-day pressure of trying to help a child get to school when emotions are high and nervous systems are in fight or flight mode. 

If you are deep in the trenches of ‘school can’t’, this is a not-to-be-missed conversation, with some beautiful advice and encouragement to parents who are feeling stressed, judged, and alone in their struggle to get a child to school.

In this episode:

• Emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA)
• Reasons for 'school can't'
• School Can't Australia (Parent/Carer Peer Support) | Facebook
• Neurodivergence (Autism, ADHD)
• Importance of friendships
• Pressure on parents, judgement
• Homeschooling
• Mental health of parents
• Moving schools
• "Is it just me? Am I the only one who can't get their kid to go to school?"
• School refusal and the Australian families gripped by blame, shame, and the fear of a lost education - ABC News

Related links:

• School Refusal – Happy Families
• #533 Emotion Based School Avoidance aka School Refusal – Happy Families
• A Grown Up’s Guide to Worry Stacking – Happy Families
• Resilience: Developing Strength, Calm, & Kindness in Our Kids – Happy Families
• We Need to Talk About Parent Wellbeing – Happy Families
• Moving? How to Help your Child Settle Into A New School – Happy Families

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An encouragement to any parent feeling like they are stuck in a rut with a child determined to be horrible and difficult - there is hope! The relationship with your child changes as they age into adulthood and can become a delightful and close friendship.

In this episode:

• Changing parent/child relationships during the young adult years
• Friendships with adult children
• Routines and structures
• Finding Balance – Happy Families
• #952- A Rippin Good Read – Happy Families
• Troubled by Rob Henderson | A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class

Related links:

• What Your Child Needs From You – Happy Families
• 6 Strategies for Respectful Relationships – Happy Families
• I am Not your Friend. I am your Parent – Happy Families

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Kylie is back, answering some quick-fire "Have you ever...?" questions about motherhood and family life. 

Mother's Day Links:

• Me & My Mum Activity Book - Free Printable – Happy Families
• What Dad can do for Mum’s wellbeing – Happy Families

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How can parents ensure their children grow up to be respectful, kind, and considerate towards others?

This conversation with author and academic Richard Ryan examines the typical backgrounds of perpetrators of violence and aggression and gives practical advice to parents so they can meet their child's basic psychological needs of relatedness, autonomy, and competency.

In this episode:

• Self Determination Theory
• Gendered violence
• Basic Psychological Needs
• Modelling values and behaviour
• Objectification and sexualisation of women in the media
• Reducing exposure to and setting limits on media use
• Resilience

Links:

• Helping Our Boys Grow Into Men – Happy Families
• How to Prevent your Child Becoming A #metoo (and Prevent your Child from Creating One) – Happy Families
• 4 P’s to Prevent Peer Pressure in your Teens – Happy Families

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Does a particular school really make for a “better” education? And how can parents prepare their children for the death of a much-loved grandparent?

In this episode:

• City vs country schools
• Resources, results and reputation
• Fun, fit and philosophy 
• Upheaval for families when moving
• Developing new friendships and relationships
• Stability and security
• Grief and loss
• Preoperational thinking, object permanence, abstraction
• Developmentally appropriate language
• The sacredness of life and death

Links:

• Moving? How to Help your Child Settle Into A New School – Happy Families
• Developmental Milestones [Introduction] – Happy Families
• How To Talk To Your Children About Death – Happy Families

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Content warning: not for young ears.

“If you had to be in the forest with a man or a bear, which would you choose?”. How do we get to the point where we can answer without hesitation “a man!”?

In this episode:

• Violence against women
• Parents stepping up
• Teaching morality
• The 'No More' rallies
• Influence of explicit pornography on young men

Links:

• Quote by Saint Augustine: “Right is right even if no one is doing it...”
• The five demands of the No More national rallies (womensagenda.com.au)
• Helping Our Boys Grow Into Men – Happy Families
• How to Prevent your Child Becoming A #metoo (and Prevent your Child from Creating One) – Happy Families

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Judgement & criticism, punishing, provoking, and trying to “fix” a child—none of these are a parent’s job. They only serve to drive a wedge in relationships. Our job is to love our children. To set limits and have expectations—yes!—but to do so kindly. 

 

In this episode:

• Shifting the paradigm
• Compassion and empathy
• Emotions go up, intelligence goes down
• The problem with judgement
• Why kindness is the answer

Links:

• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R Covey
• I don’t need Fixing! I need Guiding and Loving – Happy Families
• Why Our Kids Need Us to Set Limits – Happy Families

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