Is your child about to start school for the first time?

Are they about to return from their Summer holidays?

How do you know if they’re ready?

Studies suggest that a majority of parents believe their children are ready for school, but many teachers believe a large portion of kids are not ready for school when they start. So who’s right?

In this episode, I explore some of the red flags that might suggest your child is not fully prepared for the challenges of starting school, and offers some practical advice on what you can do to help.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

00:59 - A common myth

05:53 - What does school ready mean?

08:53 - Figure out your starting point

10:58 - 6 honest questions to ask yourself

17:07 - The art of negotiation

18:55 - Managing conflict and separation anxiety

23:43 - Closing the skills gap

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As parents, it’s our job to make the rules and enforce them. And it’s our children’s job to challenge those boundaries and push us to our limits.

That’s why, when we try getting them to do something they simply don’t want to do, we often hear “you don’t trust me!”

Even though it’s normal and age appropriate, I get it - it’s so frustrating. How do you parent this? How do you respond to this apparent lose-lose scenario?

In this bucket emptying episode, I’m going to give you five different responses you can use when your kids say this.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:41 - We’re all learning

05:00 - Our role is to keep you safe

07:07 - Laying down the law

10:00 - Reinforcing family values

11:33 - A hard no

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For all previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚  For the free resource library, visit https://drmaryhan.com/library 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are your children smart? Spoiler alert: it doesn’t matter.

I don’t believe that academic intelligence means your child will be successful in life, because real life is about so much more than grades.

In this episode I am going to reveal what I think are the five essential life skills your kids need to be successful. I’ll tell you what they are, and give you practical ways you can develop this skill in your child.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

03:56 - The 5 Skills

05:40 - Planning

17:07 - Social curiosity

25:19 - Self-regulation

32:38 - Focus

42:18 - Adaptability

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For the free resource library, previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do your children shut down when you ask them questions?

Are they often frustrated that you don’t understand them?

Do they think you don’t listen, or worse, don’t care?

Active listening doesn’t come naturally to us. It’s a learned skill, and it helps us show our kids that we’re not just hearing them, but we understand them, and when their guard comes down you will be AMAZED at the results.

In this episode I am going to show you what active listening is and how you can start doing it today to create more meaningful conversations with your children of any age.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

02:20 - A conversation of sounds

07:40 - When our children are more articulate

11:50 - Examples of active listening

14:12 - It doesn’t need to work every time

💚 Please share with at least one friend, and let’s build our village together

💚  For the free resource library, previous episodes, and to submit episode topics you want me to talk about, visit https://drmaryhan.com/podcast/ 

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do your children constantly fight and argue?

There are many reasons why brothers and sisters butt heads, and it’s totally normal, but often we’re too busy doing damage control that we don’t take a step back to think about what we can do differently.

In this episode, I’m going to give you five hacks which you can start using immediately to help your warring children get along (mostly).

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:04 - Create opportunities for whole family time

04:19 - Special time for each child

12:08 - I want to be a cat

18:58 - Create own time space

20:59 - Establish a family pact

25:24 - Use schedules and rotas for high conflict situations

28:59 - The power of praise

💚 Let’s grow our village together, please  with at least one friend

💚  mentioned in the episodes

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you do with defiant children who won’t get involved in group activities?

I recently had this question from a listener, and I’m sure they’re not the only parent dealing with this! So in this bucket emptying episode, I’m going to give you some practical tips and easy things you can do right away, so that you and your children are happier!

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:23 - The behaviour is not the issue

04:49 - Unmet needs

07:38 - Skills gaps

11:17 - Reframing

💚 Let’s grow our village together, please  with at least one friend

💚  mentioned in the episodes

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether you’re expecting your first child or your tenth, parenting never gets easier.

At every age, with every new addition, we as new parents have to learn to expect the unexpected, and if you learn that when you’re expecting, the unexpected might not end up being so… unexpected. You see?

In this episode, I’m going to help you prepare for your parenting journey, because even though there’s no magic wand, as a mum of two and a child psychologist, I’ve picked up a few life lessons that I’d like to share with you.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

02:44 - Expect the unexpected

04:56 - What of parent do you want to be?

09:26 - What kind of child do you want to raise?

14:55 - Connection is critical

20:26 - Parenting is the hardest thing you will ever do

22:46 - Don’t lose the old you

25:14 - Nurture your tribe

28:47 - Learn to take care of yourself

💚 Let’s grow our village together, please  with at least one friend

💚  mentioned in the episodes

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’re a parent, you might dread the thought of a long car ride. Managing your kids’ hunger, boredom, and frustration is like being in parenting hell until you reach your destination.

Well, you’re not alone.

So in this bucket emptying episode, I’m going to share some quick tips and simple hacks to help you manage those long journeys without having a meltdown!

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

02:28 - Support the podcast

02:24 - Get everyone involved in planning

04:47 - Get your children to pack their own bags

10:11 - Plan A, B, C, and D

12:46 - The element of surprise

15:28 - Reflect back and learn for next time

💚 Let’s grow our village together, please  with at least one friend

💚  mentioned in the episodes

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you feel overwhelmed by the pressure to provide constant experiences?

Have kids who are "always bored" or glued to devices?

Or struggle with guilt about not doing "enough" activities?

Then this episode is for you. I challenge the modern parenting myth that we need to pack our children's lives with endless activities and experiences. Instead, I reveal why unstructured play is actually your child's most powerful learning tool.

I break down exactly how play develops emotional intelligence, social skills, problem-solving abilities, and academic success - often better than formal lessons. I also share game-changing strategies for different age groups, from toddlers to teenagers.

So pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

02:28 - Play to recharge

04:45 - Play to work through and resolve issues

08:16 - Play to teach social skills

14:12 - Play is a safe space to fail

17:24 - Reframe the purpose of play

23:11 - Allocate time to play

27:24 - Never too old to play

💚 Let’s grow our village together, please  with at least one friend

💚  mentioned in the episodes

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you do when your child says "Everyone hates me," "I'm rubbish at everything," or "I'm a loser"?

In this bucket-emptying episode, I share exactly how to respond in the moment when your child is being self-critical.

I'll walk you through my 5-step approach to handle these heartbreaking moments without dismissing their feelings or being overly positive. You'll learn why that internal dialogue matters so much, how to validate their experience while offering a more realistic perspective, and my powerful "pause and reframe" technique that helps children catch themselves before negative self-talk becomes hardwired.

This is about what to do RIGHT NOW when these comments happen - not the long-term strategies (that's coming in a full Thursday episode). Whether your child occasionally has these moments or this has become a pattern, these techniques will help you respond in a way that actually helps rather than accidentally making things worse.

Remember: self-criticism reflects their internal monologue, and with the right approach, we can help them develop a healthier inner voice. Their brains are incredibly plastic - we have time to turn this around.

Key topics covered:

• Understanding your child's internal dialogue and self-talk
• The 5-step response framework for self-critical moments
• Why validation comes before correction
• Teaching the "pause and reframe" technique
• How to model healthy self-talk as a parent

This episode is perfect for parents dealing with children who struggle with self-esteem, negative self-talk, or perfectionism.

So find a comfy seat, pour yourself a cuppa, and enjoy the conversation…

Highlights from this episode:

01:35 - What is self talk?

03:50 - Validate your child’s feelings

05:55 - Offer a realistic alternative

08:30 - Pause and reframe

11:56 - Rome wasn’t built in a day

💚 Join our campaign One Million Moments to reduce the number of children struggling with mental health challenges from 17% to 10% by 2025 - https://onemillionmoments.org/

💚 Let’s grow our village together, please share with at least one friend

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.