Kiddipedia Podcast

Have you ever wondered does a child’s birth order help shape their personality?

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the average amount of children per family is 1.8.

So even though it’s not as common that families are as large as they used to be, it is fascinating to understand the psychology behind first, second, third, and subsequent children’s birth order. Also, how science and research determines what the birth order says about the child’s personality

To help share her expert information and advice we speak with Dianne Gramp, a Senior Registered Psychologist from Positive Mind Works

Dianne has 20 years of experience in private practice working with children, adolescents, and adults.

We ask Dianne questions including:

1. Does birth order really affect a child's personality?
2. What are some of the assumptions about firstborns that we should know about?
3. Could you please share with us the common assumptions about Middle-born children? What does science tell us is actually true about them?
4. Are there any common assumptions about younger or last-borns?
5. What are the commonly claimed characteristics of all children we should know about?
6. What does science tell us is important for parents to know about their child’s births order?
7. Should parents treat children differently depending on their birth order?
8. What do psychologists know is important in family dynamics for raising psychologically healthy children, regardless of their birth order?
9. How are attachment styles a powerful predictor of a child’s later social and psychological outcome?
10. What are parental personality styles and how can they become a powerful parenting tool?

For Dianne’s full article, please go to: https://kiddipedia.com.au/your-childs-birth-order-what-matters-and-what-doesnt/

For further details, go to: https://www.positivemindworks.co/au/team_member/dianne-gramp/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newborn babies are everything we optimise with perfection. An impeccably sublime exquisité symbol of hope and faultlessness.

Every newborn parent, at one time or another I’m sure, has held their baby and realised how delicate and fragile they are.

Depending on how sleep-deprived you are, most parents are eager to build their bond with their newborn and find out more about their personality, and eager to engage in play.

But how can we play with something as feeble and vulnerable as a newborn? Well our special guest Belinda Joyce is here to tell us how

Belinda is a midwife, maternal & child health nurse with over 20 years experience.

She is also a mother of four and author of 'Survive and Enjoy Your Baby'. Her passion is in providing safe, evidence-based advice & options to parents so they can find their own path to parenthood.

Today Belinda is going to share expert ways how you can play with your newborn baby.

We ask Belinda questions including:

1. Is it true that a large portion of a baby's early brain development is dependent on activity and that they learn through play?
2. What would be some of the first intentional movements a parent would see their baby engage in?
3. What is Flat Head Syndrome and is there any way of preventing it?
4. How do you play with a newborn baby?
5. Why is hearing your voice so important for a newborn baby?
6. At what age do babies start to smile and show you a positive response?
7. How can visual play and simple sensory input for babies help with development?
8. Is visual tracking a skill that is born with, and or is it something that is learnt?
9. Can activities such as reaching out to catch bubbles help with progressing hand eye-foot coordination and gross motor skills? How can this help self-confidence later on in life with activities such as walking, running, climbing, jumping, etc?
10. Why is tummy time so important?
11. Why is it important to start tummy time as early as possible?
12. What should parents do if their baby dislikes tummy time?
13. Is it right that even short bursts of tummy-time of up to 1 minute can help, and it’s more about the frequency?
14. What is your opinion of a baby swing or bouncy bouncers?
15. What are some good toy options for newborn babies?
16. What are the dangers of introducing screen time to babies and toddlers under 2 years of age?
17. How do you prevent your newborn from becoming overstimulated?

For Belinda’s full article: https://kiddipedia.com.au/how-to-play-with-your-newborn-baby

For further details: https://belindajoyce.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every generation hopes the legacy we leave our children, and the state the world they are left to live in, is one that is bigger and better than what we lived in before.

We aspire to provide due diligence providing them the best opportunity to live the life they deserve and a positive future. Not only for our children, but for their children’s children and generations to come.

However, due to the escalating mental health crisis facing our children, the ability for us as parents and careers to provide this is slightly questionable. Disappointingly, the statistic of childhood obesity, mental health conditions, self-harm and suicide are all greater than ever before

Did you know almost fifty per cent of the factors that determine children’s psychological wellbeing and happiness come from the environments in which they are raised? So, this tell us that we do have the power to positively influence our children’s lives and help raise a mentally fit generation.

To help explain how we can do this, welcome our special guest and beautiful human being, Kari Sutton

Kari is an expert in fostering children's positive mental health. Kari has helped over 25,000 children, parents, and educators with evidence-based strategies, tools and approaches as well as common sense tips that help kids stop worrying so much and to manage their anxiety.

Her expertise has made her an in-demand conference speaker, author and consultant in wanting to foster children's positive mental health.

She launch her second book “Raising a Mentally Fit Generation” in November 2020.

We ask Kari questions including:

1. Having worked as a teacher and guidance counsellor for the past 25 years, how have you seen the dramatic rise in anxiety disorders, depression and suicide affecting our kids?
2. What are the 10 key components to mental fitness mentioned in your book?
3. What is Mental Fitness and how can it benefit our children?
4. How can Mental Fitness impact a child’s mental health?
5. You draw a distinction between Mental Fitness and Resilience - what's the difference?
6. You have a strong view that a lot of our children are struggling to develop resilience, why do you think that is?
7. What are some of the successful strategies and tools your clients are implementing with their children that we can learn from?
8. What are your best tips for future-proofing the next generation?
9. What is the effect if childhood mental illnesses are left untreated?

For the full article, please go to: https://kiddipedia.com.au/raising-a-mentally-fit-generation/

For further details: https://karisutton.com/

https://www.facebook.com/karisutton

https://www.instagram.com/karisuttoninsta/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the start of every year, we aspire to live the next 12 months bigger and better than ever before.

It’s common that our goals include living a healthier life, less stress, create more time for the things we want to do, and increase our savings.

What if I told you one thing that could help you with achieving all those four I just mentioned.

As hard as it is to believe, we’re at the halfway point of the year. In saying this, it’s never too late to revisit the hopes and dreams we set out for ourselves and finish the year off strong.

So, what is this mystifying idea and notion? Well, it’s the possibilities that meal prepping by freezing our foods can and does provide us.

To help share inspiration and expert tips on this subject we welcome back Siobhan Boyle, CEO of Jamie Oliver’s The Good Foundation.

We ask Siobhan questions including:

1. Why do you think Jaime is such a big fan of planning ahead with the use of our freezers?
2. Why do you think that winter is a great time for freezer-friendly dishes?
3. Are frozen vegetables as good as fresh? Which contain more nutrients and are healthier for us?
4. In your article, you share 3 top tips on how we can integrate meal prepping through freezing, can you go through them with us now?
5. Why are frozen meals healthy and convenient for families?
6. What is your go-to winter meal to freeze?
7. In your article you share a list of freezer-friendly recipes, can you share some of your inspirational ideas with us now?
8. What are some ‘freezer’ do’s and don’ts?
9. How long can you freeze meals like soup and stews for?

For Siobhan’s full article, please go to: https://kiddipedia.com.au/freezer-faves/

For further information, please go to: https://www.jamiesministryoffood.com.au/

 

 

Reference: https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2009/07/24/Research-says-frozen-is-as-good-as-fresh-for-school-meal-nutrition

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fatherhood and newborns, a topic not nearly covered enough. 

Providing new Dads with practical emotional and social support is something that we can consciously become better at achieving, and purposefully do much more of.

It’s not uncommon that when you arrive home with your newborn many new dads feel overwhelmed, trying to figure out their role and place among the changes in the household.

Among all the wonderful changes a newborn baby brings, many dads doubt their parenting skills and can feel unprepared questioning if their parenting knowledge is enough. Before you know it, Dads are back at work which presents new challenges as acute stress can build due to sleepless nights and ongoing sleep deprivation. This is all whilst Dads are will-fully wanting to be strong as the backbone of the family.

Dads we feel you, that’s why we’re here to show our support with encouraging tips from our special guest Belinda Joyce.

Belinda is a midwife, maternal & child health nurse with over 20 years experience. She is also a mother of four and author of 'Survive and Enjoy Your Baby'. Her passion is in providing safe, evidence-based advice & options to parents so they can find their own path to parenthood.

**As a disclaimer, during this interview we use the terms ‘Dad’ and ‘Father’ broadly as we acknowledge and support the broad spectrum that includes all modern families including co-parenting and rainbow families **

We ask Belinda questions including:

1. In your 20+ year career to date, have you seen an increase of dads attending maternal and child health sessions? 
2. Do you think Dads should be supported and this issue should be addressed more?
3. What are some of your suggestions how Dads can help support a mother with their Newborn?
4. How can Dads support Mum while feeding?
5. How should Dads play with their newborn baby?
6. Why is it important for Dads to have 1 on 1 time with their baby?
7. How else can Dads bond with their baby?
8. What can Dads do to ensure they are also making time for their self-care?
9. How long does the perinatal period run for?

For Belinda’s full article: https://kiddipedia.com.au/the-importance-of-dads/

For further info, visit: https://belindajoyce.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The loss of a baby or a child is undoubtedly the most devastating, heartbreaking experience anyone could possibly endure.

It’s common for many parents to experience intense and profound feelings of despair, loss, and heartache and is left living their lives like a piece of it is missing

It’s the deep feelings of maternal and paternal love for a child you never had the chance to know

If you’re a parent who has lived an experience such as this, and or a friend or family member who is supporting a grieving family or someone who would love to have greater knowledge and perspective on what parents live through, then this chat is for you

To help talk to us about this today we welcome our special guest special guests Amelia Walker and Chris Barnes from the Gidget Foundation

We ask Amelia and Chris questions including:

1. What has been your exposure to parents who have experienced the trauma of baby or child loss?
2. Is there a difference in which a mother mourns to how a father emotionally lives through life events? If so, how?
3. How long can the acute mourning stage of grief last? In some cases, this process can last for years?
4. What types of perinatal loss does Gidget Foundation assist with?
5. How important do you think it is to commemorate and pause to remember the lives of babies who have died during pregnancy, or soon after birth and in infancy?
6. What are some of the most common feelings and experiences parents face?
7. Why is it important to allow yourself to grieve in your own way and in your own time?
8. How can rituals be an important part of dealing with grief?
9. What are some of the common triggers for parents? How do they differ from male to female, mother to father?
10. What is the impact of grief and loss on families?

For Gidget Foundation’s full article, please go to: https://kiddipedia.com.au/a-guide-to-coping-with-reminders-of-your-pregnancy-and-child-loss/

For further details:

Get Support: https://gidgetfoundation.org.au/get-support/where-do-i-start/

Website: www.gidgetfoundation.org.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GidgetFoundation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gidgetfoundation/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GidgetFndation

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gidgetfoundationaustralia

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting children to eat their vegetables has been the bane of parent’s existence for eons.

A dilemma that almost all parents face at one point.

It’s common that, amongst your frustration, you worry if your child is getting enough nutrients from the foods they’re eating to help support their growth and development.

One way to overcome this is the age-old trick of sneaking the veggies into the foods that they already love eating.

Even if this is something you’re already doing, there’s no harm in acquiring some new and creative tips.

To help share some inspiration we welcome back Siobhan Boyle, CEO of Jamie Oliver’s The Good Foundation. Who, Kiddipedia is honoured to be in partnership with.

Siobhan is going to share her expert tips on how you can include veggies in your kid's favorite recipes.

We ask Siobhan questions including:

1.  Why do you think it is so hard to get kids to eat their veggies?
2. Do you think that it’s important for parents to persist and continue trying to give their children whole fruits and vegetables with the view of trying to make them familiar with new foods?
3. Do you think that it’s valuable to expose children to this wisdom especially during this time in history with COVID?
4. Do you think it’s important for kids to understand, with age-appropriate information, why eating their veggies is crucial to their long-term health?
5. Do think that children’s palettes can change over time, and for that reason, it’s important for them to have exposure to many different foods as early as possible?
6. What is the easiest kid-friendly dish to sneak some veggies into?
7. Do you think that getting children to explore and understanding food is the basis for healthy eating choices?
8. What are some ways to get your kids to have fun in the kitchen and love their veggies?
9. Which veggies should one always have in their fridge?

For the full article: https://kiddipedia.com.au/including-veggies-in-your-kids-favourite-recipes/

For further information, please go to: https://www.jamiesministryoffood.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our earliest experiences in childhood form the foundation of who we become in adulthood.

Did you know that 90% of a child's brain develops by age 5? During this time, a child’s neural pathways are formed based on their everyday experiences, and what they are exposed to. Once the brains connections are formed, they last a lifetime.

For this reason, we need to protect children’s vulnerability and preserve their true authentic self. Re-assess the environment our children are growing up within and reduce any exposure to stress and trauma.

The most common affliction for mental, chronic illnesses, physical disease and abusive behaviours, is trauma experienced in childhood.

The average childhood experience that has developed into abusive behaviours are a result of adverse experiences at home as generational trauma passed down from generation to generation.

As an example, this is exposure to unbearable circumstances at home of raised voices, parents swearing, insulting or putting the child down. Aggressive behavoiurs of throwing things at them, hitting or injuring them. Even as simple as feeling unloved, no-one in their family is that safe person for them.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

We need to put a stop to the endless cycle of generational trauma that fosters behaviours later on in the life such as domestic violence.

To help talk to us about how we can stop this, we welcome our special guest, Kari Sutton

Kari is an expert in fostering children's positive mental health. Kari has helped over 25,000 children, parents, and educators with evidence-based strategies, tools and approaches as well as common sense tips that help kids stop worrying so much and manage their anxiety.

Her expertise has made her an in-demand conference speaker, author and consultant in wanting to foster children's positive mental health.

She is launching her second book “Raising a Mentally Fit Generation” in May 2020.

We ask Kari questions including:

1. Do you think suppressed trauma from childhood can foster abusive behaviours later on in life which in turn inflicts suffering on others?
2. Do you think that the responses to trauma from childhood isn’t our true selves, rather they are learnt behaviours and survival instincts?
3. How do you think we can make a start on freeing ourselves from this cycle and manifesting real change to a more positive future?
4. How does a child develop from a kind 4-year old into someone who, 20 years later, is violent to a person they love?
5. What can we do to change it now and in the future?
6. Can we teach young children the skills, behaviours and attitude to cultivate respectful healthy relationships?
7. Could you give us some examples of things people might say that inadvertently excuse disrespectful behaviour?
8. How do we teach our kids to set really clear limits and boundaries?

For Kari’s full article, please go to: https://kiddipedia.com.au/stopping-domestic-violence-starts-in-early-childhood/

For further details: https://karisutton.com/

https://www.facebook.com/karisutton

https://www.instagram.com/karisuttoninsta/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve arrived at the point of the year where parents need to make the decision if their preschooler is ready to commence primary school next year, or not. This is determined by the cut-off dates for your state or territory meaning that your child must turn five by that date to start school.

This decision determines if your child will be among the older, more mature, taller students, and depending on their academic level can determine their level of confidence. Not only throughout primary but their secondary education also. So the decision is no mean feat

If you’re a parent with a child, especially a boy, who was born in one of the months before the cutoff date for enrolment at school and could do with some expert advice, this is for you.

Today we welcome Andrew Oberthur, a father of two teenagers and a Primary School Principal with over 30 years’ experience teaching and leading primary schools in Brisbane.

Andrew is here to share expert age, gender, and school readiness tips to help you make informed decisions that are right for you.

We ask Andrew questions including:

1. In your article you see 5 assumptions on this topic, what are they?
2. What are the qualities that would indicate a child is ready to cope with the rigours of primary school?
3. Are age and gender enough to determine if a child is ready to start school?
4. Can it be detrimental to a child if they start school before they are ready? If so, how?
5. In your opinion, do you think the introduction of 3 year old kinder will help with increasing children’s age-appropriate level of skills in communication, socialisation and independence? Or that is inbuilt in the child’s and their personality which in turn can’t be developed?
6. Why can’t Australian governance structures agree on when children should start school?
7. What can parents do to assist in preparing their children to be most ready for school?
8. Who is best placed to give parents advice about their child’s readiness for school, especially at this time of the year?
9. If my child, especially my son, is born just a month or less from cut off date, should they have a second year at Kindy?
10. What are the 3 factors that may influence a child’s communication, socialisation and independence?
11. I understand there are many conditions that provide children with the experiences to have them prepared for school, what are they?

For Andrew’s full article: https://kiddipedia.com.au/age-and-gender-and-school-readiness/

For further details: https://www.creativecollaborativesolutions.net/creativecollaborativesolutions

Andrew’s book is available from his website www.creativecollaborativesolutions.net

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fatherhood is one of the most challenging, yet profoundly fulfilling jobs there is.

It’s common that on the outside Dads portray that they are fine, however on the inside many silently carry the weight of worries and acute stresses as they balance family life and commitment to work.

As we know, sleepless nights and ongoing sleep deprivation is a horrible experience, so imagine that all whilst wanting to fiercely be strong as the backbone of the family.

If you’re a Dad and can relate, and would like some helpful tips and advice, then today is your day.

To help we welcome our special guests Amelia Walker and Chris Barnes from the Gidget Foundation who will share tips on how new Dads can improve their work/life balance.

Chris Barnes is a Clinical Psychologist and has been in private practice for over 25 years.

Amelia Walker is a Program Clinician and Registered Counsellor with 12 years of clinical management and inception of clinics in London.

As a disclaimer, during this interview, we use the terms ‘Dad’ and ‘Father’ broadly as we acknowledge and support the broad spectrum that includes all co-parents and rainbow families 

We ask Amelia and Chris questions including:

1. What insight can you share into the challenges father’s experience?
2. Do you think that Dads are far too hard on themselves?
3. Thankfully, open discussions about mental health are now on the table for discussion without prejudice. Have become you experienced Dads being more open to receiving help and support?
4. How has a father’s role changed in recent years?
5. How can Dads best-overcome feelings of discouragement and money worries when providing for their family?
6. In your article you share your top 5, what are some tips and support services you can share with new and expectant parents?
7. How can The Gidget Foundation help families nationally with services like telehealth?

 

For Gidget Foundations full article: https://kiddipedia.com.au/improving-your-work-life-balance-as-a-new-dad/

 

For further details:

Website: www.gidgetfoundation.org.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GidgetFoundation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gidgetfoundation/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GidgetFndation

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gidgetfoundationaustralia

 

Fact Sheets:

https://gidgetfoundation.org.au/about-pnda/fact-sheets/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/gidgetvirtualvillagedads/   (peer support for dads)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/gidgetvirtualvillage/  (peer support for mums)

 

Gidget Perinatal Support Centre powered by Sonder, 24/7. This app is available via any app store. Once downloaded use the code 'Gidget' for FREE access. For more information, check out our website: www.gidgetperinatalsupportcentre.org.au

https://mensline.org.au/being-a-dad/changing-face-fatherhood-family-time/

Busydads.com.au (a website all about balance in fatherhood – from nutrition & exercise to being a partner & parent)

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.