Parental As Anything

We get it dads. You're sick of people who say you're 'babysitting' when you look after your own kids; you feel like a fish out of water when you join parent groups full of mothers; and it's still too hard to find a change table in a men's bathroom. Apart from that, there's never been a better time to be a dad! Maggie Dent talks to TV presenter Osher Gunsberg, comedian Peter Helliar, musician Tim Rogers and parenting educator Clark Wight, about finding their feet, how they show their love, and what it's like being a dad in the 21st Century.

The queen of common sense — aka parenting educator and author Maggie Dent — is back with series three of Parental As Anything. She has more practical tips and answers to your parenting dilemmas — promoting positive body image in the age of selfies, helping kids deal with death and loss, avoiding problematic video gaming habits and why making kids do chores is worth the hassle.

Over eight episodes, Maggie will give you practical advice to help raise kids of all ages. The first episode is about being a dad and is out on August 18.

If you don't talk to your children about sex, it won't be long before someone else does. But how honest should you be, when should you start explaining it and how much should you tell them? Maggie Dent talks to GP Dr Cindy Pan and sex educator Cath Hakanson about what to say and how to say it when it comes to sex, relationships, consent, pleasure, bodies and porn.

"I hate broccoli", "but the sauce is touching the carrot!", "Yuk! That's gross!" If you've ever heard this come out of your child's mouth at dinner time, we feel your pain. So, we've brought in chef Adam Liaw and Nutrition Australia's Leanne Elliston to help! They've cooked up some great tips with Maggie Dent on how to feed children healthy food and what you can do if your child is a fussy eater.

Being an only child or single parent can be hard when all your usual social outlets have disappeared into thin air. There is boredom and loneliness and if you're solo parenting, there can be a heavy load to carry. Maggie Dent and parenting author and educator Michelle Mitchell share some great ideas about how to lighten the load if you're parenting on your own, and what you can do if you've got an only child.

Have you been breaking up World War III between your kids? Are you and your partner getting on each other's nerves because you’ve spent more time together than you ever have? Maggie Dent and parenting author and educator Justin Coulson talk about ways you can resolve the niggles before they get out of control.

NOTE: This episode deals with arguments between siblings and partners. What we know is that in many homes, this conflict isn’t arguing, it’s family violence, and home is not the safest place. If you’re in immediate danger call 000. You can also call 1800RESPECTto talk to counsellors who are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Or go to their website for resources https://www.1800respect.org.au/

How do you get any work done at home when the kids keep asking you for food, or to play with them, or to wipe their bottom? Maggie Dent talks to productivity researcher Dr Kristy Goodwin about her top strategies for working at home with kids around. They discuss planning activities to keep the kids out of your hair and how to set realistic expectations for what you can achieve in a so-called "workday".

Coronavirus has meant parents across Australia have had to slip into a role they never signed up for being a teacher. So how do you make that work if you haven't the first clue about teaching? Maggie Dent talks to educator Dr Prue Salter about how to support high-schoolers as they learn from home. Maggie also shares her top tips for keeping primary school kids engaged while learning from home, and how to stop parents from pulling their hair out.

Coronavirus has meant the activities our kids love — playgrounds, sport, skate boarding with friends, going to the movies — have been shut down and cancelled. But guess what's still there for them? Nature. Even if it's the grass in your backyard or plants on your balcony, it's all around us — even during coronavirus. In an episode recorded well before coronavirus hit us, Maggie talks to nature play experts Gillian McAuliffe and Daniel Burton about the perfect places for growing bodies and minds to play.