Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Latest Episodes:

#1013 - Are Emotions Too Important? Jun 16, 2024

Show notes

When we make feelings “King”, our children can become stuck in their emotion, unable to regulate or move forward. Justin shares the right way to respond to feelings, helping them understand, process, and then move through their emotional state.

In this episode:

Revolutionary change in how parents respond to emotions
Impact of TikTok parenting influencers
Validating emotions
Feeling seen, heard, valued
Ways to regulate and tame emotions
Parent or therapist?
#822 The Emotional Lives of Teenagers - Part 1
#827 The Emotional Lives of Teenagers - Part 2
#976 Abigail Shrier's Bad Therapy
How to help your child process their emotion and move on from it

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1012 - A Mum's Break Jun 13, 2024

Show notes

Kylie is away on a kid-free adventure with a friend...and loving it! Has Justin been surviving without her? Listen in to hear the challenges, the fun, and the lessons they are both experiencing during this extended time apart.

In this episode:

A girls week away
Friendships
Pressures of family life
Importance of stability and routine

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1011 - This Week in Parenting: Smacking & Socials Jun 12, 2024

Show notes

This Week In Parenting: why Australian parents are more open to smacking children than other countries, and how we can reduce peer pressure for kids and for parents by joining forces and creating community.

In this episode:

Smacking and corporal punishment
Australian parents most open to smacking kids in international study | 9News
The Parenting Revolution
Can Australia make age verification work for social media? | The Guardian
Momentum is building!
36 Months - sign the petition
Let kids be kids - have a play-based childhood
Peer pressure for kids and for parents too
Unplug Childhood - join the village & take the pledge

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1010 - The Behaviour Curriculum With Susie O'Brien Jun 11, 2024

Show notes

Journalist and author Susie O'Brien chats with Justin about the current situation in schools regarding student behaviour and classroom management, with a recent senate inquiry suggesting that it's time to go back to basics and teach children how to behave at school.

In this episode:

A Senate Inquiry is Calling For a New 'Behaviour Curriculum' to Tackle Classroom Disruptions | Monash University
Getting back to basics with classroom behaviour
Explicit Teaching Push in New Behaviour Curriculum | Education Review
What do teachers want?
Lack of support from principals and parents
Regressive or progressive?

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1009 ADHD in Adults & Toddlers Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

Three-year-olds are exhausting! Energetic, emotionally reactive, and uninhibited—all the things that can make a parent begin to question if their child has ADHD! Today, Dr Justin looks at the developmentally normal behaviours of a three-year-old and shares four things they need in order to learn, grow, and thrive.

Plus, three tips for neurodivergent parents trying to hold it all together while navigating the chaos of family life and struggling with their own ADHD.

In this episode:

ADHD, ODD, or just three?
Developmental Milestones - Preschoolers
Little People, Big Feelings (Webinar)
What Your Child Needs From You
Why saying "use your words" isn't helpful
Theory of mind
Diagnosing ADHD
What 3-year-olds need
Neurodivergent parents
Challenges of ADHD as an adult
Help For the ADHD Parent - from the Happy Families team

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1008 - Family Dinner Deep Dive Jun 09, 2024

Show notes

Are you overthinking family meals? Do you want a little more peace and a lot less chaos at the dinner table? How can a family dinner fit in amongst work commitments and extra-curricular activities? We take a look at the research behind what was once considered the norm - family dinners, and share some tips to ease the pressure.

In this episode:

San Remo market research
Chaos of mealtimes
YOYO (You're On Your Own) night
Screens and mealtimes
Extra-curricular activities for kids AND parents are impacting family meals
5 tips to ease the pressure
Are we overthinking family meals? 5 realistic tips to ease the pressure | The Conversation
Rituals of connection

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1007 - Let's Unplug Childhood Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

We know that giving children access to social media and devices is not in their best interests. Our children deserve—and need—a play-based childhood. Join the village today and “Unplug Childhood” with us!

In this episode:

"It was the damn phones" by Kori Jane | Instagram
The “Unplug Childhood” movement
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt
Make some noise and get on board!
Why this matters
No social media before age 13
Give kids a play-based childhood
Make the pledge today

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1006 - Book Club: Why is Kylie Reading Kid's Books? Jun 05, 2024

Show notes

In between homeschooling, 7 seasons of House, and a lot of travel, Justin and Kylie still managed to do some reading this month. Listen in to hear reviews of a classic children's book, a terrifying, heartbreaking YA novel, a disappointing flop filled with falsehoods, a warts and all memoir, and a contender for book of the year!

Kylie's books:

Justin's books:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1005 - 2 Books on Neurodivergence That You Must Read Jun 04, 2024

Show notes

Life can be really challenging for neurodivergent kids growing up in a world where they don't seem to fit in. Justin speaks with two authors about their fabulous books, and why representation in literature is so important for our children.

Square Me, Round World by Chelsea Luker is a collection of short stories describing what life can feel like when you are a person growing up in a world not built for you and Wonderfully Wired by Stacey Lucas-Toumbourou celebrates the strengths and differences of 100 neurodivergent individuals who changed the world

In this episode:

Square Me, Round World, by Chelsea Luker | Booktopia
The importance of representation
Raising neurodivergent children
Wonderfully Wired, by Stacey Lucas-Toumbourou

Related links:

Find us on Facebook or TikTok

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.

#1004 Ditching Screens as a Grown Up Jun 03, 2024

Show notes

Screen struggles are something that every family is dealing with - and not just with the kids! We share some small changes you can make to help you find a healthier and more balanced relationship with your phone.

Does it feel like your child knows exactly which buttons to push to trigger you? News flash: YOU are the only one that can choose how YOU respond! Learn how to increase your competence (and confidence!) in holding personal boundaries and regulating your own emotions, and watch your relationship with your child improve in the process.

In this episode: