Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Latest Episodes:

#870 White Line Fever Oct 15, 2023

Show notes

Parent behaviour at children's sporting events can directly impact the child's experience. Thankfully the majority of parents do seem to encourage having fun over putting the pressure on their child to be the best. Journalist Shona Hendley unpacks why sports parents get a bad rap - but are in fact the angels of society.

Topics in this episode -

Competitive parents coaching from the side
Shona Hedley's article - Taking kids to sport all the time
Dedication - time, money, energy
Training, competitions, camps, social events, volunteering & more!
Why do children drop out of sports early?
"Doing your best" vs winning vs simply loving the experience
Competence & connection
Report cards: grades vs effort
The current mental health crisis with young people
Government policies and decisions re sport

Register for the BRAND-NEW 'Supporting Autistic Children: Nurturing Neurodiversity' course hosted by Dr Justin Coulson & Dr Joey Lawrence

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Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

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#869 Time Crunch Moments: Navigating Witching Hour Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Family life can be hard, particularly after a long day when everyone is tired!

We share 3 things you can do to overcome the challenges of Witching Hour - helping you move forward when you really just want to run away.

Topics in this episode -

Arsenic hour
The challenges younger kids face in the late afternoon
Emotional regulation
HALTS - "Justin-isms" Digital Phone Wallpapers
When the working parent gets home!
The power of recognising 'hard'
Outsource help

Register for the BRAND-NEW 'Supporting Autistic Children: Nurturing Neurodiversity' course hosted by Dr Justin Coulson & Dr Joey Lawrence

Find us on Facebook at Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

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#867 Time Crunch Moments: Lighting Up Lunchboxes Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

Time-crunch moments to get through the challenges of lunch, because the need for food is never ending!

Listen in for 5 time-tested ideas to help you deal with the challenges of knowing what food to pack so that your child will actually eat at school.

Topics in this episode:

Tuck shop is awesome... but expensive
Canteen pricelists from the 1980's
Weekend baking
Leftovers
Taking the pressure off!
Home menus
Podcast episode #862 - Solving Lunch Box Headaches with Deb Blakley

Register for the BRAND-NEW 'Supporting Autistic Children: Nurturing Neurodiversity' course hosted by Dr Justin Coulson & Dr Joey Lawrence

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Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

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#868 Time Crunch Moments: Dinner Dilemmas Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

"What's for dinner?" This has to be the most frustrating question that any parent deals with on a daily basis.

Listen in for 8 solutions to help you overcome the dreaded dinner dilemma!

Topics in this episode -

Summer Fit by Sally Fitzgibbons – Book Review
Themed nights
Rotating roster
The cognitive tax of cooking and planning
Involving the kids
Adam Liaw
Sharing the load

Register for the BRAND-NEW 'Supporting Autistic Children: Nurturing Neurodiversity' course hosted by Dr Justin Coulson & Dr Joey Lawrence

Find us on Facebook at Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

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#866 Time Crunch Moments: Creating Margin Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

How can you do it all - AND still be a good parent?

5 ideas for 'Creating Margin' that will make all the difference when it comes to an over scheduled, over-busy life!

Topics discussed in this episode:

Creating order from chaos
Household tasks
Connection
Parental exhaustion
Washing machine analogy
Stephen Covey - 'Big Rocks'
Structure and routine
Poet Annie Dillard - 'How We Spend Our Days'
Chores

You can purchase early bird tickets for the new course 'Supporting Autistic Children: Nurturing Neurodiversity' at the Happy Families website

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#865 Time Crunch Moments: Making Mornings Magic Oct 08, 2023

Show notes

We all have Time Crunch Moments - where the pressure is on, time is limited, and our kids are NOT being compliant!

Mornings can be tough, right? But they don't have to be! Whether you have young kids or sleepy teenagers, there are 4 things you can do ahead of time to slow things right down - even when you need to go fast!

Topics discussed in this episode:

A change in the 'Making Mornings Magic'' formula!
Teenagers vs young children
Back to school
Routine and structure
Deadlines, fast-paced living
Being present
Kids and transitions
Every family is different
'Fast is slow and slow is fast' - a Happy Families article

You can purchase early bird tickets for the new course 'Supporting Autistic Children: Nurturing Neurodiversity' at the Happy Families website

Find us on Facebook at Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Become a Happy Families member today - Happy Families Membership

Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#864 Surf's Up & School's Out Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

When moving homes means changing schools again, and again... and again(!!) it can be hard for children to feel a true sense of belonging within a school community.

With this being an ongoing experience for some of the Coulson kids, a momentous decision has been made to break away from mainstream education!

And on this path to new beginnings, Justin experiences a break of a different kind - rather more painful, and nothing short of miraculous!

Topic's discussed in this episode:

Australia's educational system
The 3 basic psychological needs of every child - what happens when these are not being met at school?
Educational lessons learned during the Covid lockdowns
Homeschooling
When children struggle with emotional regulation and attention at school
Becoming grandparents
Holidays, surfing, and the power of slowing down
Challenging days and changing direction
Moving? How to help your child settle into a new school - a Happy Families article
School refusal - a Happy Families article

Register for the Happy Families October Webinar - "Enough: Helping our children overcome anxiety, perfectionism & self-loathing"

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Become a Happy Families member today - Happy Families Membership

Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

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#863 The Book That Kylie Couldn't Put Down Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

Who doesn't love a good book?

October's Book Club includes: a storyline that will consume your life and keep you guessing right up to the last page, a blistering critique on the elite and political classes, learning to be comfortable in solitude, the heroes fighting online predators, unpacking generational differences, and a first-aid manual for supporting your teen’s mental health!

Kylie's reading:

'Homecoming' by Kate Morton
'The Secret Life of You' by Kerry Sackville
Both these titles are on the Birds of a Feather Book Club 2023 reading list. Check it out for some great suggestions for children, teens and adults.

Justin's reading:

'Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World' by Anand Giridharadas
'The Ideas Industry' Daniel Drezner
'Saving Our Kids' by Madonna King
'When Life Sucks' by Dr Jo Prendergast
'Generations' by Dr Jean Twenge

Register for the Happy Families October Webinar - "Enough: Helping our children overcome anxiety, perfectionism & self-loathing"

Find us on Facebook at Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Become a Happy Families member today - Happy Families Membership

Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#862 Solving Lunch Box Headaches with Deb Blakley Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

Does your child whine and moan about what you pack in their lunchbox? Are you sick of preparing healthy lunchboxes only to have it come home untouched? Knowing what food to send to school with your child can be so challenging!

Deb Blakely shares tips and tricks for making lunch time easier, and why you CAN give your child quick and easy food that they will actually eat - guilt free! (Replay)

Topics included in this episode -

Investigating things that can impact your child's ability to eat at school
How to support kids with special needs
Problem-solve together
Should white bread sandwiches, chip packets, cheese sticks and juice be demonized?
School is not the time to be stretching our kids
Food safety
Why foods that look, smell and taste good ARE good (yes - even carbohydrates and sugar!)
Communicating with teachers

Learn more about Deb Blakley from Kids Dig Food

To access the Feed Your Picky Eater [without going crazy] evergreen online course for parents: https://kidsdigfood.com.au/resources/

Book an appointment with an APD from the Kids Dig Food team: https://kidsdigfood.com.au/appointments/

Register for the BRAND-NEW 'Supporting Autistic Children: Nurturing Neurodiversity' course hosted by Dr Justin Coulson & Dr Joey Lawrence

Find us on Facebook at Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#861 Becoming a Hope Builder Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Is your child stressed out, apprehensive or just feeling like life is too hard? Does anxiety or perfectionism cause them to feel they are not enough?

All hope is not lost! Three ways you can BUILD HOPE in your child's life - helping them to do well and feel well as they experience the power of hope.

Research by Rick Snyder, Shane Lopez
Science of Hope TikTok video series by @insearchofbobcat
Failure, anxiety, resilience
Our children need to feel hopeful before they can feel they are enough
What does the research say about hopeful people?
What is hope, and why are our youth feeling hopeless?
How to be a hope-builder
Enough: Overcoming Anxiety, Perfectionism, & Self Loathing - a Happy Families article

Register for the Happy Families October Webinar - "Enough: Helping our children overcome anxiety, perfectionism & self-loathing"

Find us on Facebook at Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

Become a Happy Families member today - Happy Families Membership.

Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.