Blog

We post regularly with tips and advice for managing children and adolescents. Subscribe to our mailing list to receive them direct to your inbox!

Anxiety

Anxiety in children

How to identify anxiety in children

Identifying Anxiety in Children

By Parentshop Staff•

Anxiety is a normal part of life, and for children, it often plays a developmental role in building resilience. However, when anxiety becomes persistent and interferes with daily life, it can indicate an anxiety disorder. For child and family specialists, recognising the signs of anxiety is critical in providing timely and effective support to families.

Parenting

Parents

Anxiety

7 Steps for helping your anxious child return to school.

By Michael Hawton •

Addressing absenteeism is a significant concern for parents and educators. It is often tied to children's anxious reluctance to attend school regularly. Michael Hawton, a psychologist and Director at Parentshop, offers a practical, step-by-step guide to help parents chart a course for their child's return to school. Read the article now.

Youth Mental Health

Mental Health

Support

The Crucial Role of Family in Youth Mental Health

By Parentshop Staff•

Young people between the ages of 12 and 25 often experience significant mental health challenges. During these times, family plays a crucial role in providing support and guidance. This case study explores the vital importance of involving families in the mental health care of young people and offers actionable steps for both individuals and organisations to enhance this involvement.

Tough Conversations

Community and family support

Child Protection

Meet the Team: Sue Foley is joining Parentshop as a presenter and consultant!

By Parentshop Staff•

We are happy to announce that Sue Foley is joining our team as a Parentshop presenter and consultant! Sue Foley is a Clinical and Forensic Social Worker with nearly 50 years of experience as a social worker in various government and non-government services. Most recently she has been an Authorised Clinician and Director of the NSW Children’s Court Clinic. Sue is committed to capacity building for professionals, throughout their careers; to social justice, respect, and empowerment in all that helping professionals do.

parenting

school anxiety

family

Back to School Anxiety – How Parents can Cope with it

By Parentshop Staff•

Going back to school after the holidays is equally challenging for children and their parents. Learn here how to cope with back-to-school anxiety as a parent and manage your stress in a healthy way.

Engaging Adolescents

Communication

Therapy

Engage Adolescents in Therapy

By Parentshop Staff•

Engaging adolescents in therapy can be challenging due to their unique developmental stage and the various emotional, social, and psychological changes they experience. However, effective engagement is crucial for successful therapeutic outcomes. Here are key strategies for effectively engaging adolescents in therapy.

Parenting

Childhood Mental Health

Starting on Your Journey to Supporting Children's Mental Health

By Parentshop Staff•

In today's fast-paced world, parents and caregivers face a range of challenges in nurturing their children's mental health and well-being. A recent study from Smiling Mind presented a concerning statistic: only 1 in 2 parents feel confident in meeting the mental health and well-being needs of their child. This shows how important it is to find ways to help parents feel more sure of themselves.

Family

Anxiety

Anxious Accommodation

Breaking the Anxious Accommodation Cycle

By Parentshop Staff•

Patterns can emerge when families make adjustments to normal routines for children experiencing anxiety, this is referred to as accommodating. While these patterns may initially provide a sense of relief or temporary stability, they can inadvertently reinforce the anxiety in the long-term and hinder the development of resilience in children. However, breaking these patterns and fostering healthier dynamics is not an overnight task. It requires time, patience, and perseverance from families. The journey is worth it! It leads to better outcomes for children in the long run.

Adolescents

Parenting

Parenting Adolescents

Nurturing Connections - Effective Strategies for Engaging with Adolescents

By Parentshop Staff•

Building and maintaining relationships with teens can be both rewarding and challenging for parents and professionals. Understanding the complexities of adolescent development and effective communication strategies can significantly impact the quality of relationships. There are some crucial aspects covered in engaging adolescents, focusing on understanding development stages, communication strategies, managing conflicts, and nurturing healthy relationships between parents and adolescents.

Anxiety Coach

Childhood anxiety

Child and family specialists

The Language of Support: Communicating Effectively with Anxious Children

By Parentshop Staff•

Childhood anxiety has steadily been increasing in recent years. One of the most effective treatments for it is of effective communication between children and the significant adults in their life. The Anxiety Coach course recognises this crucial aspect and equips professionals with valuable insights into the language of support and how to guide parents in implementing these strategies.

Education

wellbeing

The Power of Student-Teacher Relationships

By Parentshop Staff•

The teacher-student relationship is pivotal in the educational experience and often leaves a lasting impact on students' lives. The significance of the teacher-student relationship, and how a positive connection between educators and learners can lead to not only better academic outcomes but also personal development can at times, be underestimated. Here, we explore the impact this relationship can have on a student in their development.

technology

sleep

screen-time

Why we need to consider children’s relationship with technology at Christmas

By Michael Hawton •

Topping most children’s Santa list will be some sort of technology, whether it be a gaming console, smartphone or new game. Before we fill their Santa sacks with technology, it is important that we are informed about how our child’s relationship with technology shapes their world.

Teens

Teen development

Parenting

Confidently Navigate Teen Development

By Parentshop Staff•November 25, 2024

Adolescence is a period of remarkable growth, particularly in the brain. While teenagers can seem unpredictable or emotional, their behaviours are deeply rooted in the natural changes happening during this time. By understanding these developmental shifts, parents, educators, and caregivers can provide the guidance and support teens need to thrive.

123 Magic and Emotion Coaching

Special Needs

Additional Needs

Understanding Visual Supports: Practical Tools to Assist Children with Autism

By Parentshop Staff•November 3, 2024

For children on the autism spectrum, processing verbal information alone can often be challenging. Visual supports offer a powerful way to bridge this gap, making communication more accessible and environments more predictable. By incorporating images, schedules, or symbols into a child’s daily routines, child and family specialists can help parents and educators unlock new ways of engagement that encourage independence and reduce anxiety.

outdoor activities

benefits of nature

children in nature

Benefits of outdoor activities for connecting with nature: Why it matters for children

By Parentshop Staff•October 16, 2024

Our environment has an undeniable impact on how we live, grow, play, and learn, but it has an even bigger impact on our children. Because their brain synapses are still being built, every experience and environment play has a tremendous influence on their young brains.

learning

cognitive fatigue

education

The importance of brain breaks

By Parentshop Staff•October 11, 2024

Taking a break is often seen as a weakness, an unnecessary downtime before we power through again. But research shows that breaks are just as important for the brain as practice in learning a new skill. Learn here why brain breaks are key to avoid cognitive fatigue and why children need them to effectively learn new skills.

social media

parenting

instagram

Instagram to offer new private mode for children aged under 16 years old, but does it go far enough?

By Parentshop Staff•October 4, 2024

Parents had to bear the main responsibility for their children’s social media interactions with not much support from the platforms themselves. Now, Instagram wants to change this and actively encourage parental supervision through the app. Within the next months all Australian children are to be placed on restricted Teen Accounts by Meta, but does this go far enough.

School

Teachers

Educators

Australia’s Teachers and School Leaders are Fighting Back Stress & Burnout

By Parentshop Staff•September 17, 2024

Principals, school leaders, and teachers have to endure a lot. They have a tremendous workload, regularly do overtime, and face an ever-changing work environment. While trying to be a mediator, educator, teacher, and caregiver for students, parents, and colleagues all at once, it is easy to forget their own well-being. Thus, it comes as no surprise that they are struggling with high burnout rates and chronic stress. Read more about the pressure this profession is facing and find out what strategies can be implemented to escape the stress tunnel.

Emotional maturity

Self-regulation

Behaviour management

Emotional Maturity and Self-Regulation in Children

By Parentshop Staff•September 10, 2024

A child’s emotional maturity directly influences their ability to manage behaviour and self-regulation. Emotional reasoning, which evolves alongside cognitive development, plays a key role in this process. Family support workers, who help parents navigate these issues, should understand how emotional maturity impacts a child’s ability to regulate emotions, solve problems, and maintain positive relationships.

Communication

Teenagers

Communicating with Teenagers

Communicating Effectively with Teenagers

By Parentshop Staff•September 9, 2024

Working with teenagers can be both rewarding and challenging. As they transition through adolescence, teens experience rapid brain development, emotional upheaval, and increasing independence. Effective communication is essential for professionals in the community sector, especially those supporting families with teens or working directly with young people.

tough conversations

prefessional development

training course

Tough Conversations™ in Child Protection is coming to Sydney | Brisbane | Melbourne in Spring 2024

By Parentshop Staff•August 20, 2024

Our one-day professional development course for child protection workers, family support workers, and legal service professionals is coming to the three biggest cities in Australia. Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane will be hosting face-to-face Tough Conversations™ Child Protection workshops starting in October. Busy professionals can improve their skills and knowledge of how to master difficult conversations in one of three convenient metropolitan locations.

Self-regulation

Behaviour management

Emotional intelligence

Understanding Self-Regulation: What It Is and Why It Matters

By Parentshop Staff•July 25, 2024

In the landscape of child development, self-regulation has emerged as a critical focus, revealing its profound impact on children's learning, social relationships, and long-term mental health. Recognising and fostering self-regulation in early childhood can significantly influence a child's future, shaping them into positive learners and well-adjusted individuals.

Parenting

Current Affairs

Introducing Children to the News

By Parentshop Staff•June 3, 2024

Introducing children to news and current events can be challenging, especially given the prevalence of disturbing content. However, there are strategies parents and caregivers can use to help children navigate and understand the news in a healthy way.

School

Education

Frontline Staff

The Long-Term Benefits of Investing in Communication Training for Front-of-School Staff

By Parentshop Staff•May 20, 2024

Empowering front-of-school staff with effective communication skills, particularly in handling challenging interactions with parents, is pivotal for fostering positive school environments and relationships. By investing in tailored communication training, schools can reap significant long-term advantages.

Behaviour

Classroom Behaviour

Teacher Wellbeing

The Effects of Student Behaviour on Educator Wellbeing

By Parentshop Staff•April 16, 2024

Recent discussions in Australia have highlighted the issue of poor behaviour in schools and its multifaceted impacts, notably on teacher and school leader wellbeing. The Australian Principal Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing Survey released last year reflects this, with more than half of Australia’s school leaders considering retiring or leaving the profession early due to stress and other factors.

Emotion Coaching

Toggling

Self-regulation

The Role of Toggling in Emotion Coaching and Behaviour Management

By Parentshop Staff•April 15, 2024

When it comes to emotion coaching and building healthy behaviour management tools, there is one crucial component that is often not considered; that is, what is actually happening in the brain of the developing child. Toggling is a mechanism wherein there is somewhat of a conversation happening between different parts of our brain. It allows individuals to consider their environment and adapt and manage their responses. However, children are not born with the acknowledge and ability to respond in appropriate ways to their environment. Caregivers can help them understand their environment and emotions better and provide opportunities to build their toggling abilities, allowing their brain’s emotional centre to talk to their reactive centre and self-regulate their behaviour.

Parenting

Inclusion

Fostering Cultural Awareness and Inclusion in Your Children

By Parentshop Staff•April 9, 2024

As parents, we strive to raise children who are not only academically successful but also compassionate, empathetic, and culturally aware individuals. In today's increasingly diverse world, promoting cultural awareness and inclusion in our children is more important than ever. By instilling these values from a young age, we can help our children become respectful global citizens who celebrate differences and embrace diversity.

Self-regulation

Behaviour management

Marshmallow Study

Testing Self-Control: How Delayed Gratification Shapes Future Success

By Parentshop Staff•March 25, 2024

The "marshmallow study" is a famous series of experiments conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel and his colleagues in the late 1960s and early 1970s at Stanford University. The study aimed to investigate self-control and its correlation with various outcomes later in life.

Child Protection

Families

Supporting Parents During Family Intervention

By Parentshop Staff•March 12, 2024

In the realm of child protection, establishing clear objectives is fundamental to guiding interventions and fostering positive outcomes. These objectives serve as benchmarks for progress and ensure that efforts are focused and purposeful. From the outset, it is essential to prioritise building strong, nurturing relationships with both children and their families. Research consistently shows that a supportive and trusting relationship between caregivers and professionals is a cornerstone of effective intervention and rehabilitation.

School Leaders

Parents

Supporting students

Nurturing School-Home Connections: A Practical Guide for School Leaders

By Parentshop Staff•March 11, 2024

In every school, a child's success hinges on the solid partnership between the school and home. As school leaders, creating a culture of trust and collaboration with the parents and caregivers can enhance children’s learning and development experience.

Childhood wellbeing

Dan Siegel

Parenting

Nurturing Young Minds: A Guide to Dan Siegel's Triangle of Wellbeing for Parents

By Parentshop Staff•March 5, 2024

In helping our children learn the skills needed to create a fulfilling and balanced life, developing their mental and emotional wellbeing is crucial. Renowned psychiatrist and neuroscientist, Dr. Dan Siegel, introduces a framework known as the Triangle of Wellbeing, offering parents insight into child brain development and understanding of the interconnected nature of the mind, brain and relationships. As a parent, you can utilise this framework to foster a foundation for their children's mental health.

Tough conversations

Management

School Leaders

Navigating Difficult Conversations with PEARLS: A Guide to Effective Communication

By Parentshop Staff•February 27, 2024

Engaging in difficult conversations can be challenging, but employing the right communication strategy can make all the difference. One effective method to navigate these conversations with empathy and understanding is the PEARLS method – a framework encompassing Partnership, Empathy, Acknowledgment, Respect, Legitimation, and Support. In this blog, we'll explore how to use each element of the PEARLS method to foster constructive dialogue and build stronger connections in challenging situations.

Book review

Anxiety

The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck: Navigating Anxiety and Cultivating Maturity in the Journey of Life

By Parentshop Staff•February 6, 2024

‘The Road Less Travelled’ by M. Scott Peck is a timeless classic that delves into the complexities of human existence and offers profound insights into personal growth and development. Published in 1978, the book combines elements of psychology, spirituality, and self-help to provide a holistic guide to leading a fulfilling and meaningful life.

School Leaders

Difficult Conversations

Education

Nurturing the Nurturers: A Guide for School Leaders on Maintaining Wellbeing Throughout the School Year

By Parentshop Staff•January 21, 2024

As the backbone of any educational institution, school leaders play a crucial role in shaping the learning environment and fostering the growth of both students and teachers. However, the responsibilities that come with this role can be demanding, and it's essential for school leaders to prioritize their own wellbeing to effectively support their school community. We’ve put together some practical tips to help you navigate the school year with a positive mindset.

Special Needs

Additional Needs

Sensory Sensitivities

Preparing Children with Additional Needs for a Successful School Year

By Parentshop Staff•January 9, 2024

The beginning of a new school year brings excitement and anticipation for many children, but it can also be a time of apprehension, particularly for those with additional needs. Whether a child experiences learning differences, sensory sensitivities, or other challenges, thoughtful preparation and support can pave the way for a successful and positive school experience.

The Anxiety Project

Resilience in Our Teens

Childhood anxiety

Building Sustainable Change: The Keys to Effective School-Based Projects

By Parentshop Staff•November 13, 2023

What makes a change project effective and sustainable? Behind our whole-school community change projects The Anxiety Project and Resilience in Our Teens are proven strategies to ensure sustainable change toward new habits that reduce anxiety.

Community sector

Family support

Burnout

Prioritizing Your Mental Health as a Community Sector Professional

By Parentshop Staff•September 25, 2023

As someone working in the community sector, you dedicate a great deal of your life to improving the lives of vulnerable individuals and communities. While your focus is on those you're supporting, it's essential to prioritize your mental health and well-being too. Providing family support can be emotionally demanding, exposing you to challenging situations and complex social issues.

Child and Family Specialists

Child Anxiety

Behaviour management

Elevate Your Impact: A Guide for Community Sector Professionals

By Parentshop Staff•September 25, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of child protection and family support, community sector professionals play a vital role in enhancing the lives of children and families facing various challenges. The challenges faced by the families you support are varied with ever-changing impacts from housing, natural disasters, rising costs of living. Professional learning courses are a great way to keep up to date with the latest research and strategies to help you improve the support you provide you clients in tackling both unique and overarching challenges.

education

school leaders

school leader

Navigating the Complex Role of School Leadership

By Parentshop Staff•August 30, 2023

Current Pressures and Effective Strategies. School leaders play a pivotal role in shaping the educational landscape, but they face numerous challenges in today's dynamic educational environment. From staff shortages to managing difficult conversations with staff and parents, the pressures on school leaders can be overwhelming.

education

child anxiety

anxious students

Understanding Accommodations in Schools

By Parentshop Staff•August 30, 2023

Accommodations play a crucial role in supporting students with diverse needs in educational settings. However, it is important to recognize that excessive reliance on accommodations can inadvertently contribute to anxiety. Finding a balance between support and fostering independence is key.

emotion coaching

education

emotion coaching for teachers

Emotion Coaching in the Classroom: Cultivating Emotional Intelligence in Students

By Parentshop Staff•August 30, 2023

In the realm of education, teachers play a vital role not only in imparting knowledge but also in nurturing the emotional well-being of their students. Emotion coaching, an approach rooted in empathy and understanding, allows teachers to support students in recognizing, expressing, and regulating their emotions effectively. By embracing emotion coaching in the classroom, teachers can foster emotional intelligence and create a safe and inclusive learning environment. Here, we explore the concept of emotion coaching in the context of teachers supporting their students' emotional growth and provide practical strategies for implementing this approach.

Education

Child Anxiety

Structures Contributing to Child Anxiety

By Michael Hawton •August 30, 2023

Child anxiety can start very early in a child’s development, with primary school being a vital time to establish coping skills in children to manage life’s stresses. While a small portion of child anxiety is caused by temperament or genetic factors, most is learned and can increase or decrease as a result of the interactions a child has with the significant adults in their life. What is important to note is that is that if you change the interactions, you can reduce the anxiety. The current research shows that children mostly learn anxious behaviour, that is, avoiding and not having-a-go; and anxious talking,

anxiety

return to school

child anxiety

Tips for dealing with child anxiety as your child returns to school.

By Michael Hawton •January 18, 2023

Child anxiety can start very early in a child’s development with foundation and primary school being a vital time to start learning coping skills. While a small proportion of anxiety is the result of temperament or genetic factors, most child anxiety is made worse or better as a result of the interactions the child has with significant adults across time. These interactions are the formative conversations and reactions between key adults and children, where anxiety gets worse or is resolved.

anxiety

resilience

schools

Equity of provisions in Australian schools highlight an even bigger problem - how schools deal with anxiety

By Michael Hawton•September 6, 2022

‘Sydney’s wealthiest suburbs claim the most HSC disability provisions’, published in Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald highlights a dangerous misconception around anxiety that is currently prevalent in Australian schools. Read Michael Hawton's thoughts on the article and some upcoming projects to manage anxiety in Australian Primary and High Schools.

Parenting

anxiety

resilience

Your secret weapon in managing child anxiety – get your child moving!

By Michael Hawton•July 6, 2022

Anxiety and worries are normal for every child. However, when those worries become persistent or inhibit what you would normally do as a family, that’s when anxiety can become a problem. So, it is important to have a toolkit of strategies to use as early intervention tools before normal childhood worries become a bigger issue. When helping your child to manage their anxiety, there is one tool that should not be overlooked. That is exercise.

Parenting

anxiety

resilience

Tips for talking to children about frightening world events

By Michael Hawton•March 3, 2022

Remember that injustice is something that children feel very keenly, so it is important for parents and significant adults to guide our children through these trying times. Parentshop has two programs for parents to assist children to manage anxiety and build resilience.

Parenting

anxiety

resilience

Why resilience is the name of the game heading into the 2022 school year.

By Michael Hawton•January 24, 2022

What if we could help our children not only be resilient but also be not so fragile. In these uncertain times, it could be one of the most important skills we teach our children. We need to be teaching our children to be stronger in themselves so that they can handle the high likelihood that life is going to be full of unexpected events, people who behave badly towards them, and challenging times.

resilience

education

primary

Creating a ‘have a go’ culture in your school

By Michael Hawton•December 8, 2021

Children, by definition, are dependent in nature. In other words, they are more affected by what their parents allow them to see than are adults themselves. The word tech ‘addicted’ is widely misused at present. Still, the reason we need restrictions on children’s use of social media apps is to protect children them from practices that are not good for them.

Gaming

Social media

Parenting

Addictive Design vs Addicted Child

By Michael Hawton•November 11, 2021

social media

parenting

anxiety

Say ‘No’ to Instagram for your children.

By Michael Hawton•October 20, 2021

Screen-based media use is a hot topic when it comes to parenting. Over the past decade, I have been advised by my fellow mental health professionals, who specialise in children’s and young people’s digital usage, that anyone giving advice to parents about children’s digital usage needs to be encouraging children to become responsible users of technology. At face value, this seems reasonable advice - but, I am not so sure.

anxiety

school

lockdown

Surviving lockdown - helping your child talk about anxiety and returning to school

By Michael Hawton•September 30, 2021

Lockdowns in Melbourne, Sydney and some regional areas are coming to an end - representing a return to school for many thousands of children. Returning to school following a larger than normal break can be an additional stress for children. You can help your child make that adjustment by being a good listening ear and by helping them to get things in proportion.

Parenting

Smartphone

Five tips for parents to consider when purchasing a child’s first smartphone.

By Michael Hawton•September 14, 2021

The thing is that by giving a child a smartphone, we might be giving them something that is not in their best interests. The reality is that while a smartphones give children access to fun, photos and being connected, it also gives them access to the darker side of human behaviour on a World Wide Web.

anxiety

resilience

fears

Taming fears – a parent’s guide to helping kids overcome anxious feelings.

By Michael Hawton•July 9, 2021

Watching a child react to a specific and persistent fear can be distressing for parents. We want to help our kids get the most out of life and live confidently and without fear. As parents, we can learn ways to help our children overcome their fears and manage their anxiety.

anxiety

parents

early years educators

Three reasons why the significant adults in a child’s life won’t intervene in a child’s anxiety.

By Michael Hawton•March 31, 2021

There is research to show that where significant adults in a child’s life can learn how to respond to a child’s anxiety, this type of intervention can be as effective in treating a child with mild-level anxiety compared with seeing a psychologist

anxiety

parents

strategy

Helping your child talk about anxiety – the descriptive toolbox

By Parentshop Staff•March 28, 2021

Finding the right words to describe your feelings in any given situation can be a challenge, even for adults. It can be even more difficult for a child.

anxiety

parenting

professionals

Curious parenting: a way to reduce child anxiety

By Michael Hawton•March 2, 2021

What if we could break our child’s anxious thinking patterns by asking a few consistent but curious questions? What if we could help our children to reframe challenges in their word, by asking them to be curious, and exploring emotions with them?

anxiety

parenting

resilience

Being the coach – Tips for setting yourself aside to help your child in distressing situations

By Michael Hawton•February 17, 2021

Being a parent is incredibly rewarding, but let’s face facts, sometimes it can be really hard. Our heartstrings are often torn when we see our child experiencing a particularly stressful or upsetting situation. Help your child overcome childhood anxiety by learning to coach them in distressing situations.

Anxiety

Parenting

Childhood behaviour

Book Review - You’re Not Listening by Kate Murphy

By Michael Hawton•February 12, 2021

What the book You’re Not Listening gave me was a new “take” on listening. Listening is not just something we do with another person on the phone or in a room with another person. It’s something we can show to each other and something that we can help our children and our colleagues to partake in with lasting therapeutic benefits.

Anxiety

Behaviour

Children

Back to school after holidays - dealing with anxiety and school refusal.

By Michael Hawton•February 2, 2021

Many parents would be familiar with the morning struggle of getting a reluctant child back to school. The teeth-gnashing, the tantrums, the threats. As a parent, you’re not alone.

Anxiety

Behaviour

Children

Let’s not make this school year one in which we add to children's anxious behaviour.

By Michael Hawton•January 18, 2021

A lot of people are experiencing an incredibly troubling time now in Victoria – more than ever before in their lives. Clearly life has changed, sadness and distress are now major emotions being experienced by families and children. It’s not just that people’s livelihoods are being affected but also their dreams are under threat. It is important to remember that kids rely on us to keep things calm and to keep things in perspective. When you are reflecting on the effects of the pandemic with your children try and stick with the facts in your assessment of things.

Australia climate emergency

Anxiety

Bushfire emergency

Our climate problem

By Michael Hawton•January 16, 2021

We can only do our best and then some more when it comes to our climate problem. That said, we should be careful to avoid repeatedly exposing children to events over which they, as individuals, have only limited ability to make a difference. Over-exposing children to endless media reports on drought, fires, and climate change, is a recipe for making the already-existing anxiety problem amongst children even more prominent. The reality is that children need our help to regulate and measure their emotional response to our climate problem. Of course, being measured can include taking action, such as attending climate rallies, riding bicycles instead of taking the car and helping our children be more conscious of reducing their electricity use at home.

Anxiety

Parenting

Children

The answers to childhood anxiety could be as simple as a conversation.

By Michael Hawton•October 21, 2020

Recent reports in the media are once again promoting the use of trained mental health professionals to remedy child anxiety. But, effective remedies are available to each adult in a child’s life, not just for clinical-level professionals. However, the answer to the question about what to do about children's anxiety is not just to employ more mental health staff in schools, but to position the problem as everyone’s business to solve.

Anxiety

Behaviour

Children

With virus news all about us, how can we hold it together and NOT affect our children’s well-being?

By Michael Hawton•August 12, 2020

#teenagers

anxiety

behaviour

Parent-led guidance for developing grit in children

By Michael Hawton•November 19, 2019

The presentation of an anxious child can present a real conundrum for parents, particularly if they themselves are going through a family crisis. On the one hand, any parent of an anxious child wants to be a reassuring parent who is being concerned and kind. We have developed a parent-led program for managing a child's anxiety

#teenagers

anxiety

behaviour

A parent-led method for managing a child's anxiety

By Michael Hawton•September 26, 2019

behaviour

early-years

Are we watching the unfolding of a public health emergency?

By Michael Hawton•September 5, 2019

The unfolding public health emergency - we are seeing more and more parents not looking at their infants, compared to a time before devices came into being. It’s a twofold issue: on the one hand, parents appear distracted by devices ever looking at them when they’re feeding their baby. On the other hand, devices are “propped” up in front of babies and children to distract them.

mental wellness

resilience

Mental wellness and resilience

By Michael Hawton•June 26, 2019

If we think about mental wellness and resilience, it is more than just the absence of mental ill health. It is the ability to enjoy life, to bounce back from difficulties (this is also known as resilience), to set goals and enjoy achievements and to form positive social relationships. Children learn to do this from the time they are infants by watching and interacting with those around them, by developing a sense of competency and self-efficacy by learning to do things for themselves and by having fun, playing and making friends. Mental wellbeing is also enhanced by having positive connections to family and the wider community.

#teenagers

anxiety

behaviour

What the heck is going on with young people?

By Michael Hawton•May 29, 2019

What the heck is going on with young people? There is an increase in youth facing significant mental health problems. It seems that anxiety, depression and a general sense of young people and children not being able to cope is widespread in our community. How can we build resilience in children?

behaviour

children

early-years

Look into my eyes

By Michael Hawton•May 1, 2019

Look into my eyes a look at the marked decline in children’s ability to obtain their parents’ attention, because their parents appeared to be more and more focussed on their devices.

anxiety

behaviour

bullying

Building resilience before bullying occurs.

By Michael Hawton•April 5, 2019

Let’s not wait until they’re bullied to prepare our children for other’s meanness. What if we strengthened our children to cope with the high probability that they will face others meanness before they inevitably experience it.

ADHD

anxiety

Back to school

Why over 100,000 Australian children are on antidepressant medication and what we can do about it.

By Michael Hawton•February 27, 2019

The startling rise in the number of children on antidepressant medicines which has doubled in the last six years is likely to be related to a recent tendency to blame children’s brains for their behaviour rather than to figure out which environmental factors might be influencing a child’s mood or anxiousness.

ADHD

anxiety

Back to school

Not succumbing to our own anxiety about risk

By Michael Hawton•February 15, 2019

Not succumbing to our own anxiety about risk building resilience in children. Letting children take some risks builds resilence. In recent times, insurance companies have directly influenced educational systems to make them safer and less risky. Parents have also demanded that pre-schools and early years settings keep children safe 100% of the time. Certainly, since my children were at pre-school, raised cubby houses, tree houses and play equipment have been lowered or even removed to meet accrediting bodies’ demands.

ADHD

anxiety

Back to school

Why normal childhood behaviour is being mistaken for ADHD and autism

By Michael Hawton•January 31, 2019

Why normal childhood behaviour is being mistaken for ADHD and autism. I’ve been working in the area of child and family psychology for over 30 years. I have interviewed children in clinical settings and in legal settings. I’ve had to prepare hundreds of assessments regarding children, who have not been able to ‘sit still’ or who look like they ‘worry a bit too much’. In these circumstances, any experienced psychologist will ask whether or not this child’s behaviour is normal (or not) and then, how this can be treated to ease the child’s distress or the distress of the parents.

anxiety

Back to school

children

Beat the back to school blues

By Michael Hawton•January 30, 2019

The start of every school year could potential mean a spike in your child’s (and your) anxiety. There are, however, some ways to alleviate some of the stress around starting school again. Your attitude as a parent going forward to start the new year is just as important as your child’s!

school

children

resilience

Equipping children with coping skills for the years ahead

By Michael Hawton•January 11, 2019

The issue of how to develop emotional hardiness in children has become an area of much interest in recent times. It’s quite natural for a caring parent to want to step in to release the distress of their child. But, this compulsion to act, doesn’t mean that we should always step in.

children

routine

holidays

Beating stress during the holidays: How to create an easy routine

By Michael Hawton•December 12, 2018

Beating stress during the holidays can be tricky, especially when you have a full schedule and a family who needs your time and attention. It’s a constant challenge to keep the routine that keeps your household running smoothly and ensures everyone gets the rest they need intact. Article by Daniel Sherman

children with disability

travelling with children

Best tips for travelling with a child with special needs

By Michael Hawton•December 6, 2018

Are you and the kids craving a holiday? Taking a family vacation can often get pretty complicated, especially if your child has a disability. However, you can ensure everyone’s needs and desires are met with a little planning and preparation. Article courtesy of Lillian Brooks lillian@learningdisabilities.info

children

Is Australia failing its children?

By Michael Hawton•November 1, 2018

According to Unicef’s Children's Report, the number of children entering and remaining in out-of-home care has more than doubled. Also stated one in six Australian children are living in poverty, that Australia is one of the few developed countries that has not conducted a national prevalence study of child abuse and neglect, it condemned our youth justice facilities and generally stated that Australia is failing its children.

children

online parenting course

parenting

Is smacking your child encouraging aggressive behaviour?

By Michael Hawton•November 1, 2018

s parents, guardians and adults who work with children, in relation to aggressive behaviour we can all play a major role and influence by setting behaviour standards and ‘norms’ for the next generations.

children

parenting

strangers

Should children be told not to talk to strangers?

By Michael Hawton•October 30, 2018

A general view among child safety advocates is that children should be discouraged from talking with strangers. This message is regularly announced (and generally unopposed) in today’s culture with ‘stranger danger’ messages becoming part of modern parlance. It concerns me that a paranoid view of parenting is creeping into our parenting practise. This perspective seems to be that if there is any risk at all, however small or remote in possibility, we must respond to mitigating that risk or find ourselves questioning how good a parent we are. I’m sure that the aim of the ‘world-is-a-dangerous-place’ child advocates is well meaning. So, I’m in no way impugning their motivation. That said, the media coverage of the ‘scary-world’ hypothesis gets far more airplay than could be considered balanced. What I do think is that by magnifying the risks and not balancing the arguments for and against engaging with strangers, we send the wrong message to children. So, with all of this in mind, help your children talk with strangers; they are not all bad.

children

parenting

school

To go up to the school - or not?

By Michael Hawton•October 29, 2018

In recent years, Australian schools have been dealing with an increasing number of parents coming to the school. This may be occurring due to three main reasons. Making a decision about whether or not to go up to the school is about assessing the problem and seeing if it can be an opportunity to help your child to learn to manage their emotions, increase resilience and become an independent problem solver.

children

special needs

parenting

How the arts can benefit children with special needs

By Michael Hawton•October 19, 2018

Whether it’s music, painting, or dance, getting involved in the arts from an early age can help foster children’s creativity, mental abilities, and social skills. The same is true for children with special needs, who benefit even more from the arts’ positive neurological effects.

parenting

bullying

anxiety

Not every act of meanness is bullying

By Michael Hawton•September 10, 2018

Conflict is unfortunately a part of life that we all deal with, no matter what age. In this article we discuss the differences between unkindness and bullying - and how defining the two correctly can teach kids resilience and how to cope with conflict.

gratitude

wellbeing

teens

Everyday gratitude – modifying the ‘entitlement genome’ in tweens and teens

By Michael Hawton•July 2, 2018

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others - Cicero Building an attitude of gratitude into our lives will improve our mood and help us to keep the irritations of life in perspective.

children

behaviour

parenting

Digital devices during family time could exacerbate bad behaviour

By Michael Hawton•June 21, 2018

Kids want attention, because that is what they need. And, if they don’t get it naturally in the day-to-day interactions they may have with their parent, they’ll possibly go to extremes to make their needs well known. Parents who spend a lot of time on their phones or watching television during family activities such as meals, playtime, and bedtime could influence their long-term relationships with their children.

children

parenting

behaviour

‘Agency’ and ‘limits’ are needed to promote self-regulation and creativity in children

By Michael Hawton•June 4, 2018

As The National Quality Standards continue to drive excellency in the early education settings, I have noticed two words being increasingly used around promoting self-regulation and creativeness in children – agency and limits.

children

parenting

resilience

Too much praise is not a good thing

By Michael Hawton•May 2, 2018

Often times children are unnecessarily praised for undertaking simple tasks like making a drawing or successfully standing on one foot. Once children learn that receiving praise is something that they can conjure up by seeking it, they will keep seeking it. That’s pretty hard to resist.

children

parenting

problem solving

Problem solving – without Google!

By Michael Hawton•April 2, 2018

How to incorporate funcraft and educational learning in the home… While educators are not condemning the use of technology, they are urging parents to limit screen time and remember the importance of real-time activities that encourage learning and growing.

behaviour problems

early-years

kids behaviour

The effects of the positive behaviour change movement on self-regulation

By Michael Hawton•March 4, 2018

Child psychiatrist, Daniel Siegel, tells us that in order for children to develop self-regulation, they have to practise using their ‘mental brakes’ and adult carers have to get better at tolerating the distress a child may experience if they set a limit. To become better at self-regulating, children need to actually manage the emotion of a frustrating moment, and that requires a bit of training.

adaptations

disability

parenthood

How to prepare for pregnancy and parenthood with a disability

By Michael Hawton•February 22, 2018

It’s important to understand how your disability could affect your fertility, pregnancy, and future child. For example, is your disability hereditary? Could it affect your ability to conceive or carry a pregnancy to term?

centre directors

collaboration

conflict resolution

Five tips for staging tough conversations in early years settings

By Michael Hawton•February 12, 2018

Achieving harmony and balance so staff look forward to coming to work and create the best environment to build a child’s emotional development are important factors in creating the right work atmosphere in early years centres. Let's learn a number of ‘go-to’ conflict resolution sayings and skills which will work across many tense encounters.

#teenagers

bullies

bullying

Cyberbullying – teach kids to be resilient

By Michael Hawton•February 8, 2018

No doubt we are all on the same page when it comes to cyberbullying. While I absolutely think that we should be doing everything that we can to prevent this behaviour, I also believe we could approach the problem from another perspective. What if we flipped this conversation on its head and we became better teachers of how to help our kids to be tougher in the face of this kind of harassment?

adoption

child protection

children

Delays in the system are denying children their right to form an attachment with adopting parents

By Michael Hawton•November 27, 2017

Children who have parents who are not able to be rehabilitated need to be given the quicker option of a ‘forever family’ than is currently the case. Where a family cannot be rehabilitated, clearly the next best option is a timely adoption.

adopt change

adoption

attachment

Every child deserves a family

By Michael Hawton•November 9, 2017

The ‘National Permanency Conference’ run by Adopt Change is a conference about how we can help children form attachments and how we can help them be secure by placing them in more permanent placements by making adoptions easier. It is my view that children should remain with their birth parents where they can be rehabilitated. That said, we have much work to make the system better at rehabilitating parents and in coming up with solutions that actually work.

schools

teachers

world teachers day

It’s World Teachers Day, but there’s less male teachers than ever before!

By Michael Hawton•October 26, 2017

So, many kids don’t have many interactions with adult males in their lives. The benefits of having male role models in children’s lives should not be understated. It is important then, that we stem the flow of male teachers out of the profession.

anxiety

children

parenting

Three tips for helping children deal with frightening world events

By Michael Hawton•October 8, 2017

As events of violence and terrorism are apparently being more regularly reported, an increasing number of children are being affected by exposure to these frightening stories. Many parents are wondering what they can do to protect their children from the effects of vicarious anxiety provoked by these media reports.

behaviour

digital

iphone

Is smartphone overuse the new ‘sugar’ in a teenager’s digital diet?

By Michael Hawton•August 27, 2017

What would happen if you came across something so shocking that it required you to take a stand against your teenager’s use of their smartphones? Recent jaw-dropping research by Professor Jean Twenge is saying that parents need to step-up and change teenagers’ smartphone use. Parents are in the best position to help teenagers shift from being screenagers to be ‘seenagers’.

children

primary school

self-regulation

The role of self-regulation in learning at school

By Michael Hawton•August 1, 2017

Helping children become resourceful by asking them to self-regulate, to manage resistances and by reducing their negative self-talk can help them to get better at solving problems. When teachers give children templates and prompts to know what to do next then self-regulators increase their success rate.

caring

child protection

children

How child protection agencies can benefit from strategies used in the corporate world

By Michael Hawton•July 31, 2017

We read often about the rising numbers of children in foster care and of the shortages of appropriate carers for these children. But, what would happen if more of the parents who come into contact with the child protection system could be better supported to improve their parenting and thereby retain the care of their children?

#teenagers

adolescents

children

Technology and how we can protect our children's well-being

By Michael Hawton•May 1, 2017

There are some big ticket items that affect our children’s well-being when we don’t manage their online behaviour. While the internet should not be seen as the bogeyman here – there are many fantastic features to it – like education, communication, entertainment and online communities - there are also effects that are detrimental which require us to be engaged in their use of it.

#teenagers

adolescents

advice

What are the biggest challenges facing teens and their parents?

By Michael Hawton•April 23, 2017

Developmentally, teens are trying to forge their identity often separate from their parents. They are seeking independence and learning to make decisions for themselves. They are inclined to seek novelty and to push boundaries - and these tendencies can expose them to danger.

behaviour

children

tough love

Five barriers to tough-love parenting

By Michael Hawton•March 19, 2017

Increasingly, educators and media pundits are prompting parents to take a firmer stance with their children, when it comes to their children’s bad behaviour. So, why aren’t parents willingly coming to the party?

teenagers

behaviour

parenting

Teaching teenagers the difference between ‘appropriate’ and ‘inappropriate’

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

In my opinion, one of the key roles of parents is that we should be the guardians of good manners and acceptable behaviour whether or not that is welcome. We should say aloud, what we think is appropriate or not. Saying what is appropriate or inappropriate implies more of a social aspect to what’s okay or not okay.

children

parenting

sibling rivalry

Sibling rivalry

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

The first thing that needs to be said about children’s difficult behaviour is that, more often than not, it’s an emotional overreaction. Learning to manage sibling rivalry is challenging, but a very important part of a child developing frustration tolerance and learning to manage their emotions.

adolescent

teenager

parenting

Parenting teenagers: dealing with a difficult topic

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

Even the most easygoing parents have implicit expectations of the way their teenagers should behave: that they are respectful, that they’ll get along with people and, that they’ll try to do their best. Here are a few tips for managing a teenagers' behaviour.

behaviour

boundaries

challenging

What to do if your teenager insults you in a conversation

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

Let’s say that the time has come for you to have a tough conversation with your teenager about behaviour that has crossed the line. One of the main challenges for parents of teenagers is holding them in the conversation, by not spooking them so they run off. Sometimes teenagers need the people who love them, to help them to do their best and this is not the least at times when they look ugly. As a parent, you can help them assume greater self-control.

teenagers

parenting

adolescence

A teenager’s guide to cyber citizenship

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

Strategies to stay smart online and protect your digital reputation. Stay safe on and offline.

adolescent

teenagers

Teenagers exerting self-control

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

Self control could be understood more effectively as a spectrum with factors such as sleep playing a significant role.

Adolescent

Teenager

parenting

Bonding with your teenagers over Bonsai

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

As children transition into adolescents, it can be a challenging time for parents as they develop their identity and independence. There are a few things you can do to make the transition a little easier for everyone.

adolescent

teenager

parenting

Helping older children and teenagers catch a sleep wave

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

In our country, many young people are simply not getting the right amount of sleep. In order to get the sleep needed it is important to create the right conditions for catching the sleep wave. As parents, there are certain things we can do to help achieve this.

children

adolescents

parenting

Nurturing hope in our children

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

Perhaps nurturing hope involves providing strong, loving, consistent support to children and young people so that they can develop a strong sense of self identity and hopefulness. Perhaps it also lies in the nurturing of a society that accepts difference and diversity so that the ‘different’ feel welcomed and connected.

teenagers

adolescents

parenting

Living with teenagers

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

You may be led to believe that parenting should get easier the older our children get however intervening remains in the job description. It's important for parents to learn to read the sign and more importantly know when and how to intervene.

adolescent

teenager

parenting

Rising Violence in Youth

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

With the rise in violent behaviour it's important to consider factors that might be contributing to this among young people. Factors such as lack of sleep, screen time, and violence in online activities such as gaming are crucial to consider. As parents, we need to help guide involvement in the digital world and not let it define our lives.

brain development

teenager

parenting

Turning 13 - Adolescent brain development

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

Research now supports what parents have long suspected – that the teenage brain is different than the adult brain.

teenager

adolescence

parenting

Visualise yourself coping in a conversation with your teenager

By Michael Hawton•February 26, 2017

Just a little bit of preparation – and imaging yourself coping - can prepare you to go into a tough conversation to ask for what you want and to remain composed.

adolescent

parenting

French parents teach their kids to love food and not overeat

By Michael Hawton•December 11, 2016

Some recent research has shown that nearly a quarter of children under two are overweight or obese – yes you read correctly that’s nearly a quarter! Here are 7 tips to address an over-eating problem.

children

parenting

A challenge to the discomfort dissuaders

By Michael Hawton•November 17, 2016

As a parent, you don't want your children to experience any discomfort. However, a little discomfort may be necessary for children to develop self-regulation skills and to learn about healthy boundaries.

adolescent

children

parenting

Does where you live affect your parenting?

By Michael Hawton•November 15, 2016

We all want what's best for our children but could where you live have an effect on your parenting?

early years educators

childhood obesity

In the media: Circumstantial causes of childhood obesity

By Michael Hawton•October 4, 2016

The main circumstantial cause of childhood obesity is parents’ lack of confidence to say “no” to their children. There is currently a crisis of confidence among parents in Australia with many appearing to be spooked by the positive parenting movement. With parents afraid to say no to children’s demands, children are learning that if they push a point loudly enough they will get their own way.

principals

strategies

tough conversations

Your instant tip on managing offensive behaviour

By Michael Hawton •August 23, 2016

Learn how to manage difficult moments to achieve positive outcomes with parents, students and colleagues - sooner.

early-years

self-regulation

training

In the media: Talk Less Listen More online PD training for early-years educators

By Parentshop Staff•August 23, 2016

Children need help learning self-regulation skills to make better behaviour choices.

behaviour management

behaviourist

diversity

When government systems create problems

By Michael Hawton•June 20, 2016

When government systems get it wrong they really get it wrong so we should rightly ask pertinent questions to assess the quality of their decision making. Putting all one’s eggs in one basket is seldom a good investment principle. - Michael Hawton, MAPS

apologising

early learning years

Supernanny’s unwise advice about apologising

By Michael Hawton•May 16, 2016

Many people, Super Nanny included, believe children should be made to apologise after they have hurt someone or behaved rudely. I’m not sure I agree.

children

adolescent

How over praising and rewards are having an unintended effect on the mental health of children and young people

By Michael Hawton•May 4, 2016

Could parents be inadvertently contributing to children’s mental health problems by not allowing children learn self-regulating behaviours?