Short & Curly

Is it okay to not invite all your friends to your birthday party? Molly has an exciting plan for her next birthday party and she can't wait to invite her best and closest friends. The only trouble is she has five close friends but she can only invite four people. What should she do? And what should you say to people who aren't invited? Brains Trust – Westmead Public School, Sydney: Sarah, Mariam,...

There's a small village of elves who have a magical gemstone that brings them great prosperity. But one day a group of fairies turn up claiming the stone originally belonged to them. Hundreds of years ago, the elves' ancestors stole it from them, and now they want it back. So what's the right thing to do? Who should get to keep the gem? Brains Trust – Westmead Public School, Sydney: Swetha, Reyans...

Queuing up for HOURS to go on a 30-second water slide is so annoying! But what if you could pay money to go straight to the front of the queue? Going on a water slide can be so much fun, but not when you're standing in a massive queue in wet swimmers waiting for just 30 seconds of squealing excitement. Many water slide parks allow you to pay extra money for an express pass that lets you jump in fr...

Molly has never been afraid of getting a needle because she knows the Needle Ninja will reward her bravery with a basket of Japanese lollies, cakes and toys. Carl has never heard of this person and thinks Molly has been tricked by her mum and dad. But is there any harm in believing in the Needle Ninja? And is it OK for parents to tell their kids stories if it makes them feel better?

Would you like to live forever? Molly and Carl like the idea of being immortal. The upsides: you won’t ever die, you’ll never run out of time to try new things and meet new people. The downsides: drinking blood and sleeping in a coffin, and your non-vampire friends will all leave you when they die. So, would immortality be worth it? And how can you make a decision about something so hugely differe...

We visit the bedroom of one of the messiest kids we know, Harriet. She hates cleaning her room more than anything in life and it always looks like someone opened every drawer and threw all the contents into the air. But is it her fault that her room is a pigsty? And if other kids can manage to keep their rooms tidy, why can’t Harriet?   

If someone does or says something bad to you, but then apologises for it, should you forgive them no matter what? Even if you don't really feel it in your heart? Brains Trust: Lyneham Primary School: Neve, Ashwyn, Alice, Ava, Sammy.

The Titanic cruise ship hit an iceberg in 1912 and sank to the bottom of the ocean. Lots of people died because there weren't enough life rafts for everyone. Women and children were offered seats on the lifeboats first because of their age and gender. But is that fair? Are the lives of kids more precious than the lives of adults? Guest: David Dyer, author of The Midnight Watch. Brains Trust: Buran...

Imagine if you were being watched every second of the day to make sure you behaved well. And then you got rewarded or punished depending on how you acted? In this episode, we take a long hard look at Santa Claus, because news flash, we are told he's watching you day and night.

Meet Oedipus. He's the main character in one of the world’s oldest stories. He lived a long time ago and he did some pretty bad things. But was it his fault or was it fate? Was there anything he could have done to avoid tragedy? Join Molly, Carl and Matt as they sing their way through an ancient tale of terrible misfortune. 

Molly, Carl and Matt become lost at sea, they've run out of food and they lack basic survival skills. So, would it be okay for them to eat each other if they get really really really hungry? Maybe don't listen to this episode while you're eating!

This season we go on a little adventure in our minds. Join Molly, Carl and Matt as we imagine what the world might be like without things like schools and sadness and punishment. Would everything be better without them?

Imagine if something private you told a friend could be shouted out for the whole world to hear? Or if an embarrassing bodily function was shared with everyone? Some people say privacy is only necessary if you have something to hide, but are there other reasons to keep certain things just for yourself? Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim, Kiara, Victoria,...

We often feel sadness and heartbreak when something bad happens, like when a much-loved pet dies or someone at school doesn't want to be friends anymore. Or even when your sports team loses the grand final after you've trained really hard for it. Would life be better if you could magically make that sadness disappear? Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim,...

What's the point of school anyway? That's a question lots of you have written to us to ask. Nearly every day of the week for years and years and years, you have to get up, put your uniform on and go to a big building full of other children, just so you can learn stuff. And then once you're in the school building, grownups get to decide when you're allowed to eat your lunch and when you're allowed...

What if there was no fine for letting your dog poo on the footpath? No consequences for hitting your brother or sister? And teachers never gave detention for breaking a school rule? If we lived in a world without punishment, would we all start just doing whatever we wanted? Or are there better ways to deal with people doing the wrong thing?  Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Pa...

Would you still want to play sport if there was no one keeping score, there were no winners or losers, and no trophies at the end of the season? What would be the point? On the other hand, can competition actually ruin sport? Come and spend the afternoon with Molly and Carl as they kick the ball around in a park. Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Mara, Roni, Al...

If you find a $20 note on the street, can you keep it? Does it make it okay if it's just $5? Money is complicated, especially because everyone has a different relationship with it. So, when it comes to money, things can get curly really quickly. A big thank you to Isla for this tip-top question!

Do you have a favourite game? Maybe it's 'tip' or 'snap'? There are rules everywhere: from playing a game, watching TV, and even how to ask a question in class. But where there are rules, there are often loopholes. Are loopholes always bad? What if you're not hurting anyone? Thank you to Eloise for this loopy question

The word ‘independent’ often sits with other words – like independent learning, independent thinking, independent adult, and lots more.   So, what is independence and at what age should we get it?   Thank you to Leela for this thoughtful question! 

Getting comfortable can feel warm, nice, and sometimes even soothing. So, when we're happily floating along in life, a sudden tide change can really rock the boat. How do you deal with change? Should you be scared? Thank you to Kira for today's amazing question!

Beliefs can shape the way someone speaks, acts, and even dreams. Everyone believes different things, but sometimes those things aren’t true.  If your friend’s belief isn’t quite right, should you tell them? Does it really matter if it’s true or not?  Thank you to India for this curious question! 

Lots of adults think children should never swear. Many Short & Curly listeners tell us they secretly swear behind their parent’s backs. So what’s wrong with swearing anyway? Aren't they just harmless words?  Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin:  Mariah, Megan, Dylan, Aeldrich, Lily 

Have you ever wanted to give someone a taste of their own medicine? They might have hurt you or been mean to you or taken something that's yours. But is it okay to do the same thing back to them? Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin: Maggie, Feranmi, Leo, Oli, Esha, Marjorie

Short & Curly listener Luca often gets stared at when he is in his wheelchair. His parents think the people who look too long are just being curious but Luca thinks it's just plain rude. So when does curiosity become rudeness? And how can we be curious about someone's difference without hurting their feelings? Brain Trust — Casuarina Street Primary School, Katherine: Bruno, Leilani, Eloise Law...