Parental As Anything

What do you do when you don't like your teen's mates? Friends are so important for our teens, so how can you guide them to make good choices when it comes to buddies? Should you try and intervene, or will that only backfire?

How do you know when your teen’s gaming habit levels-up from hobby to obsession?  Once teens are on their gaming consoles, it can be really tough to get them to press pause. Even to go to the toilet, eat dinner or go to sleep.  Bec Sparrow uncovers the red flags to look for if your teenager’s gaming is becoming obsessive, and gives you practical tips on how to turbo boost your tech and gaming boun...

You pick up your teenager from a party, see wasted kids stumbling around, vomiting in bushes and you realise they’re no longer playing pin the tail on the donkey.  How do we teach our kids to have a healthy relationship with alcohol? And is it ever okay to give your teen booze?   In this Parental As Anything: Teens, Paul Dillon, the director of Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia, joi...

From fancy drink bottles to the latest tech, teenagers want lots of stuff they (and you) can’t afford and don’t need. So how can you push back from the constant barrage of demands?  In this bite-sized Dear Bec episode, Bec Sparrow explains why giving teens what they want isn’t always good for them and that what they really crave, money can’t buy.  

OMG. You catch your teen hassling for nude pics. What the hell do you do?   How to have those awkward conversations with your teenagers about sexting, consent and protecting yourself online.  

Teenage sex. Anxiety. Underage drinking. Porn. Phone addiction.  

Nothing truly prepares you for becoming a parent, but some of the best advice comes from other mums or dads – even famous ones like Hamish Blake. In this special episode, Maggie Dent hands the reins over to the Parental As Anything community for you to share your best parenting hacks. Even comedian Hamish Blake shares his top tip for keeping kids entertained. The advice provided in this podcast is...

Starting high school is a massive change for both you and your tween. How do you get them ready and help them through the ups and downs of Year 7? Youth coach Claire Eaton and Maggie Dent share their practical tips for the weeks before they start, routines to keep them on track and handling the rough patches. The advice provided in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account y...

Like it or not, children will learn to swear from school, videos, even their parents. So what can you do to stop your child being a pottymouth?  In this Help Me, Maggie episode Maggie Dent explains why children might swear, how to discourage them from using offensive words and what to say if you slip up and swear in front of them.  The advice provided in this podcast is general in nature and does...

Sleep deprivation is a silent epidemic among our teenagers, according to paediatric and adolescent sleep specialist, Dr Chris Seton. With screen time, social media and gaming competing for our teenager's attention, sleep disruption is at an all-time high. Dr Seton tells Maggie Dent about the devastating effects sleep deprivation has on our teenagers. From social, emotional and mental health proble...

If your child is struggling to read or write, they may be among the 10 per cent of people who have dyslexia. What is it? How can it impact a child’s education, self-esteem and mental health?  Maggie Dent speaks to Sarah Asome, a school principal and mum of dyslexic children, from advocacy group CodeREAD, and psychologist Dr Craig Wright from Understanding Minds. Together they discuss the signs of...

Life with children means more stress, less sleep and less time for you. And when all of your energy goes to raising kids, what’s left for your spouse?   In this Help Me, Maggie episode Maggie Dent gives tips on what adults can do to stay connected in the chaos, why effective communication is key and what to do when the bad moods of teenagers wear off on the whole household.  The advice provided in...

Shouting? Time outs? Shaming? You don’t have to do any of this to effectively discipline your child. So how do you teach your kids right from wrong?  We’re revisiting one of our most popular episodes. Vanessa Lapointe, the author of Discipline Without Damage, joins Maggie Dent to share the best way to discipline your child without punishing them, how to teach them to make good choices, and why dis...

What if your kid feels ready to walk to school alone before you feel ready to let them? Will they be safe, and how will it make them more independent?  Maggie Dent has tips for parents who want to know when a child is ready, how to take the first steps to independence and how to head off potential danger.  The advice provided in this podcast is general in nature and does not take into account your...

Tweens and teens feel big emotions – and those turning to self-harm to cope is more common than you think.  Professor Jo Robinson, who leads the youth suicide prevention group at Orygen, and teen expert Michelle Mitchell join Maggie Dent, host of Parental As Anything, to help parents understand why young people self-harm, how to have those initial conversations and how to help teens move away from...

Curious kids will ask questions about people who look or sound different to them. How do you talk to them about racism and inclusion? What if your child uses a racist slur? And how can you encourage them to be an ally?  Ali Kadri, CEO of the Islamic College of Brisbane and host of The Swap, joins Maggie Dent to talk frankly about racism and encouraging children to learn about and embrace people’s...

Grandparents do so much for our kids. But not every family has a Nanny or Pop in their life. And even when they do, keeping the peace can be tricky.  How do you celebrate the joy grandparents bring to your family, while still forging your own path as a parent? How do you ask them not to spoil your kids, or discipline them like it’s 1985? And do you rely too much on them for free childcare?   Anne...

Tweens want a phone so they aren’t left out and many parents like being able to contact their kids. But, when should kids have their own mobile? 

You want your kids to be resilient enough to handle life’s unexpected challenges – but as parents, it is hard to step back.  Lyn Worsley, director of the Resilience Centre, joins Maggie Dent on this Parental As Anything to give tips on why it’s important to let kids fend for themselves, how to start building resilience and how parents can learn to let go.  The advice provided in this podcast is ge...

Kids love the idea of a pet. But, for parents they mean more mess, expense and time. So, should you cave?  A busy mum asks Maggie Dent, do the benefits of owning a dog outweigh the training, cleaning and poo collecting?  Maggie, the host of Parental As Anything, shares what she thinks families should consider if they have children pestering them for a dog.  The advice provided in this podcast is g...

How do you teach children the realities of what you can afford without stressing them out. And if money isn’t tight, how do we curb their entitlement? Maggie Dent asks finance author and mum Effie Zahos how and when to talk to kids honestly about your cashflow, the costs of running a family and what to say if you’re struggling to pay your bills and need to cut back on the fun stuff.  The advice pr...

Has your child ever made a friend who dominates, bullies, or leads them astray? As a parent, what can you do if your kid’s BFF just isn’t good for them?  Parenting author and host of Parental As Anything, Maggie Dent has some tips for mums and dads about being your child’s ‘friendship coach’. What to do if your child has a frenemy, ways to teach them about healthy friendships and why you SHOULDN’T...

You decorate, bake and plan the perfect birthday party – only for your child to have a complete meltdown on the day. So, how do you throw a celebration your kid will actually enjoy?  Genevieve Muir, of Connected Parenting, joins Parental As Anything host Maggie Dent to share tips for parents on how to plan a party kids will love, what to do if kids become overstimulated and how to include neurodiv...

Some kids are shy. Others love nothing more than talking non-stop to anyone who’ll listen. What can you do if your child is a chatterbox?   Maggie Dent, parenting author and host of Parental As Anything, gives tips on how you can help teach your talkative child to listen and even give mums and dads some moments of peace and quiet.  The advice provided in this podcast is general in nature and does...

Exhausted? Stressed? Angry? Sick of being a parent? Maybe it’s not typical fatigue from taking care of children – you could have parental burnout.  Psychologist Hélène Gatland joins parenting author Maggie Dent to explain why parental burnout is on the rise, how it impacts mums and dads differently and what to do if you think you – or your partner - has it.   The advice provided in this Parental A...