The Happy Families Membership

This webinar will help you understand how he is developing, and why he does the things he does. You’ll discover how to raise a responsible, caring boy who is strong and capable. And you’ll find the reassurance you need to know that he’s probably doing just fine - even if he does seem a little hard to get to know now and then. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tween and teen girls don’t have a problem with screens. Just ask them. They’ll tell you everything’s fine. But… ask them to put that screen away, get off social media, or stop obsessing over everything online and you’d better prepare for battle! Of all people who use devices and screens, some researchers have found that adolescent girls are the most at risk of decreased wellbeing, friendship issue...

Imagine a relationship where you felt seen, heard, and valued. One where, as your partner enters the front door after a long day out, they see you and their eyes light up. They smile as they embrace you. Later that night you work together, as equals, in the kitchen and in putting the children to bed. You spend time sharing ideas and experiences from your day and your partner listens and builds on...

Parenting is hard and it’s constantly changing. We feel nervous with babies and we feel out of our depth with teens. Toddlers test us, and children in primary school simply grow up too fast. Besides, just when we think we’ve finally ‘got it!’ our child reaches a new developmental milestone and it can feel like we’re back to square one. As a father to six girls from ages 7 to 21, Dr Justin Coulson...

When we think about parenting, science isn’t often something that comes to mind. Parenting is usually a skill we build by riding the highs and lows and doing our best to make sure our children grow up as healthy and happy as they can. But that’s not the whole story. Decades ago, behavioural researchers identified several parenting styles, each with pros and cons… and each ultimately a less effecti...

Christmas holidays are supposed to be a time of celebration, delight, and time with family. This is a good thing! But no matter how much we love our family, interfering in-laws, relatives that rub the wrong way, and visitors who violate our version of good manners can make our silly season sad. Relationships are often challenging, but they don’t have to be. This is a webinar designed to smooth out...

For years, Dr Justin Coulson has reminded parents that “just like dollars are the currency of our economy, connection is the currency of our relationships.” But what does a good connection look like? And why is connection so important for both parents and children? Plus, what are parents supposed to do if their child doesn’t want to connect… or doesn’t know how to connect? This 60-minute webinar i...

A screen tsunami seems to be overtaking many of our children’s lives, impacting on their sleep, relationships, their academic experiences, and even their health and wellbeing. This video presentation has helped thousands of parents and their children understand what screens are doing in our lives, and how they can enjoy them in healthy, balanced ways so that the other parts of their lives can be a...

Dr Justin Coulson is one of Australia's most respected 'parenting' voices. His seminars have equipped and empowered thousands of parents to make their families happier. But sometimes getting to a parenting seminar can be tough. There's work and other commitments. Then there's the issue of the children, and babysitters. Now you can watch one of Dr Justin's seminars from the comfort of your own home...

The research is in. Educator wellbeing is low. School leader wellbeing is lower… and it’s little wonder. Behaviour challenges, students with special (additional) needs, a crowded curriculum, exams, reports. Mixed with over-reaching parents with interfering agendas, and a never-ending list of responsibilities and expectations… it’s a lot to work through. How do you, as an educator (or leader) look...

Our kids are suffering from anxiety in record numbers. About one in seven primary school kids experience mental ill-health. It’s one in four adolescents. The coronavirus pandemic has only exacerbated anxiety for some children. And around 25% of parents are passing their anxieties on to their children! Educators are unfairly expected to respond to anxiety in students – without being trained in how...

Over the past 10 years, mindfulness has become the buzzword in education. There has been a mindfulness revolution! The only thing is, many educators have not bought in. Many actively resist any talk of the new-age mumbo-jumbo fad programs that some schools have tried to “roll out” so we can all be more mindful. And as a result, mindfulness is still not a regular part of the school day for most stu...

Emotions matter more than we realise. They impact motivation, the decisions we make, and even the performance appraisals and grades we give. Yet emotions are often misunderstood, especially in the classroom. When emotions surface with colleagues or students, they are all-too-often ignored, or worse, shut down. Research shows that raising our EQ – our emotional intelligence – can have an instant im...

Emotions matter more than we realise. They impact motivation, the decisions we make, and even the performance appraisals and grades we give. Yet emotions are often misunderstood, especially in the classroom. When emotions surface with colleagues or students, they are all-too-often ignored, or worse, shut down. Research shows that raising our EQ – our emotional intelligence – can have an instant im...

For so many girls, the desire to achieve is fuelled by a mix of toxic perfectionism, debilitating self-criticism, and a Sisyphean stretch to achieve the impossible benchmark of “enough”. Statistically, young women have never been more “successful”. They do better educationally, outpacing boys in grades and university enrolment. Yet the self-imposed – and externally imposed – expectation is that mo...

If you’re a parent, you can’t help but know the strains of raising children. And studies confirm it beyond all doubt: having children is a sure-fire way for parents to end up stressed out, spent out, and worn out. The extra pressures of living in a modern world that’s become increasingly expensive, increasingly pressured, and increasingly paranoid (thanks to the media and being overtaken by COVID-...

There may be no psychological condition more controversial and provocative than ADHD. At one extreme, we see some people say it doesn’t exist. Other’s say it’s a result of poor parenting. At the other end, people write books about “the ADHD advantage”, and how children can thrive in spite of – or even because of – this condition. But for parents who are raising children with an ADHD diagnosis, the...

Raising an ADHD child can be an experience in extremes. When times are tough it feels impossible to get through another round of chaos. This is the part everyone else usually sees - and judges. But when times are good, your heart soars. You experience your child at their best, and you wish that everyone else could see them when they're "like this"... How can we create an environment where an ADHD...

Trying to settle on a school for our child can be anxiety-inducing. Are the school’s previous academic results the best way to decide? What about my child’s friends who are all going elsewhere? Does the reputation of the school mean anything… or everything? And what about if the school ticks every box but my child doesn’t want to be there? Ultimately most of us are asking, “How can I help my child...

In response to the suicide that has been circulating on social media this week, Dr Justin has created this webinar just for Happy Families Members, to assist you with navigating their children through the effects caused by social media trauma exposure.  In this short webinar, Dr Justin: talks about the different ways children are responding to viewing this footage explains why people use events su...

Lockdown is hard. It hurts our kids and it’s a drain on parents. The first time was tricky. There were challenges. For some, it was horrible. But most of us managed ok and got through it. But with each subsequent lockdown, things get harder. The pressure feels higher. The demands feel greater. The children seem more oppositional - or worse, apathetic. The home learning stretch feels tougher. There...

Juggling the task of raising a family with the rest of life often feels impossible. It's stressful... it's taxing.  There's already enough to do with work, the house, the kids' routine, extra-curricular activities, personal interests, and a crowded calendar. But once we throw in the stress that comes from tired or grumpy children, a stressed or absent partner, and the day-to-day emotions of a roll...

“The Talk” has been the source of anxiety for many parents for generations. Cutesy phrases like “the birds and the bees” have become standard to avoid embarrassing discussions. Parents often rely on schools to teach their children about sex and everything associated with it.   This approach no longer works. Rather than parents, pornography has become the world’s largest sex education department. M...

The mum I was speaking to was distraught. Her son was in Year 7. He had just turned 12. And he was in the Principal's office. He had been caught showing off cannabis to some friends. "How did this happen?" she asked. "He's a good kid. At least I thought he was." "What do I do now?" she wanted to know. Our children are going to be exposed to drugs. Alcohol, cigarettes, pot and pills - and in some c...

It's a familiar story. You've asked politely. You've asked again. You've patiently waited. You've even made a threat. But now, you're yelling at your child: "If you don't do what I asked you to do RIGHT NOW, I'll... I'll... I'll", and then we threaten an uncomfortable consequence to coerce our children into listening to our requests and complying with our demands.  What's going on with your childr...