Parental As Anything
ABC
Being a parent is tough. Social media is bombarding us with opinions — on our kids screen time, on their education, on their friendships, on their behaviour — and somehow, we are always doing it wrong!
Don’t you just wish you could turn it all off and listen to some good old-fashion, sensible advice?
Parental As Anything is the podcast that gives you practical, supportive, advice from two real-world parenting experts. Beloved Australian parenting author and educator Maggie Dent and teen-parenting whisperer Bec Sparrow share wisdom and experience that comes from years of working with parents, kids and teens. With seven seasons of practical advice and helpful tips, Parental As Anything is here to help find solutions to the challenges that parents face everyday. No trends. No judgement.
Don’t you just wish you could turn it all off and listen to some good old-fashion, sensible advice?
Parental As Anything is the podcast that gives you practical, supportive, advice from two real-world parenting experts. Beloved Australian parenting author and educator Maggie Dent and teen-parenting whisperer Bec Sparrow share wisdom and experience that comes from years of working with parents, kids and teens. With seven seasons of practical advice and helpful tips, Parental As Anything is here to help find solutions to the challenges that parents face everyday. No trends. No judgement.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 7, 2021 • 27min
How to talk about suicide with children
Warning: this episode discusses suicide. Suicide is the leading cause of death in Australian young people — and there is no simple solution to this heartbreaking reality. As a problem that thrives in silence, Maggie Dent wants to get you okay with discussing suicide and suicidal tendencies. She talks to Celina, a woman from her community whose son died by suicide, adolescent psychiatrist Mat Coleman, and Dr Claire Kelly from Mental Health First Aid Australia.If you or your child needs help, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14.For youth mental health support contact headspace.org.au or reachout.com.
May 24, 2021 • 25min
Kids and Gender
If your child told you they felt more like a boy than a girl, or more like a girl than a boy, would you know what to say or how to support them? When the parents of today were kids, very little was widely understood about gender identity and gender dysphoria. In this episode you’ll learn about gender and what it’s like to be a trans kid. Maggie Dent speaks with teenager Olivia Stewart who began transitioning at age 13 and Dr Vic Rawlings, whose research focuses on LGBTQ young people. If you need support for you or your child head to these websites: https://transcendaus.org/, https://www.pgdc.org.au/.There’s a good general explainer pitched at young people here: https://kidshelpline.com.au/young-adults/issues/gender-identity
May 10, 2021 • 23min
Bedwetting
Getting up in the dead of night to change wet sheets — only for them to be wet again — can be frustrating and worrying. But having a child who regularly wets the bed is way more common than you think. Paediatric specialist Dr Megan Yap talks to Maggie Dent about ways to work through this passing phase.
Apr 26, 2021 • 16min
How to stop your kids fighting
Sibling rivalry — situation normal, right? But how much is too much, and what can you change in your family dynamic to take the pressure down? Maggie Dent talks to psychologist and mum Michelle Chiang about when to call a truce on these daily battles and when to stay out of them.
Apr 12, 2021 • 27min
Raising teen girls
Teenage girls — it can be a tricky time when you're not sure if your daughter likes or loathes you. But here's the thing, she needs you now more than ever. Join Maggie Dent as she gives you great tips on how to make the ride smoother. She talks to educator and parenting author Michelle Mitchell about what girls most need from their parents to thrive in the teen years.
Mar 29, 2021 • 25min
Raising teen boys
One minute your son is laughing about farts and driving you mad because he can't sit still. The next minute he's grumpy and never wants to leave his room. Adolescence can seem to come in an instant, so how do you prepare for it and help your son survive and thrive? Maggie Dent talks to adolescent expert and former ER Doctor Arne Rubinstein about the positive influences that can help shape a boy's journey to manhood.
Mar 14, 2021 • 17min
How to be a good parent
Have you ever Googled 'how to be a good parent'? You're not alone — it's the most Googled question parents have each year. We all put too much pressure on ourselves to be the best possible parents, but the truth is, all you need to be is good enough. Author and educator Dr Susie O'Brien tells Maggie Dent that it's OK for modern parents to lower their standards and let their kids — not to mention themselves — make a few mistakes.
Mar 8, 2021 • 3min
INTRODUCING — Parental As Anything Season 4
The queen of common-sense parenting, Maggie Dent, is back with more tips and tricks on how you can nail this parenting caper. In this season of Parental As Anything Maggie will cover everything from bed wetting and sibling rivalry to how to cope with raising a surly teenager. The first episode is out March 16. Subscribe so you don't miss out.
Jan 20, 2021 • 26min
Tips for starting school
In the next week or so parents across Australia will be waving their child off at the school gate, many for the first time. So, we're revisiting one of the most popular episodes of 2020 — how to get your kids to school without the stress and tears. Maggie Dent and child and adolescent psychologist, Dr Kaylene Henderson, give you all the tips you need to help you and your child nail those first days and weeks at school. Maggie is back with all new episodes in March.
Nov 23, 2020 • 27min
Teaching your kids body positivity
Do you hate your thighs? Your skin? Your post-baby body? Around 80 per cent of women within the normal body mass index range are dissatisfied with their bodies and those rates are increasing in men too. So how can we make sure our kids don’t develop the same negative body image we have? Maggie talks to Natasha Devon, a Body Image Campaigner, about how you can help your child love themselves just the way they are.
