Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

How can parents ensure their children grow up to be respectful, kind, and considerate towards others? This conversation with author and academic Richard Ryan examines the typical backgrounds of perpetrators of violence and aggression and gives practical advice to parents so they can meet their child's basic psychological needs of relatedness, autonomy, and competency. In this episode: Self Determination Theory Gendered violence Basic Psychological Needs Modelling values and behaviour Objectification and sexualisation of women in the media Reducing exposure to and setting limits on media use Resilience Links: Helping Our Boys Grow Into Men – Happy Families How to Prevent your Child Becoming A #metoo (and Prevent your Child from Creating One) – Happy Families 4 P’s to Prevent Peer Pressure in your Teens – Happy Families Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does a particular school really make for a “better” education? And how can parents prepare their children for the death of a much-loved grandparent? In this episode: City vs country schools Resources, results and reputation Fun, fit and philosophy  Upheaval for families when moving Developing new friendships and relationships Stability and security Grief and loss Preoperational thinking, object permanence, abstraction Developmentally appropriate language The sacredness of life and death Links: Moving? How to Help your Child Settle Into A New School – Happy Families Developmental Milestones [Introduction] – Happy Families How To Talk To Your Children About Death – Happy Families Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Content warning: not for young ears. “If you had to be in the forest with a man or a bear, which would you choose?”. How do we get to the point where we can answer without hesitation “a man!”? In this episode: Violence against women Parents stepping up Teaching morality The 'No More' rallies Influence of explicit pornography on young men Links: Quote by Saint Augustine: “Right is right even if no one is doing it...” The five demands of the No More national rallies (womensagenda.com.au) Helping Our Boys Grow Into Men – Happy Families How to Prevent your Child Becoming A #metoo (and Prevent your Child from Creating One) – Happy Families Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Judgement & criticism, punishing, provoking, and trying to “fix” a child—none of these are a parent’s job. They only serve to drive a wedge in relationships. Our job is to love our children. To set limits and have expectations—yes!—but to do so kindly.    In this episode: Shifting the paradigm Compassion and empathy Emotions go up, intelligence goes down The problem with judgement Why kindness is the answer Links: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R Covey I don’t need Fixing! I need Guiding and Loving – Happy Families Why Our Kids Need Us to Set Limits – Happy Families Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are struggling to "keep the spark alive" with your loved one, you're not alone. Exhaustion, screen addiction, lack of time, resentment - all these issues (and more!) can lead to zero interest in nurturing intimacy. Today we share some surprising secrets to sustaining a strong sexual connection! In this episode: Reasons for having zero interest in intimacy  Connection and friendship Prioritising sex Slowing things down Female pleasure Book recommendations  Links: Nurturing Intimacy: Secrets to Sustaining Strong Sexual Connection – Happy Families Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski | The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life She Comes First by Ian Kerner | The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin shares four big ideas based on Jonathan Haidt's new book in the hope that it generates some constructive conversations with your kids at home: The key to building a resilient child, Getting comfy with our children experiencing a healthy level of discomfort in life, The impact of social media on the brain development of teens, and Looking at problematic use of or addiction to social media. In this episode: Healthy/unhealthy childhood stressors Supportive parenting vs "tough love" or over-protective parenting Resilience Anxiety The cycle of incompetence Anti-fragility Impact of social media on teenage brain development Social media addiction / problematic use Links: After Babel | Jon Haidt | Substack The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt Honestly with Bari Weiss: Smartphones Rewired Childhood. Here's How to Fix It Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A listener wants to know how to help her friend, a single mum to an increasingly difficult 10-year-old boy. Plus, three things you can do to survive your child’s big and embarrassing public meltdown! In this episode: Single parenting Supporting other parents Aggressive child Emotional regulation Psychological help It takes a village! 2-parent privilege Travelling with kids HALTS How to say no with compassion and kindness Helpful Links: Developmental Milestones [Part 4: Middle Childhood] Can We Please Talk About Boys? #649 Bringing Up Boys With Dr Arne Rubinstein The Secret to Regulating Emotions What is the Best Way to Say ‘No!’ To Your Kids? Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you wanting to return to work but struggling to know what on Earth to write on your resume after years out of the workforce? Listen in for some ideas that will inspire and encourage mothers to confidently claim the skills, strengths, and unique value you possess and can offer the world!  In this episode: Cost-of-living increase Returning to work Motherhood Being a mum is valid and valuable work, so I put it on my CV - ABC Everyday Writing a resume Parental responsibilities, skills, unique value Stay-at-home-mums (SAHM) Kylie's resume – Happy Families Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin & Kylie discuss the hills and valleys of life - Justin is definitely feeling on top of the mountain as he strives to achieve a better work/life balance, while Kylie is in the valley after farewelling daughter number three. Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Justin takes a look at Abigail Shrier's controversial new book "Bad Therapy". What's really going on with our kids, and why are they going through so many challenges?  In this episode: Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up and Irreversible Damage by Abigail Shrier Why The Kids Aren’t Alright | Honestly Podcast Trauma, PTSD, depression Therapy Iatrogenesis - when the healer introduces harm Parental self-doubt Restorative practices in schools Gentle parenting under fire Understanding children’s basic psychological needs Find us on Facebook or TikTok Leave a voice memo here or email your questions/comments to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au Find out more about joining THE QUEST at our websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.