I personally love low-cost Christmas gifts! These low-budget gifts put more onus on the person...

Christmas is an expensive time of year. Our kids might have expectations of an abundance...

This year, many families have been significantly impacted by the rising cost of living, leaving...

If you are reducing the number of gifts under the tree this Christmas, you are...

My two sons are 24 and 21.  They would both be disgusted if anyone were...

Over my 25-year career, I have never witnessed the level of pressure that I am...

Earlier this year Shannon noticed that the mental health of her 14-year-old son was deteriorating....

If your tween is experiencing powerful tears or shattering disappointments after tricky friendship days, know...

Young people typically cross my path when they are between 13 and 15 years old....

Warning: This blog post discusses youth suicide. This week has been brutal for Brisbane. We...

Throughout history, girl’s relationship with boundaries has been fascinating. For centuries, women lived with harsh,...

An unexpected shift in friendships. A sudden end to a romance. Poor results in an...

This blog was written for a very special 13-year-old, struggling to make a fresh start...

I want you to imagine you have a backpack sitting in front of you. It...

I watched The Incredibles 2 last weekend. In a moment of honesty, Mr Incredible said...

I am often asked about how parents can stay connected to teenagers, when common interests...

Self-care (keeping your sanity care) isn’t easy during demanding seasons, and parenting a tween or...

I have never met a teenager more dedicated to the art of being thirteen than...

I’m getting glimpses of a new rhythm pitter patting around the corridors of my home....

Many tweens and teens are very, very sad at the moment. School term is now...

The feeling of packing your bags up and heading home is always bittersweet, especially if...

Firstly, I want to send you a big virtual hug to families within Australia and...

Many years ago my two primary school aged sons and I witnessed a very public...

You may (or may not) buy your tween or teen a Valentine’s Day gift to...

November 2019, 12.30pm. My husband’s phone rang. It was the phone call that no parent...

I’ve often found myself talking to my husband about our children like they were aliens...

Today was a heavy-hearted day. I was invited to speak to a few hundred year...

Today I spoke to a father who was concerned about his children, 9 and 12. ...

Most studies suggest females participate in self-harm at higher rates than males. The Child and...

Please note: For the purpose of this article I have referred to a counsellor as...

I get asked questions about sibling rivalry almost every time I speak.  Why? Well, it...

I find that all parents have a different response to statistics about pornography exposure, depending...

Grumpiness. It’s not overly harmful, just difficult to live with. That’s why every parent needs...

You may have heard people refer to resilience as the ‘bounce back’ factor which allows...

I don’t think that comparisons are always a bad thing.  Comparisons can give us accurate...

Have you ever sat at your child’s end of year graduation and hopefully waited for...

Self-harm is something that is very difficult for caring adults to comprehend. It is also...

Though-out the last few years technology has become an even more integral part of all...

There really is an anxiety epidemic impacting today’s young ones. Anxiety is the most common...

When parents ask me how to handle a son who is aggressively pushing back against...

Given 963 million people go to bed hungry every night and 150 million children between...

Many years ago a mother dragged her daughter to my office.  When I say dragged...

I caught up with a mum over coffee this afternoon. She shared with me this...

It’s true. Some things are only understood once I was a parent. Having a child...

Research conducted by Mission Australia in 2011 shows that 60% of teenagers still choose to...

When you and I were young, it was unlikely we ever had to support a...

I recently received this question from a mum who found herself in a dilemma after...

If you have discovered that your child is self-harming you will be feeling a range...

Here are two emails I recently received which share parents’ concerns about their daughter’s body...

Knowing how to manage emotions and comfort ourselves when we are unhappy or distressed is...

I learnt so much about gratitude from my father, who, to this day, is the...

It is normal for pre-teens and teens to experience a rollercoaster ride of friendship highs...

 Question 1:  What Expectations Should I Put in Place?   Even though you can’t control...

For many years I ran a successful charity that supported young people and their families...