Kinderling Conversation

“Attachment parenting” can mean different things to different people, but generally it can be summed up as preferring a gentle approach to getting your baby to sleep. But is it possible to get your baby to sleep through the night when they’re used to having you by their side? Veena Parry is a paediatric sleep consultant from Sleep Sweet Sleep Deepwho says it’s possible to sleep train a child gently without using controlled crying.Veena explains the steps to getting your baby off to sleep with all the gentleness an attachment parent needs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ella and the Oceanis a picture book about a young girl who dreams of a sea that she has never seen. In her quest to understand what the ocean really looks like, Ella inspires her family to take a long trip to the coast. Author Lian Tanner talks about how the story came together, including aspects of her own family’s life on the land. She explains why the story of struggle and ultimately hope is such an important part of the book, and why it’s really a story about remembering to take time out to play.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psychologist Kirsty Levin from The Parents Village joins to talk about relationships for her second-last episode before mothercraft nurse Chris Minogue returns from holidays. This week she tackles: Friends who are financially dependent on spouses, not wanting sex after having a baby (but your partner does), planning a wedding but everyone keeps interfering, ex-partner being difficult with children after divorce, siblings who fight all the time, looking after elderly parents when you have young kids (and your siblings won't help out) and a mother-in-law who wants to be with your husband all the time.HelplineLinks discussed in this episode: What is financial abuse? Moneysmart Conflict resolution for kids from Sunshine parenting and an app to help care for elderly parents CarelySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most mums are pretty fierce when it comes to their children, but Rebekah Robertson had a fire lit in her belly after witnessing the legal and social discrimination her daughter Georgie experienced growing up. In her book, About a Girl, A mother’s powerful story of raising her transgender child she has told her family’s story with every normal and painful challenge they have gone through along the way. Together Rebekah and Georgie talk about what it was that got them through the hardest times, including rage, trust and incredible integrity. Rebekah founded Transcend to support parents of transgender youth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Regular working hours and family life don’t always fit together, which is why flexible work can sound like the holy grail for parents. Dr Sarah Cotton is an Organisational Psychologist at Transitioning Wellwho understands the pros and cons of flexible work. Sarah outlines how you can negotiate flexible hours with your employer, and how to make it work in your family life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you become a mum, you think that your instincts will kick in. Something deeply ingrained in your being will tell you how best to respond to your baby, how to work out their cries and when they need comfort. These days our instincts can get buried under the mountains of information about how to do parenting ‘right’. Parenting educator and lactation specialist Pinky McKay explains why instinct is so important to mothers, and how you can tap into it if you feel lost in the noise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poo is such a fascinating topic after you have a baby. Where once dinner conversation was polite and urbane, now you find yourself discussing the regularity and colour of your offspring’s waste. Dianne Zalitis is a midwife and Clinical Lead of Pregnancy, Birth and Baby. She explains exactly what new parents can expect from their baby’s poo, and a few more facts that will help you understand what each different colour and consistency means.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have children who are attached to toys that are still in good nick, but are seldom used, Garage Sale Trailmay be the thing you’ve been waiting for. a nationwide movement, a community-based project where neighbourhoods sign up to be part of a weekend of garage sales. Co -founder Darryl Nichols talks about how the idea came out of a desire to reuse dumped white goods, and why it might be the secret to get your kids to let go of their old toys.Garage Sale Trail isSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Awareness about mental health has increased in the last decade, and most adults know they need to take care of their own mental wellbeing. We’ve come a long way in understanding the impact of environment and relationships on mental health. But just how far have we come? Associate Professor Brigid Jordan is a National Board Member for the Australian Association for Infant Mental Health. She talks about why we need to include babies and small children when we talk about mental health, and how to make sure we’re looking after them well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Niels van Hove is a mental toughness coach and author of a new picture book called How I Beat My BullyThe book was inspired by a young girl who was bullied at her school, and how, together with her mum, she learnt to deal with her bully and move on. Niels talks about how the book can be used by both parent and child to understand how they can both face a challenging situation well.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Mothercraft nurse Chris Minogue is away, we're trying out something different with psychologist Kirsty Levin from The Parents Village. Each week she'll be answering questions about the different relationship challenges that can occur once you have a baby. This week that includes: When one of your children is more likeable than another, financial dependence on your spouse when you're not earning an income, when you have run out of things to say to your partner, when your child doesn't get along with a friend's child, grandparent favouritism and how a shy mum can make new friends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This isn’t, unfortunately, a fairy tale. Ginger Gorman is an award-winning print and radio journalist who responded to a deluge of online hate by writing a book about it. Ginger talks about the deep, dark places her research led her, and how she coped as a mother while talking with some of the most dangerous men on the internet. Ginger’s book is called Troll Hunting: inside the world of online hate and its human falloutSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toddler meltdowns can be incredibly difficult to deal with, but for parenting educator Maggie Dent, they’re also an opportunity. Maggie explains how tantrums and other big emotional moments for kids are an adult’s opportunity to connect, empathise and teach their children about their emotions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Journalist Toni Hassan is a mother of three who found herself plunged into the perils of the online world when her eldest child got her hands on a mobile phone at 12. After that, Toni realised there was no going back. It was a turning point that led the award-winning journalist to write a book, Families in the Digital Age and to change her own screen habits. Toni outlines how we can define what a ‘healthy digital family life’ looks like, for us and how to lay the groundwork to make it happen.,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Australian Government and the World Health Organisation, children under two should have zero screen time. But Dr Kate Highfield, General Manager of Professional Learning and Research Translation at Early Childhood Australia, thinks that’s overly simplistic and unrealistic. Kate explains how complex screen use in young children has become, and the difference between healthy and unhealthy screen time. Kate has more information on screens and the under twos on the Early Childhood Australia blog. Dr Kristy Goodwin's website can be found here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have more than one child, chances are you have experienced sibling rivalry. They could be fighting over a toy, who got to the car first, or because one of them breathed on the other. Ariella Lew is a former paediatric nurse and the founder of Kids on Track an organisation dedicated to helping parents understand and care for their children. Ariella explains what’s going on when your children fight, and the best way to respond to their squabbling.,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After her son Arlo was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at six months old, Melanie Dimmitt embarked on a mission to understand what it means to be a parent of a special needs child. The result is Special, a book that is both supportive and encouraging for parents of special-needs children. Melanie talks about the impact of her son’s diagnosis and how the book has helped her come to a place of peace.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s nothing quite like a new baby to turn your world upside down. Babies are born to feed, not sleep, ergo new mums don’t get much sleep. Then there can be post-labour body aches and pains, and the stress of working out (very quickly) how to keep a small human alive and well. Amy Taylor-Kabbaz is a life coach and author of Happy Mama- the guide to finding yourself again. She gives us some very easy tips and tricks on supporting yourself through the first months of motherhood.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mothercraft Chris Minogue is taking some time off, so we're using it as an opportunity to focus on relationships. Kirsty Levin is a psychologist with The Parents Village, a group that offer parents support with workshops and individual counselling. A wife and mother of two girls, Kirsty understands what it's like to raise a family, and adds her professional knowledge to help parents overcome challenges they face within their relationships. In this episode she tackles: When the agreed-to roles change and the stay-at-home mum needs more help, unwanted criticism about parenting from a mother-in-law, a best friend who doesn't understand the demands of motherhood, different parenting approaches to discipline and when relationships lose intimacy because both parents are tired.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know that fatherhood has changed over time, but how do dads feel about it? Jeremy Macvean is the co-editor of The Father Hood, Inspiration for the New Dad Generation It’s a book that combines the stories of celebrity dads like Barack Obama and Mark Wahlberg with the research and knowledge of dad advocates Steve Biddulph and Professor Richard Fletcher. Jeremy talks about what is different for fathers today, and why this offers the greatest opportunity men have seen in generations..See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.