Kinderling Conversation

There are a lot of ‘shoulds’ in a parent’s world. You make time for friends, spend time alone with each child, eat well and exercise. Who needs another ‘should’? Lenore Pearson is a meditation coach and mum of three, who says this is one ‘should’ that will change your life. Lenore explains why there’s a meditation style for every parent, and how even on the busiest of days you can find time to be still.should See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many children love to dance and make music. Now research has found that getting involved in both, at least twice a week, can greatly improve their ability to self-regulate. Associate Professor Kate Williams designed a program for preschool children and observed the impact on 113 children. Kate explains what exercises are included in the program, and why they work so well to help our children get ready for school.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first year of a baby’s life is full of so much change, and so much sleep deprivation for parents! Fran Chavasse is a senior nurse educator with Tresillian Family Care Centre. Fran says parents are set up to expect babies will sleep through much sooner than they can. The key, she says, is all in a baby’s development.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a young child has a febrile convulsion it can be terrifying for their parents. It’s even harder that febrile convulsions happen in the very young. Heidi Young from The Nestis a Clinical Nurse Specialist in childhood allergy. She explains what a febrile convulsion looks like, and what you should do if your child has one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and psychotherapist Dr Joanna North says that while anxiety is on the rise in children, parents can mitigate its effects by creating the right environment for a healthy mind. Joanna talks about how her latest book Mind Kind, your child’s mental health outlines some very simple steps you can remember to grow a healthy, strong mind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite changes over recent years, women are still the most likely gender to look after the domestic front. But new research shows that more involved fathers have greater life satisfaction. Brian Heilman is a Senior Research Officer at Promundo, a non-profit in the US that promotes equality and an end to gendered violence. He was the lead researcher on their biennial report The State of the World’s Fathers. Brian explains why more involved dads are happier and the key to gender equality.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Babies and small children are growing and developing so quickly that sometimes it's hard to keep up! Mothercraft Chris Minogue is here to help you decipher why your beloved is behaving in challenging ways. Chris is also taking some well-earned time off, and will be away for the month of September. The next episode of Helpline will focus on relationships with Kirsty Levin from . If you really need Chris while she's away you can try her book Bringing Baby HomeIn this episode of Chris tackles: A two-and-a-half-year-old still needing a bottle to sleep, a four-week-old reflux baby who doesn't want to sleep in the bassinet, how to introduce a comforter to a nine-and-a-half-month-old, a co-sleeping 15-month-old who likes to pull his mum's hair for comfort, sleep patterns for a 16-week-old, should a six-month-old eat Tapioca? When one 18-month-old twin insists upon using a dummy and if you've had one reflux baby are you likely to have another?The Parents Village. HelplineSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor

You can do a lot of research about pregnancy, but one thing that can remain unknown is the actual experience of labour. Some women are frightened of this unknown, and the fear can be something that stays with them for the whole nine months. Rebecca Ray is a psychologist and author, her book The Universe Listens to the Braveis a call to action to understand that we can all face our fears with courage. Rebecca explains how we can better know our own fears, and in the process, be better equipped to deal with them., See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toddler tantrums can come as a surprise to any parent who had a reasonably happy baby. All of a sudden your small child is throwing themselves down on the ground because you cut their toast the wrong way. They’re flailing about as you try to get them in the pram and going into conniptions when you ask them to come to the dinner table. Toddler tantrums are serious stuff, but psychotherapist and author Sharon Turton says if we understand where they’re coming from, it will be better for everyone. Sharon explains what’s happening in a toddler’s brain and gives us strategies for coping with toddler tantrums. Sharon’s book is called The Art of Taming Tantrums.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food allergies are on the rise in Australia, and for some children, it can mean they are excluded from parties by parents who are too worried to invite them. Childhood allergy specialist Heidi Young from The Nestexplains why it’s so important that we take childhood food allergies seriously and how to do it without too much fuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Separation is hard enough for parents but explaining it to young children can be really challenging. Shona Innes is a clinical psychologist and a children’s book author. Her Big Hugseries aims to help children navigate some tricky emotions.Love is Like a Treeis a book that helps children understand that while things might change, the love for them remains the same. Shona explains why understanding the child’s perspective of separation is so important, and how a tree metaphor helps them to understand the process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Headaches can lay you low, and for children they can be debilitating. But how can you tell when a headache is a result of not drinking enough water, and when is it something that requires medical attention? Sarah Hunstead, CEO of CPR Kids, talks about the signs and symptoms you should be aware of in your child when it comes to headaches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many children start playing sport at five years of age, but as a parent, what can you expect from the coaches of their chosen game? Scott Wilson is a sports and exercise physiotherapist and presenter of the Young Athlete PodcastHe talks about the benefits of sports for children, and how we can help prevent injuries.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jess McGeachin is an illustrator who spends his day drawing for the Melbourne Museum. He’s also just created a picture book called Flya story about a father and his daughter discovering what it means to lose something, and how to deal with that loss. Jess talks about the inspiration behind the book, and why he’s not telling anyone what to feel. - See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parenting is a life-long lesson in raising children. Each new age is something new to learn, and sometimes we can't find the answers on our own. Enter Mothercraft nurse Chris Minogue. With over 30 years experience helping families Chris knows the tips and tricks that can solve the challenges you might be facing. Chris is also the author of Bringing Baby HomeOn this episode of A two-and-a-half-year-old who is waking through the night, a single mum trying to teach a six-and-a-half month old to self settle, a 14-month-old waking frequently at night, a three-year-old anxious about starting preschool and a 15-month-old throwing tantrums.. Helpline: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As far as much-loved Australian actors go, Samual Johnson is one of our favourites. From his work on and playing music icon Molly Meldrum in the miniseries he was already a familiar face before he started his campaign to raise awareness for breast cancer. His work with his sister Connie for Love Your Sister has seen him ride around Australia on a unicycle and raise almost ten million dollars. Now he’s released a book in time for Father’s Day called Dear Dad, with all profits going to research into cancer prevention. Sam talks about how a very personal story about his sister Connie and breast cancer became a nationwide movement with over 800,000 participants.Home and Away, The Secret Lives of UsMolly,See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Evie Farrell was a single, full-time working mum when she decided to pack it all in and take off overseas with her six-year-old daughter Emmie. Without a deadline or a real plan, they travelled around Asia throwing routine and expectations out the door. Evie talks about how she made it happen (with insight on the trip from now nine-year-old Emmie), and why the two and a half years away was the best thing she ever did. You can find more of Evie and Emmie's stories in the book Backyard to Backpack, A solo mum, a six-year-old and a life-changing adventure.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there anything as awful as morning sickness? First up the title is misleading. We need to change the name to 'all-day-feeling-like-crap' sickness. Women can get morning sickness for the first three, four or the whole nine months. Dr David Addenbrooke is an obstetrician and co-author of 9 Months- The essential Australian guide to pregnancyHe explains why you might be experiencing morning sickness and what you can do about it.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Bruce Pascoe was in primary school, Indigenous history was far from the truth. After the success of his book Dark Emuhe decided to release a version for children. Young Dark Emu, a Truer History has the same stories – observations from original colonists – of an advanced civilisation that cultivated and cared for the land they lived upon. Bruce talks about how a truer representation of our past will make for a better future, and why children are the perfect vessels to take in the knowledge., See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winter is a time of colds and coughs. But is there anything as frustrating as a small child with a cough? It can feel like there’s nothing you can do, especially through the dark of night as their cough keeps them awake and uncomfortable. Sarah Hunstead is a former paediatric nurse and the founder of CPR Kids. She talks about when coughs are just a cold, when they’re more worrying, and why children under six should not be given cough medicine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.