Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families
The Happy families podcast with Dr. Justin Coulson is designed for the time poor parent who just wants answers now. Every day Justin and his wife Kylie provide practical tips and a common sense approach to parenting that Mums and Dads all over the world are connecting with. Justin and Kylie have 6 daughters and they regularly share their experiences of managing a busy household filled with lots of challenges and plenty of happiness. For real and practicable advice from people who understand and appreciate the challenges of a time poor parent, listen to Justin and Kylie and help make your family happier.
Episodes
It has been 9 months of homeschooling for the Coulson crew, with plenty of ups and downs and many lessons learned. One of those lessons is that homeschool is not and cannot just be "school at home". When a child is struggling in a school setting, taking them out of that environment only to set up the same structures and lessons at home doesn't change the challenges that your child is experiencing!
In this episode:
Devices can calm our emotional children - but does a screen actually help them to emotionally regulate or is it just distracting them from their emotions in the heat of the moment? Are there long term consequences to letting screens "manage" a child's emotions?
We also talk about a controversial topic - using "screen-time" as a reward! There is an important connection between screen use and children's executive function and emotion...
Our goal as parents is to raise good humans, but sometimes we actually get in the way of doing that! Beck Delahoy shares three things parents can do to move away from centuries of unhelpful patterns to a better way of parenting.
In this episode:
- Lessons Learned | Beck Delahoy | Substack
- John B. Watson - 1920's behaviourist
- What do we want to do as parents to raise good humans?
- teaching thoughts, values, feelings, acceptab...
Two questions from listeners: Emma asks for advice on helping her 10 year old son who is struggling with being at school, withdrawing from friends, and feeling sad. And Kari, a homeschooling mum of 3 little boys, has requested an update on the Coulson's Homeschooling experience!
In this episode:
- The 3 basic psychological needs
- Supporting children at school
- 'School Can't'
- Building frustration tolerance
- Attention amplifies disco...
A conversation about what it means to be emotionally regulated or dysregulated, with five quick ideas for parents to help their children regulate well.
In this episode:
- What are emotions?
- Maladaptive responses
- Etymology of 'emotion'
- French: to excite
- Latin: to move
- Emotional regulation: The ability to control your emotional state.
- Emotional dysregulation: When your emotions are stronger than your ability to act wi...
Family holidays and traditions are important! Sometimes though, they can feel out of reach - perhaps unaffordable or even impossible. The good news is that traditions don't have to be big, or cost any money, and you don't even need to leave home to create them!
In this episode:
- Why traditions matter
- Avoid big holidays with little kids
- Stick to pools/beaches when they are young
- What the research says
- Family meals, meetings, o...
Are our attention spans decreasing? Is it possible that the kids really are listening to you but just disagree with what you have to say? Do house plants impact mental health and wellbeing? How does parental screen use affect teen screen use, and why should we avoid using punishments and rewards when it comes to screens? We unpack four studies that will help make your family happier and give you practical tips you can use today!
In...
Dr Jodie Lowinger is recognised as one of the world’s leading anxiety, mindset, and resilience experts. Jodie was a guest speaker in the groundbreaking Breaking Point Digital Conference and today we share a snapshot from her session on 'Girls and Mental Health'.
In this episode:
Every Tuesday Dr Justin answers listener questions about making your family happier! Today we have questions about sibling friendships/conflict, and helping children learn emotional regulation.
Question 1: What can parents do to make their children best friends, and how can sibling conflict/rivalry be eliminated?
Question 2: How can we control our 11 year old son's emotions so that he doesn't get bullied or teased due to his consi...
Are we doing more harm than good by pushing our children to excel early? The pursuit of excellence can feel rewarding for parents and children alike, but scientific evidence highlights the conflict between short-term gains and long-term success.
Today, we say a sad farewell to Craig Bruce as he concludes his remarkable tenure as Executive Producer of this podcast, and a heartfelt thank you from the entire Happy Families team for t...
It's normal and natural for young children to want to take their time exploring the world around them, and it's also normal for parents to want to get things done quickly! Could it be possible to do both? Can we slow down and be more productive at the same time?
There are practical and simple solutions that will help you to maintain the fun, build relationships, AND be productive—all while slowing life down for your child!
- Rus...
It takes a village to raise a family. Community-oriented relationships are so important for the well being of our children and for us as parents, but building them takes time, involvement, and effort. How can we create a village when we are time-poor parents, and where do we even start to find this supportive community?
- Building a safe neighbourhood
- Teachers
- Friendships - in and out of school
- Community leaders, coaches
- Medical...
Justin and Kylie respond to a listener question about emotional volcanoes
- Name it to tame it
- Emotional regulation
- High emotions – low intelligence
- Tunnel vision/rigid thinking
- Seen, heard & valued
(R) This episode originally aired 15/8/23.
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Related links:
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It's a question parents ask time and time again: What is the right age for my kids to do [insert risk]?
Justin and Kylie look at a number of hot topics and discuss the appropriate/legal age for children to be allowed to do each of these.
Is there tension and disagreement in your home when it comes to parenting? You are not alone! The most commonly asked question we receive is "How do you get on the same page in parenting?" We share three simple questions that can help to create alignment in your parenting-relationship, and make your family happier.
(R) This episode originally aired 5/9/23.
In this episode:
- Weekly couple’s meeting
- Three questions to ask
- Creatin...
When our children are experiencing challenges or behaving in a challenging way, there are things we can do and say that will help them get through these rough times and transform our relationship with them in the process. We would love to hear the phrases you say to your children - record a voice memo here or email your recording to podcasts@happyfamilies.com.au.
(R) This episode originally aired 30/5/22.
In this episode:
It can be easy to forget who we were before becoming parents. But that’s part of the beauty of parenthood! Being a parent allows us to experience personal growth as we tap into new strengths and creativity. We get to make intentional choices about who we will become, and to change the trajectory of our lives. Why then do we often think that we're boring now that we’re parents?
(R) This episode originally aired 13/10/22.
In this epi...
Regret is often seen as a negative emotion to be avoided, but what if it holds the key to better parenting? Dr Justin Coulson and author Dan Pink uncover the surprising ways regret can teach us valuable lessons, helping us to be kinder, more thoughtful parents, and ultimately, better people.
(R) This episode originally aired 2/11/22.
Topics included in this episode –
A listener has asked, “Should we tell our kids they are beautiful?”
It's ok to tell our kids they're beautiful, but we must ensure their sense of worth isn't solely tied to their looks. Focusing too much on appearance can make children rely on external validation and set them up to have a limited view of themselves. We share some helpful ways that you can encourage your child so they know they are enough, exactly as they are.
(R) T...
It is not worth going to war with your child over their preferences. There are going to be more important issues that will require you to stand your ground. These moments can end in a full-blown battle with your child, or by reframing the conversation, you can work through these tough issues, avoiding conflict while still keeping your kids healthy and safe. Listen in to find out how!
(R) This episode originally aired 6/6/22.
Topics...
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