The most important influence on your young child’s view of themselves is you. As they grow they get an increasingly detailed self-image; who they are what they are good at and what they are not, whether they are a good kid or a problematic one etc.

Just on 50% of Australians will experience a diagnoseable mental illness in their lifetime. Not surprisingly these statistics have increased significantly since the start of COVID. The most susceptible age groups are adolescents and young adults. Which means your child may be right in the firing line. Fortunately, there is plenty that you can do to minimise the risks for your child.

If your kids don’t want to go to bed – its because they like their life too much. There are also sorts of interesting things that are happening or might happen when I am awake, (not the least of which might be just spending some more time with you) and none when I am asleep.

Why would I want to go to bed?

So, it’s coming up to crunch time. Year 12 exams.

To your teenage student this is it; the culmination of 13 years of education. One set of tests to set up the rest of their life. It is demanding and can be overwhelming. There is plenty of advice online to help your child. Here is some that might help.

How do I minimise the chances of my children suffering mental health issues? Clearly no parent would want to see their child suffer through those afflictions. The good news is you can help

The latest National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in July 2022, and the findings are pretty frightening for our teenagers.

While parent education is a concept that has been around for a while, many people are unsure or unnerved about what this means, so here I thought I would break it down for you.

Question: What is the difference between a parent and a psychologist? The primary difference is how much a psychologist gets paid.

In essence they both deal daily with the human psyche. They try to work out how to reach the person that they are working with and help them navigate the difficulties that they encounter and, in the end, be the best people they can be.

NEWSFLASH: Regular conflict does not assist in creating great relationships.

Sorry, that’s not really news. Most people consider that a fact of life. Just as it is a fact of life that there will be conflict between a teenager and their parents. And you can expect that there will be. For most families there has to be.