
My 5 year old has anxiety issues
Hi Dr Justin I have a 5 year old who has severe anxiety issues. She wakes during the night to ensure I am still at home and often wakes to come into my bed. I send her back to her bed but she ...

Why a Teenager’s Brain is Like a Ferrari with Bicycle Brakes
Why do adolescents take risks – a lot? It’s almost like they feel they’re immortal. Adolescents are impulsive. They seek constant stimulation. They don’t weigh risks before they dive ...

The UGLY truth about smacking our kids (Part 2)
In my last article I discussed a range of problems associated with smacking our kids. The article was designed to demonstrate that there is a lot of evidence that indicates that smacking kids ...

The UGLY truth about smacking our kids (Part 1)
In my parenting classes and coaching sessions I am regularly confronted with people who become incredulous when I suggest that we need to stop hitting our kids if we want to discipline them ...

I don’t need fixing! I need guiding and loving
One of the most respected psychologists in the world today, Dr Martin Seligman, recently said: “(Teaching) children is vastly more than fixing what is wrong with them. It is about identifying ...

I’m tired of being the parent and the police
“Dear Dr Justin
I feel like my whole day is spent dealing with ‘Mum, he hit me.’ And ‘Mum, she said I’m an idiot’. All day my kids are at me to fix their problems. It’s driving me ...

Is it Ever Ok to Abandon Your Kids?
I recently received an email from a concerned parent. It read as follows:
My friend threatened to leave her 8 year-old kid on the side of the road. He had been playing up something shocking and she ...

Kids Need Smart Parents, Not Smart Phones
A few weeks ago my 13 year-old dropped her telephone… into the bath. There was a scream. Then tears. Then frantic attempts to open the phone and dry it out. Her panic slowly subsided and was ...

My Kids Don’t Want to be my Friend Anymore
Hi Dr Justin, My 4 yo and 2 1/2 yo have recently started telling me “I’m not your friend anymore” or “you’re not my mummy” when I ask them to do something they don’t like or want to ...