boy

My Son Won’t Talk About His Day

By: Dr Justin Coulson

“Hi Dr Justin

My son won’t talk when he comes home from school. I ask him how his day was and he just says, “Fine.” I ask him what he did and he says “Nothing”. I ask him who he spent time with and he shrugs or mentions a friend or two. That’s it. Why won’t he talk? Is he being bullied? How can I get him to open up? He’s 9 years old.”

Read more

home keys

When Is It Ok to Leave Your Child Home Alone?

By: Dr Justin Coulson

I was born in the 1970s, and raised in a lower-to-middle-class suburb. Mum and Dad ran their own business and they both worked long hours. This meant that when I was a kid, I let myself into the house every afternoon after school, and I was free to play anywhere in the neighbourhood until my parents returned home from work. I spent the afternoons riding my bike down to the park or to the shops with my best mate Andy.

Read more

How to Raise Kids Who Read

By: Dr Justin Coulson

There’s a reason that experts make a big deal about telling parents to read to their children. Reading to kids (not using devices but using real books) is one of the best things we can do to help them develop positively.

Read more

Toddlers and Television

By: Dr Justin Coulson

I have written in this column – for years – that excessive screen time, including watching television, is not good for anyone, but is especially detrimental to children. A study published recently about the effects of television watching on toddlers makes this clearer than ever.

Read more

breath

Can Mindfulness Calm My Child?

By: Dr Justin Coulson

Mindfulness has become one of  the  buzzwords of the past decade. Mindfulness is receiving hype by in corporations,  educational institutions, psychologist’s offices, fitness centres, and increasingly in our family homes. In fact, mindfulness in families is becoming almost essential.  And for good reason.

Read more

kids and screens

How Play is Changing

By: Dr Justin Coulson

I want to ask you two questions. Pretty simple ones.  

First, how do your children play?

Second, how is  their  play different from the play  you enjoyed when you were young?

Consider your answers for just a moment. Is there much difference between the two?

Read more