The Parent Squad

We've all seen the videos - we may have even seen it in our own living rooms on Christmas morning... A child, even teenager, opens a gift their loved one has especially picked out for them, and they proceed to complain about how it's not the one they wanted. The wrong colour bicycle, wrong model phone, it could be anything. So how do we teach our children to be grateful for anything they're given this Christmas? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the essential life skills our kids truly need to know before they head out into the real world? How often to wash their sheets, how to cook a basic meal, managing bills and payments, doing laundry without turning their white shirts pink - these are things that most of us learnt well before we moved out, but they don't seem to be as common today. Only 21% of parents of children aged 5-17 years say their kids are often involved with cooking. That's 79% of kids that will likely leave home not knowing how to cook much more than a toasted cheese. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In just a few days, a law banning the use of social media for under 16s will take effect in Australia. For many parents, social media has been a daily part of family life for years - allowing kids to stay connected with their friends and family, sharing life updates with people they may not get a chance to speak with very often. Generations before have been relatively ignorant to just how seriously harmful it can be - figuring if they just keep open communication with their kids then they should be fine. But younger millennial and gen Z parents seem to be recognising the dangers, and most often opting to keep their kids offline. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The school year is drawing to an end and soon enough, families will be filling school halls and gymnasiums for the end-of-year prizegiving. For the star students or athletes, it's a moment of pride to walk across the stage and receive a well-earned award. For others, the whole thing can feel demoralising. Never mind the awards themselves - there are clear differences between some, like the dean's award and the most improved. But on the other hand, do we really want to be handing out participation awards? Are they inclusive or are they encouraging mediocrity? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer holidays is just around the corner and kids will be rushing out the door to spend as much time as they can with their friends. But this time of year is often the longest period that parents will be able to spend time at home with the family. We don't want to pull our children away from their friends, but we also want to instil the value of family time. So where do we draw the line between family time and friend time for our children this summer? LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.