Digital Trends
Why Qooh.me? Kids on show with risky revelations
On a recent weekend away with some girlfriends, the subject of our kids invariably came up and we discussed the challenges, the achievements, the good,
July 15, 2013 38 Comments
Parenting
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Online Behaviour
Toddlers and technology: are we exposing them to the screens too early?
Are we exposing our toddlers to the technology too early? Does it matter that they can find their way around a touchscreen before they can
July 9, 2013 22 Comments
Digital Trends
Instagram and video sharing: Another worry for parents?
Is Video sharing another online danger for parents to worry about? This week the Facebook owned photo sharing app, Instagram, announced it would add 15
June 24, 2013 14 Comments
Cyberbullying
Chain mail: harmless fun or harassment?
To some they are seen as a bit of harmless fun. A spreading of quaint little dittys, quotes and stories. To some they are an
June 20, 2013 13 Comments
Parenting
Connecting with our kids: how do we keep it up?
What does it really take to connect with someone? We talk about quality time over quantity. We talk about the benefits of real life connections
June 17, 2013 17 Comments
I want my boys to be strong
I want my boys to be strong. I am not talking about the size of their biceps or the weight of their bench press. As
May 20, 2013 21 Comments
Parenting
This Mothers Day I will be thinking of….
This Mothers Day I will be thinking of my beautiful daughter who I only got to hold for 4 and a half months I
May 10, 2013 18 Comments
4 reasons why we need to switch off the technology and disconnect to reconnect
I do love technology and the changes it has made to my life. I can do lots of work from home and still be around
May 6, 2013 11 Comments
30 Things to do without technology: Disconnecting our families to reconnect
Hearing the words whine “I’m bored…there’s nothing to do” is not really a new phenomena for kids either from my day or with todays ‘fix
April 29, 2013 14 Comments
Switching off the technology by default: my practice run to Disconnect to Reconnect
Easter this year saw us revisit our camping ground at Halls Gap for another fabulous long weekend of family, friends, fun, chocolate, wine, food and
April 23, 2013 15 Comments
A very important Mothers Day present: Disconnecting to Reconnect
I remember spending my first Mothers Day in the Royal Childrens Hospital with my new baby and I was given a little card with his
April 19, 2013 13 Comments
Whats normal for today’s kids? Is your child average?
When it comes to the common behaviours, beliefs and values of today’s kids, we are often hearing sweeping statements such as “kids of today…”, “”we
April 15, 2013 14 Comments
Parenting
Labelling our kids: Are we failing them with our diagnoses?
Do we need to keep labelling our kids? Must we prod and probe every behaviour, mood, emotion, flip out, tantrum and bad day until we
April 8, 2013 39 Comments
Teaching kids empathy in order to tackle the bully
There was a documentary we sat down to watch with the 10 and 12 year old last week about a football team from America in
April 2, 2013 15 Comments
4 things I do everyday to keep my kids safe online
Despite being a cyber safety consultant and counsellor of many families that have struggled with online safety issues, my most important job is as a
March 25, 2013 17 Comments
4 things parents shouldn’t do with their kids online
We are often talking about all the things parents should be doing to help keep their kids safe online. We encourage parents to actively learn
March 13, 2013 12 Comments
Teaching the social and emotional skills needed to be cyber safe
Do you know what your kids are being taught about cyber safety at school? Do you think it is adequate? Do you know the sorts
March 4, 2013 12 Comments
A Poem of loss….for us and too many others
Something a little different this week. 5 years ago today my brave little girl lost her fight for life. I have been loved and supported
March 1, 2013 23 Comments
4 ways to be the best parent you can be
Can I be a better parent? Every now and then I have a search through my blog stats to see where people are coming from
February 18, 2013 23 Comments
Why parents of Preschoolers need to learn about Cybersafety
Why do parents of toddlers and preschoolers need to start learning now all they can about technology, the online world and cyber safety? Surely this
February 12, 2013 17 Comments
Rights and Responsibilities Online: Safer Internet Day 2013
Its been a few years now since the internet waltzed into our lounge rooms and more recently into our pockets. Nearly 20 years in fact
February 5, 2013 12 Comments
Just let it go: observations of others and my holiday advice
Sitting on a beach is a great place to observe people. It is a fabulous canvas of human interaction and behaviour. Sunglasses on and magazine
January 29, 2013 12 Comments
5 ways to a more organised and stress free household
As the new year gets into full swing, the holidays come to an end, little ones start out at playgroups, kindergarten, schools or high school
January 22, 2013 27 Comments
Parenting with Technology: Top posts of 2012
This post is dedicated to the most popular cybersafety and parenting with technology posts of 2012. This is an area of parenting that is increasingly
January 15, 2013 16 Comments
Snapchat and Poke: better or worse for sexting?
Snapchat, and now Facebook’s Poke, are fast becoming the more popular way to share our photos with friends and for some people, strangers too. At
January 6, 2013 13 Comments
Some Holiday Blog Reading: A few favourites from The Modern Parent
As we recover from the food and festivities of Christmas, I thought I would share with you some of my favourite blogs to give you
December 26, 2012 15 Comments
A Christmas message from The Modern Parent
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers and their families a very happy and healthy Christmas. Thankyou so much for
December 17, 2012 23 Comments
How well do you know your kids? The benefits of role playing
Do you think you have a pretty good idea of how your kids would react to certain situations? Do you always know how they respond
December 10, 2012 31 Comments
Is the message in the medium? How does technology change the the meaning behind our communication?
Does the medium we use when we connect with others change our message? Does it matter if we say something via text, Facebook, Skype or Twitter? As technology
November 26, 2012 9 Comments
Fact or opinion: helping to reduce stress and negative behaviour
How well we differentiate between something that is fact and something that is opinion can have a huge impact on our mood, anxiety, stress levels
November 19, 2012 16 Comments
Online Behaviour
The Dilemma of Privacy Issues Online: helping kids make a compromise
This week I had a great conversation with my son about privacy and the online world. Well OK, it started off as more of an
November 13, 2012 19 Comments
Listening to our kids now to hear them later
I have often written and spoken about the need to form strong connections with your kids based on open, honest and available communication. We know
October 23, 2012 8 Comments
Today my little girl would have been five: Heartfelt memories
Today my little girl would have turned 5. She would be getting ready to start school next year. She would have had nearly 2 wondrous
October 17, 2012 44 Comments
Problogger, Parenting and Pearls of Wisdom
I love learning new things and I love meeting new people. Last week I got to do both for 2 whole days at the Problogger
October 16, 2012 12 Comments
A Summary of Social Networking Sites and Settings for Parents: how to keep kids safe
Every day there seems to be a new app, social media site or forum for our kids to ‘hangout’ online. Last week I talked about
October 9, 2012 22 Comments
Morning Routines and fitting in a healthy breakfast with BelVita
This week I have been taking part in a BelVita Breakfast challenge to help me find more energy and today I am making sure I
September 26, 2012 5 Comments
R u Ok?
Last night I asked someone I had never met “Are you ok?” What followed was a 30 minute conversation on grief and loss. This wasn’t
September 13, 2012 6 Comments
Fathers Day Questions & a giveaway
Last year on Fathers Day I asked my 3 older boys some interview questions about their dad. It was interesting to see the things they
August 31, 2012 15 Comments
Parenting
Some words to live by from Anne Shirley: Honesty, imagination and a kindred spirit
The other day I was researching searching being distracted by the internet when I came across a gorgeous quote from the ever so wise Anne of Green
August 27, 2012 18 Comments
Overparenting or a sign of the times? Why we need to educate and be educated
Is our use of parenting books, blogs, parent educators, forums and parenting seminars an indication we are overparenting or a sign of the times? I
August 21, 2012 14 Comments