During International Fathers' Mental Health Day on June 17th 2024, the Centre for Perinatal Psychology is encouraging dads who may be struggling to come forward and seek help. While it has long been recognised that as many as 15 per cent of new mothers may experience...

'No mullets, no mohawks, no ‘awkwardly contrasting colours’.  Researcher Kayla Mildren looks at disputes over school uniform policies and why they often involve hair. A Queensland dad recently took his four-year-old son out of the Gold Coast’s A.B. Paterson College because the school had ordered the...

Mattel’s new athlete Barbies might seem like a win for feminists and young girls – but they’re not, write Lauren Gurrieri and Suzie Gibson Mattel released a new range of Barbie dolls this week honouring nine trailblazing women in sport. The recognised athletes include Matildas soccer...

Dress-up games let your child act out different roles, explore ideas, develop imagination, and express emotions in a safe way. From around the age of 3 years, your child might enjoy dress-up games as they can let your child act out different roles, explore ideas about...

Australian researchers from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) have found a way to predict which children are likely to outgrow their peanut allergy based on changes in antibody levels over time. The study revealed that two-thirds of children with a peanut allergy remain allergic by...

Denise Yearian believes that charity birthday parties can encourage children to think and act altruistically. At a time when many parents are pulling out all the stops for their children’s birthday parties, some families are hosting parties where the aim is to give gifts away. Children’s...

CONTENT WARNING: Physical violence, graphic violence; violence against women and children. Monash academic Steven Roberts’ life is littered with experiences of family violence, witnessed growing up, and perpetrated against him. By talking about it, he’s hoping to draw attention to the need for men to speak...

Children’s parties are the number-one method used by competitive parents to outdo each other. Philippa Macken finds that you don’t need to be flashy to be fun. Harry was beside himself. I held his tiny hand as he hopped alongside me, barely able to contain his...

Setting aside time to read during the week can be challenging. Fortunately, you only need 20 to 30 minutes of reading a day to boost your child’s literacy—and it’s up to you how you want to structure it!  Here are six expert-backed ways to read as...

‘Why did he Leave Me?’  is one, reports researcher Lauren Breen, Death and grief are not easy to talk about. Talking to children about these can be harder still. Our instinct to protect children from harsh realities means we might avoid these topics altogether. But, as we...