In Norway, students get grades for their behaviour—could this work in Australia? Researchers Stephen Dobson and Corey Bloomfield think there is some merit in it. Student behaviour is one of the biggest issues facing Australian schools. A survey of Queensland teachers earlier this year found that...
Is it normal, or should I be worried? Asks Penny Van Bergen Everyone knows a kid who cheats at Monopoly or backyard cricket. Perhaps they have even cheated on a test at school. If you notice your own child is doing this, you may worry they are...
Coping skills can be taught, and with depression rates on the rise among young people, learning them is more important than ever, writes Associate Professor Erica Frydenberg Stress is part of everyday life, and coping is how we deal with it. But just as there are...
Melanie Charlton writes about innovative ways to satisfy her children’s desire for a pet (particularly at Christmas) without bearing all the responsibility of owning one. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon, and the kids were agitated at being stuck indoors, so I suggested we go to...
Jacinta Parsons suffers the consequences of some wicked wordplay with her daughter. “Can you say Bubonic Plague?” I asked, pointing to a picture of a rat-type character in my two-year-old daughter’s storybook. Without hesitation, she began attempting the four-syllable historical reference to her once innocent rat....
Mia Cobb looks at the science of happier dogs and tips to keep them happy When you hear about “science focused on how dogs can live their best lives with us”, it sounds like an imaginary job made up by a child. However, the field of...
New video game redefines the neurodiverse narrative “Distracts others, has trouble paying attention and finds it difficult to follow instructions” – these are just some common observations parents, teachers and workplaces often make about people who are neurodivergent. Challenging Neurodiverse Stereotypes through Gaming University of South Australia researcher...
Here’s why you should try and say something else, writes Amanda Niland Good girl! Good boy! Parents, relatives and teachers say these phrases all the time and mean them positively. They may use it when a child puts on their shoes when asked, when they draw something interesting,...
‘School is boring’: what does it mean when your child says they’re bored in class? How you can help? write researchers Amanda Bourgeois and Annemaree Carroll, Gatot Adri/Shutterstock Have you ever asked your child how school was today, only to be told it was “boring”? Unfortunately, this conversation...
Ready-made foods for infants and toddlers bought in pouches and boxes in Australian supermarkets fall dismally short of nutrient, labelling and marketing requirements set out by the World Health Organization (WHO) High Sugar and Misleading Claims Raise Concerns A new study from Monash University reveals that 77%...
