It can feel overwhelming to talk to a child about difficult things that are happening in the news or at home. In this resource, we share suggestions for talking with a child about difficult current events, listening to a child’s feelings, and loving them during challenging...
‘Maeve’s law’ would let IVF parents access technology to prevent mitochondrial disease. Here’s what the Senate is debating, report David Thorburn and Megan Munsie The Senate has been debating “Maeve’s law” – a proposal to legalise access to new assisted reproductive techniques that will reduce the...
‘We get the raw deal out of almost everything’ Lucas Walsh, Beatriz Gallo Cordoba, Blake Cutler, Cathy Waite and Masha Mikola look at the Australian Youth Barometer Young people today are coming of age in the middle of a global pandemic, soaring house prices, an unpromising job...
By normalising brilliant women to our daughters and our sons, we make room for those women. If we don’t, it becomes a real problem for successful women when those boys become men, reports researcher, Dr Dana McKay On International Women’s Day, like many people, I will...
Recent discoveries about brain development have gone some way towards unlocking the mysteries of the teenage mind, writes Dr Tom Whelan. The word puberty is derived from the Latin ‘pubescere’ which means ‘to grow hairy’. As such, it accurately signifies the beginnings of that strange and...
Maxine Clark’s son begins to ponder the more obvious markers of his Jamaican heritage. “Your mum’s brown,” a little girl at my son’s childcare centre announced matter-of-factly to him when I arrived to pick him up last week. It wasn’t a criticism; it wasn’t an insult....
5 things research from twins taught us about health, behaviour and what makes us unique, reports Jeffrey Craig Researchers often compare the differences between identical and fraternal twins to better understand health and behaviour. The first major insight is that genes and environments almost always combine to...
Empathy is vital for social functioning. However, new research demonstrates that children who are particularly empathic are also more anxious, report Kate Bray and Associate Professor Sarah Whittle Empathy is our ability to share and understand the emotions of other people. Most experts agree that there are...
In the war of wills with her children, Gemma Rolleman has learnt to pick her battles. Last night, my seven-year-old daughter regurgitated a spoonful of my carefully prepared risotto back onto her plate. “Yuck,” she spluttered, her nose wrinkled, “that’s disgusting.” I half expected the reaction....
A child’s formative years are critical to laying the foundations for opportunity across their entire life, reports Professor Abigail Payne So the experience of prolonged hardship during these early years can have a range of long-lasting negative consequences on children’s health and development. In the wake...
