A trial is testing ways to enforce Australia’s social media ban for under-16s. But the tech is flawed, report researchers Alexia Maddox, Luke Heemsbergen and My Le Australia’s move to ban under-16s from social media is receiving widespread praise. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, Ireland,...
Even after they can read themselves, writes Robyn Cox, because reading aloud to your children is a parental superpower Is reading to your kids a bedtime ritual in your home? For many of us, it will be a visceral memory of our own childhoods. Or of...
It’s a risky move, writes Lisa M. Given, because the eSafety advisory explains AI companions can “share harmful content, distort reality and give advice that is dangerous”. Google has announced it will roll out its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to children under the age of...
Is your child anxious about going on school camp? Asks Micah Boerma. Here are four ways to prepare your anxious child to attend and enjoy camp. One of the highlights of the school year is an overnight excursion or school camp. These can happen as early...
What can parents do? Jacquelyn Harverson, Louise Paatsch and Sharon Horwood look at the links between digital technology use and young children’s well-being. Once upon a time, children fought for control of the remote to the sole family television. Now, the choice of screen-based content available to kids...
Victoria Minson asks What are the national standards? Recently, we heard claims of shocking abuse and neglect in Australian childcare centres on ABC’s Four Corners program. While 91% of services met or exceeded the national standards as of February 2025, there have also been reports of centres...
Funny and Engaging Early Reader Books to Build Kids’ Vocabulary Early Reader books—sometimes called Junior Fiction—sit between picture books and more advanced chapter books. Aimed at children aged 6 to 8, these books feature more complex plots, rich vocabulary to support reading growth, and plenty of...
Lucinda Bertram tries to deal tactfully with her daughters’ prolific artistic output. “Oh, it’s lovely,” I hear myself saying as, yet again, my daughter walks proudly towards me at the end of the preschool day, holding a mountain of biscuit and tissue boxes glued together. “It’s...
There are big conversations parents need to have to empower their children to be safe in the digital world. Why the Show Is Causing Concern Netflix’s new crime drama Adolescence has sparked anxiety among parents and child protection experts. The series follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller, who is...
It's ‘Literally just child gambling’, write researchers Taylor Hardwick and Marcus Carter Roblox is one of the world’s most popular online platforms for children, offering a variety of “experiences” including games and virtual spaces. Most of the experiences are free, but they offer upgrades, bonuses and...
