Category Children
My baby’s become an adolescent! Letting go to reconnect
The teenage years. They’re inevitable. Gone are the days when your child was a tiny bundle who you could dress, play with, cuddle and coo with, and take wherever you needed to go. Now they’ve shot up like a beanpole,…
Is my Teenager Sad or Depressed?
A common question that parents encounter is, should I be worried about my teenager’s sad thoughts? Any parent knows that teenagers can have all kinds of unique, interesting, strange and sometimes very sad thoughts. Sadness versus Depression Firstly, it is…
The Terrible Twos (and Threes, and Fours, and Fives…): Emotional regulation for Children
Emotions. Much of the time they seem so hard to keep in check, even as adults. Either we’re told we’re oversensitive and feeling too much, or we’re bottling them up and not feeling enough! An incredibly complex balance. So, how…
NAPLAN and anxiety: When the pressure is too much for your child
The countdown is on to the next NAPLAN tests in South Australian schools, due in May 12-14, 2015. Since the introduction of the NAPLAN testing in our schools, I have witnessed a growing number of parents in Adelaide expressing concerns…
The marvellous mystery of parent and baby bonding: Demystifying postnatal depression and the myth of maternal instincts
One of the most heart-wrenching questions I’m asked by mothers at Attuned Psychology in North Adelaide is, how do I bond with my baby? For many new mums, you’ve been told your baby is your ‘precious bundle of joy’ and…
Toilet training: You don’t need to do it alone
We have all had dreaded “toilet training moments” with our children. Most of us have left shopping trolleys to make that mad dash for the toilet only to get there and it’s too late. Or we have lifted up our…
Eight ways to increase your happiness and improve your stress levels by practicing self compassion and self care
It is incredible how we are able to do so much for others these days, but do little for ourselves without negotiating whether or not we deserve it, or without feeling guilty after having done it. While writing this blog…
5 Ways to Support Your Child Through Separation
Separation isn’t easy for anyone. It is often a very difficult time for parents; neither of you planned nor wanted this in the beginning. There’s been a drastic change in what you’d hoped, planned and envisioned. Now that it’s happened,…
The Adelaide Bush Fires – Coping with Trauma and Loss
In the wake of the recent devastating bush fires in the Adelaide Hills, having experienced past bush fires myself, as well as being partner to a Captain in the CFS and an Adelaide Hills resident, I have taken some time…
Preparing for the First Day of School – for kids and parents
Christmas has come and gone and the New Year is upon us. Soon children will be thinking about heading back to school for another year of learning and fun. For many parents and families, 2015 marks the start of a…