Skip to main navigation Skip to main content
Watch videos
Please enter a search term

Homepage

Parents often share many of the same challenges when raising their child. First Five Years gives parents the expert advice, insights, support and tools they need to make the most of the first years of their child’s life.

Read more

Get Advice

Real parents. Real problems. We’re here with a group of leading early learning and parenting professionals to answer your questions.

Ask a question See all questions
Questions:

Is time-out okay for kids?

I’ve always understood that time-out was a reasonable way to deal with behaviour issues. Now I’m seeing some articles suggesting that time-out has had its day. Is time-out OK and if not, what’s the alternative?

When to start teaching maths

I don’t want to sound like some pushy mum, but at what age should I be starting maths activities with my child?

Feature

Biotechnology research

Child Development

Epigenetics: Child development and genes

Epigenetics is an emerging area of research. We already knew that the experiences young children have in their first 1000 days plays a role in their development. We now know these early experiences can actually change the way their genes are expressed.

Read more

Popular content

Father and daughter filling out paperwork

Child Development

Understanding left and right handedness

Girl enjoying fitness

Child Development

Promoting children's positive body image

Father and sons skateboarding

Child Development

Why boys wrestle, play fight and fidget

Little girl drawing

Child Development

Child development milestones: 3-5 yrs

Children eating a healthy snack

Child Development

The important facts on baby food pouches

Parent and child walking through school or early learning centre

Child Development

What I want you to know about my child

Snapshot of Australian Families

Emotions

Parent’s emotions are quite a contrast. The two words parents felt best described family life over the previous three months were happy 49% (↓ from 54%) and stressed 39% (↑ from 36%).

Meals

31.8% of families only eat breakfast together on weekends. However 11% (↓ from 12%) of families never eat breakfast together.

Family Time

48% (↓ from 53%) of parents believe they spend less time with their children than their parents spent with them.

Expenses

39% (↓ from 40%) of parents have struggled to meet essential expenses like food, mortgage/rent, utility bills, child care or important medical care over the past 12 months.

Girl enjoying fitness
If someone has said something negative [in front of your child], like ‘people are fat because they can’t stop eating’, you might be able to jump in and say, ‘Actually, people’s body sizes are different for all sorts of reasons and that’s okay’.
Dr Siân McLean

Promoting children's positive body image

Research on body image has revealed that children as young as three, are already forming opinions and biases around size. Poor body image is often associated with teenagers, however parents may not realise just how early weight and size bias forms.

Read more

Praise

Finding ways to motivate your child

When motivating children, experts suggest that instead of saying, “You’re so amazing!” or “You’re the best at everything!” say, “I’m proud of you. You tried really hard at that", offering honest praise and acknowledging the effort they have put in.

Read more

Physical health

Top 10 Essential Parenting Questions

What is tongue tie and should it be treated? What is a normal baby poo? Help - my child has worms! Gold Coast University Hospital Director of Paediatrics Professor Susan Moloney answers the top 10 questions parents pose about children under five.

Read more

Managing behaviour

Report warns against physical discipline

A report from the American Academy of Paediatrics finds that parents should not use corporal punishment as it can be associated with aggressive behaviour in a child and make it more likely that children will be defiant or aggressive in the future.

Read more

Social skills

Making friends: How to help your child

The road to social skills starts slowly for small children. How we make friends – and keep them – changes as we age, but when it comes to helping our children get started with their first friendships, what should we do and how and when can we help?

Read more

Developmental milestones

Top toilet training tips: When and how?

Every parent has a story about toilet training, knows someone who did it earlier than your child or has a strong opinion about when it should be done. However, what you do is dependent on your child. Dr Susan Moloney provides her advice for parents.

Read more

In The Bag

Before you go to an appointment, grab some safe things for your child to play with and put them in a bag. While you’re waiting, reach into the bag and talk about what you find. “This is a teething ring for you to chew on. Here’s a rattle for you to hold. Let’s shake it!”

Talking about what’s In the Bag is interesting to your child and will help him/her build his/her vocabulary and his/her brain. Speak in full sentences. It's okay to use words that your child doesn't know yet. That's how he/she learns!

 

See all tips
Vroom uses the science of early learning to help your child thrive with bite-sized activities that support brain growth.