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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.

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

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Questions:

Dealing with competitive children

I have two children who for the most part adore each other and play really well, but get painfully competitive over time spent with me. It’s great to feel loved but the competitiveness is exhausting to deal with and often spoils nice moments. Is there a way to work around this?

How to handle a demanding child

I am a mother to three children and my middle child who is four years old is demanding all of my attention. He frustrates his brother and sister by teasing and annoying them and throws temper tantrums when he gets into trouble for it. Nothing I’m doing is working!

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Little girl is angry with her toy bear

Child Development

Why positive discipline works

For decades parents and communities have debated the most effective ways of disciplining children. Discipline is helping your child understand how to behave – and how not to behave. So does punishment have a role and can positive discipline work?

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The benefits of nature play for children

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Lifestyle

What it means to be a modern father

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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 eating chocolate with her finger
As the adult, you aren’t to blame for your child lying, but you are responsible for thinking about what is going on and you are responsible for taking the lead to create an environment where there can be more trust, so your child feels safe to share the truth.
Dr Becky Kennedy

Lies and Lying: Why do children tell lies?

Parents can easily feel frustrated or upset when their child lies to them, but according to clinical psychologist Dr Becky Kennedy it all comes down to evolution and trust. So what strategies work when children lie and should you resort to punishment?

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Child lying on the floor

Managing behaviour

Techno-tantrums? We’ve got some tips

Dr Kristy Goodwin says a techno-tantrum describes when children emotionally combust and throw a tantrum when you ask them to digitally disconnect and switch off technology. But what is normal behaviour and and how can parents manage the response?

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Children wearing rain boots splash and play in a mud puddle

Managing behaviour

Raising, educating and understanding boys

All too often parents and educators find themselves struggling with aspects of boys’ behaviour, but speaker, author and academic Dr Michael Nagel says we need to understand them to avoid frustration. So how can raising boys be different and why?

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Little girl walking alone after learning

Mental health

Anxiety: Preparing children for change

As children prepare to go to school or early learning centres the focus is often on meeting new educators and making new friends. So how do parents and carers support children through change? Dr Rebecca English looks at dealing with separation anxiety.

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Excited three-year-old simply cannot sit still

Managing behaviour

ADHD signs: Does your child have ADHD?

With nearly one in 10 children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Australia, parents may find themselves wondering about the signs or triggers. Dr Alison Poulton says it's not black and white but many shades of grey.

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Agroup of mothers in the park with their children in baby strollers

Parent health

'Parent shaming' affecting mental health

A study has found that in a sample of more than 1000 Australian parents, almost half reported feeling shamed for their parenting approach. So what are parents being shamed for and what are the impacts? And what is the concept of ‘good enough’ parenting?

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Little girl visits her grandparents with her parents

Parenting styles

How our childhood affects our parenting

Clinical psychologist Dr Sophie Havighurst says what happens in our childhood creates emotional triggers that affect how we react as adults. These automatic responses regularly play out in our own parenting and can be passed onto the next generation.

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Faces and Feelings

Next time you’re stuck in a waiting room with your child, pick up a magazine. Point out a face in one of the pictures and have your child copy it. Ask your child what he/she thinks the person is feeling. Discuss with him/her when you and he/she might have felt this way too.

When you talk about your own and others’ feelings, you’re helping your child learn to take a new perspective, which are helpful in getting along with others.

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