Millenial Dads (When Mum Goes Away)

What if trying to create the perfect family moment is the very thing getting in the way? After a week away with three of their daughters, Kylie realised she’d arrived with a clear picture of how their time together should look. The reality was completely different. And it turned out to be better. …

AI Is Making Real Relationships Feel Harder

AI never gets annoyed with you. It rarely pushes back. And it’s very good at telling you exactly what you want to hear. New research suggests that this constant validation may come with a cost. After just three weeks of interacting with sycophantic AI, people were more likely to seek personal advi…

Gaming & Neurodivergence: How to Make Gaming Healthier at Home [with Andrew Kinch]

Gaming can be a source of connection, competence and joy, especially for neurodivergent kids. But when switching off leads to arguments, anxiety or explosive behaviour, parents need more than another screen-time rule. Justin speaks with Game Aware founder Andrew Kinch about why some kids are drawn…

How to Handle Dating in the Tween Years [a Listener Q&A]

Your 12-year-old announces they’re dating someone. There’s hand-holding, constant texting and plenty of “love you” messages. Do you shut it down, set rules or stay out of it? Justin and Kylie unpack early teenage romance and why keeping your child talking to you matters more than trying to monitor…

Can We Ban Laptops From Primary School?

We put laptops and tablets into classrooms with a promise that technology would improve education. Nearly two decades later, parents and teachers are asking a confronting question: Did we get it wrong? Justin speaks with Danny Alachi, founder of the Heads Up Alliance, and Victorian high school tea…

Stop Trying to Create the Perfect Family

What if trying to create the perfect family moment is the very thing getting in the way? After a week away with three of their daughters, Kylie realised she’d arrived with a clear picture of how their time together should look. The reality was completely different. And it turned out to be better. …

The Baby Screen Habit Parents Need to Break

One in three babies is using a phone or tablet by six months old. By age two, almost one in ten is averaging around four hours of screen time a day. New research into screen use during the first years of life has landed with a confronting warning for parents. Justin and Kylie unpack what researche…

What Every Girl Needs to Know About Porn [with Kristen Jenson]

Pornography isn’t just a boys’ issue. Girls are seeing it too, often before their parents realise they need to talk about it. Kristen Jenson, founder of Defend Young Minds and author of Good Pictures, Bad Pictures Guide for Girls, joins Justin to explain why girls need to be part of this conversat…

Why Kids Lie and What to Do About It (a Listener Q&A)

Your five-year-old tells a whopping great lie at Show and Tell. Do you correct them, call them out, or let it go? Lying can push every parental button, but for young kids, stretching the truth can be a surprisingly normal sign of cognitive development. Justin and Kylie explain why kids lie, what t…

Enhanced Games (and Why Failure Might Be Your Child’s Best Teacher!)

Everyone wants the shortcut. Better results, less effort, faster success. But what happens when the shortcut fails? The Enhanced Games promised superhuman athletic performances through performance-enhancing drugs. Instead, the results offered a surprising lesson for parents and kids. Justin and Ky…