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Family Favourites – Is it Harmful to Favour One Child Over Another?

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

The idea of having a favourite child is taboo in what many think of as ‘good parenting’.

It’s often considered to be unfair and problematic, and can be a huge source of guilt for loving, conscientious parents.

But a recent article in The New York Times provides some interesting and different ways of thinking about family favouritism.

Author Perry Klass suggests that playing favourites doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It’s your actions, and not emotions, that can be problematic.

Here are some key points to keep in mind when it comes to favouring one child over another:

6 Ways to Reduce Your Child’s Materialism

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

In a recent post we discussed Linda Blair’s suggestions for raising unspoilt children.

A key idea was to focus on giving your kids love and attention over material possessions.

And this prompts another important question:

How do we stop our kids from becoming too materialistic?

It’s not a new dilemma, but it can be an increasingly difficult one.

While ‘back in our day’, kids would covet toys and games that they saw their friends playing with, or that were advertised on TV.

Now, kids are facing a constant barrage of advertising on the internet, from social media to web ads and even YouTube videos of other kids playing with new toys!

And if your kids use tablets or smart phones, many apps and games themselves are an advertisement for more shiny new things to envy.

The negative effects of an overly materialistic child can be far-reaching — it can be a financial strain on parents, a distraction from studies and more important developmental and social activities in kids, and can set up unrealistic expectations for adulthood.

So how can we overcome the power of constant advertising in the digital age, and curb materialism in our children?

How a Child Psychologist Can Help Children Develop Lifelong Skills

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Parents often book in to see a child psychologist to address a pressing concern with their child.

For example, anxiety, separation, learning difficulties, or bullying in the school yard.

But seeing a psychologist — especially for kids — can also be great for prevention, instead of only being reactive when things are difficult.

And the benefits in terms of life skills learned, can be profound.

In a recent blog post we discussed the long-term benefits of early intervention in the treatment of anxiety.

But did you know that early intervention can also be very helpful for several other types of issues?

Here are three more important benefits to practical, solution-focused counselling for kids:

Can Video Games Really Improve Academic Performance?

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

You may have seen a report in the news recently suggesting a positive link between playing video games and academic performance.

This conclusion came from a study that analysed data from over 12,000 high school students in Australia and it showed that students who played online video games almost every day performed above-average in academic testing.

The study found that gamers scored 15 points higher than average in maths and reading tests, and 17 points higher than average in science.

But the real question is:

Do gamers achieve better results because they play more video games?

How Can a Psychologist Help Your Child When They Are Not a Parent Themselves?

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Here’s an interesting question we are occasionally asked:

How can a psychologist understand the difficulties of parenting children, and how to help them overcome emotional challenges, if they don’t have any children of their own?

The answer is simple:

Effective counselling does not depend on the counsellor’s direct personal experience with a particular issue.

So what does it depend on?

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

If you’ve ever visited a psychologist, or even considered it, you’ve probably heard of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

And while the name might sound a little complex, it’s actually one of the most practical, simple, and commonly used approaches to dealing with many types of emotional, behavioural and psychiatric problems.

Plus there’s lots of scientific evidence to support its effectiveness.

But what is it, exactly?

What Can You Expect From Our Child Psychology Services?

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

The first visit to a new psychologist can be a daunting experience. It’s completely natural to feel nervous about addressing your concerns head on with someone you’ve never met.

And this is especially true when it comes to a child psychologist who will be seeing your child or teenager.

But our clients typically find that taking that first step to come in for an initial 30 minute parent consultation is a very positive and productive step in the right direction.

And we’re here to make the experience as constructive and comfortable as possible.

So, what can you expect from a visit to our practice?

How Can We Raise Unspoilt Children?

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

It’s an age-old question that comes up often in our consultations with parents, and it’s not an easy one to answer:

How do we give our children the world, without making them feel entitled to it?

Finding the right balance as a parent will help you to raise a child that will become an independent, confident and capable adult.

Anxiety in Younger Children – Why Early Intervention Matters

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

You’re probably familiar with the term ‘early intervention’…

(Which means taking action as early as possible to support children’s physical, mental and emotional needs.)

Well, research has shown that dealing with child anxiety as soon as possible can be hugely beneficial…

And when early intervention is not applied?

This often leads to more serious anxiety related challenges in adolescence and adulthood…

So what does excessive child anxiety look like?

Is “Brain Training” a Sham? New Study Casts Doubts on Claims Made by Billion-Dollar Industry

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

In recent years we’ve been told that it’s possible to get smarter with the aid of various expensive high-tech brain training tools, apps and software.

Companies such as Cogmed, Lumosity and NeuroNation, have promised everything from higher IQs through to staying sharp in old age.

Claims even went so far as to suggest brain training can help with learning disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD).

What’s more the claims made by the vendors and resellers of brain training products and services were all purportedly based on scientific evidence.

Now it appears there could be serious questions about the credibility of that evidence.

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