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Nurturing Bilingualism in Children

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Australia is a multicultural nation…

It is estimated that one in four Australians were born overseas, and roughly four million Australians speak a language other than English…

More than 200 different languages are spoken in Australia…

And according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the most common languages spoken in Australia (other than English) are: Mandarin, Arabic, Italian, Cantonese, and Greek….

Which means that a significant amount of children in Australia are growing up bilingual! (Bilingualism is having the ability to use two or more languages.)

Types and degrees of bilingualism are very diverse. For example, a bilingual person may be able to speak a second language but not know how to read or write in that language.

In other cases, a person may have one dominant language and one, two, or a few non-dominant languages. A small minority of bilinguals are equally fluent in more than one language. Bilinguals may or may not have an accent, and bilinguals may or may not be bicultural.

How to Help Teenagers Develop Empathy

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Ever feel like your teenager has little or no compassion for others?

Do they find it hard to see things from another person’s point of view?

Do you struggle to get your adolescent son or daughter to engage in activities that don’t directly benefit them in some way?

It can be easy to jump to the conclusion that teenagers are just downright selfish or have some kind of issue with emotional intelligence, but it turns out there is an explanation for the behaviours you are seeing.

The way the brain develops in adolescence affects empathy and there is also a lot you can do to help your child develop these skills.

Successful Goal Setting For Kids

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

What does success mean to you?

…Is it being happy, rich, healthy, or maybe peaceful?

…Is it having a family, running a business, or being able to manage your own work schedule?

…Or maybe a combination of some of these things?

Success is a subjective term as we all value different achievements in different ways.

In the article “Nine Things Successful People Do Differently”, Heidi Halvorson focuses on reaching personal goals as a means to measure success.

Which got me wondering…

Is our perception of success related to having and achieving goals?

What to do When You Can’t Always be There

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

We hear it all the time: “I would love to spend more time with my kids but I’m busy working long hours / sharing custody / living interstate / etc.”

These are all legitimate reasons but they cause many parents to spend unending hours feeling guilty and worrying about the ill-effects their family situation could be having on their children.

Well, we don’t want to be unrealistic about things. Children do need and thrive from spending time with adults who care for them. It helps them build resilience, develop secure attachments and trust in their relationships, not to mention the problem-solving, learning and social skills that we can teach them.

But the good news is that quality is better than quantity.

Here are some tips to build a stronger connection with your kids and ensure that the time you do have together is meaningful.

Practising maths skills during school holidays

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

School holidays are all about relaxing, enjoying a well-earned break and having a good time with family and friends.

But, believe it or not, school holidays can also be a great opportunity to practice maths skills with your child. Now I’m not talking about boring drill and practice maths exercises, which will just get your child AND yourself frustrated! I’m talking about making maths fun! 🙂

Here are some great ideas from a school teacher who is also a mathematician – lots of practical and fun activities you and your child will enjoy.

Treatments for Autism And Other Disorders – How to Tell Science From Pseudoscience

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

I was reading this recent article by Andrew Whitehouse, which discusses the negative impacts of promoting untested theories.

Andrew focuses in particular on the field of autism and the abundance of theories that purport to explain, identify and treat the condition. As he discusses, there is, unfortunately, a decent percentage of autism theories that remain precisely that – theories.

This scenario might sound familiar if you have a loved one on the Autism Spectrum or a child with a learning difficulty, developmental disorder, or even a mood disorder.

There are an incredible number of theories out there about “why” these disorders exist and “how” a miracle treatment will have your child happily overcoming the difficulty that is troubling them. These theories can get your hopes up and may even prompt you to plonk your money down for the latest treatment faster than lightning.

Teenage Sleep Problems and How to Help Them Get Back on Track

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

When we see adolescents for counselling, friendship or family issues, study skills or a range of other problems, it is unsurprising that many of them also report some kind of sleep difficulty.

Sleep problems often affect kids’ ability to concentrate in the classroom, to get up and get moving in the morning and to regulate moods.

It can sometimes be hard to understand where this is coming from and why so many teenagers have trouble controlling their sleep patterns. This post aims to shed some light on the subject for both parents and teenagers.

AD/HD And Child Discipline: Some Helpful Tips

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a well-recognised disorder that is characterised by a range of inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.

Strong emotional reactions, impulsive behaviour, and short attention span are common characteristics of children with ADHD – which often result in challenging behaviours.

Avoid labelling your ADHD child “naughty” because their challenging behaviours are rarely deliberate. Generally, they are not even aware of their behaviours and how they affect others.

There are no quick-fixes or cures for AD/HD, however, there are many behaviour-management techniques and strategies that are effective to help manage difficult behaviours at home (and school!).

Keep reading for some ideas!

Reflections From Listening to Deepak Chopra

by Deborah Jepsen

There are a few interesting ideas that I am still processing since attending the “I Can Do It” conference and I thought I would share some of them here.

Deepak Chopra has written many books but it was nice to hear him talk in person and share what was on his mind. He introduced the notion that science, religion and philosophy are all systems of thought and we we need all three, but that you cannot fully appreciate reality through a system of thought.

He believes that you can only truly come to know reality through meditation that will take you beyond thought. He asked the rhetorical question, “What is awareness?” His response was that awareness is about becoming fully conscious and, in essence, it comes back to the question of “What am I?”

Preparing Children for the Birth of a Sibling

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

The arrival of a new sibling can result in mixed feelings for your existing children. They may feel happy and excited about having a new family member and someone they will be able to play with. However, they may also feel a bit confused or even jealous.

Younger children often feel confused due to uncertainty about what things will be like for them after the new baby is born.

They also may not grasp the concept of time. So when you talk to them about the impending birth of a new sibling they may not understand how far in the future this date really is.

And when a child doesn’t fully understand the impact the new baby will have on themselves and the family routine, they might even express no interest in the baby.

Don’t worry or try to force the issue. They just need some more time.

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