Episodes
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On the first episode of Season 2 of our podcast, we are joined by a very esteemed guest, Dr. Claire Rubman.Unlocking the Joy of Early Reading! 📚🔓 Join Dr. Rubman as she shares valuable insights from his book on fostering reading development in children. Learn how to engage your child in early reading, create a fun and enjoyable environment, and model behaviors for success in the classroom.
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Episode 57 of the Superstar Practical Strategies helps parents check and manage if their child is experiencing anxieties while in recovery after the floods. After a flood, many families will take time to recover. This will depend partly on the level of trauma a family suffered during the actual event, and how quickly life can return to normal after the event. Children and young people don't always talk about what's going on inside, so check the list below to help you figure out if your child is anxious after the floods.
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Missing episodes?
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Unless you refuse to partake of any form of media, it's impossible to miss mentions of the war in Ukraine. The TV is constantly bombarding us with images of the conflict, and we see people just like us being forced to flee with their children and pets into a very uncertain future.
Kids see it, too. And it can cause or escalate anxiety, especially for children who are already prone to worrying. Fortunately, parents and carers can take steps to minimize the harm and equip kids with the skills they need to cope. -
In episode 55 of Superstar Practical Strategies, Deb talk about how to manage anxiety when bad things happen because many children and adults are experiencing heightened worry and anxiety as our world faces wars and natural disasters, unlike anything we have seen in our lifetimes. Our TVs and newsfeeds are full of bad news and terrible things happening to ordinary people just like us.
We must do what we can to manage our response to these things because it's the only way we can stay mentally healthy in a crazy world. This podcast will discuss tips for ways to help the whole family deal with the worry of living with events such as wars and floods. Managing anxiety over world events: tips for a stress-free life -
In episode 54 of Superstar Practical Strategies, Deb talk about the importance of Goal Setting in the Family as well as tips on how to make it work. Goal-setting is the common theme of January as New Year's resolutions are made. Things start out well at the beginning of the month, but by the end of the month, many of our grand plans have fallen in a heap and we give up on the idea of achieving our goals.
So, what are some ways that you can make goals and keep them? How can you help your child to achieve some sustainable goals when it comes to life skills and learning? -
In episode 53 of Superstar Practical Strategies, Deb talk about hidden anxiety among children is surprisingly high, undoubtedly because it often masquerades as something else. And without understanding what they're dealing with, the adults in a child's life are often not equipped to handle it in the best way for the child.
Anxiety arises when the amygdala, a small organ in the center of the brain, sends out signals chemical signals intended to give a person extra speed or strength in times of danger. It puts the whole body on high alert as it goes into "flight, fight, or freeze" mode whenever it perceives a threat.
But anxiety doesn't often wave a banner and announce its presence, especially in children. And unless a parent or carer knows what to look for, what is essentially a cry for help may go unrecognized.
So, what does hidden anxiety look like? (It's important to remember that each child is different and anxiety patterns are not uniform). -
Covid anxiety is something no one has talked about much, especially when it comes to children and teens, who have been silently suffering from the side effects of the pandemic.
But research is emerging now that we are almost two years into the pandemic and it's revealing some grim truths about the effects of the social upheaval on the health and wellbeing of our younger generations. -
Technology anxiety is real amongst children and young people who have been in lockdowns, back to face-to-face returning to the classroom and another change coming up - back into school holidays and the threat of the Omicron arriving in countries all over the world.
During the last 2 years, most children have been learning online or through an increased amount of screen time rather than face-to-face. For children with anxiety or worries about the problems in the world, this has often been less stressful than engaging in activities in the real world.
But what about when they return to face-to-face learning for a short time, and then back into school holidays shortly? And what is technology anxiety, anyway? -
In Episode 50 of Life Skills 4 Kids, Deb is featured as a guest speaker in Julia Hasche podcast. Julia is a blogger, author, and mentor for single parents who also created the Single Mother Survival Guide in 2016.
Deb talks with Julia about some of the verbal cues and behaviours that children do when they are anxious. Deb also discusses about the ways on how we, as parents, can make it easier for our children who experience anxiety.
In this episode they cover:
•Defining anxiety and how would you know if your child might have it?
•Ways on Managing anxiety
•How life can be better for children with anxiety
•Signs/behaviors that your kids might unintentionally say or do leading to anxiety
•What is the difference between "normal kid behavior" vs anxiety
•Ways on how we can reduce anxiety in children
•Teaching Kids to Manage anxiety book -
In Episode 49 of Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast, Deb talks with Julia Hasche, a blogger, podcast host, author, and mentor for single parents. She became a single mother in 2013 when her daughter was just a few months old and created the Single Mother Survival Guide in 2016.
In this episode they cover
- The challenges of single motherhood. Tackling feelings of loneliness, lifestyle changes, dating, co-parenting, and communication.
- Top tips to give to single moms especially in the grieving process.
- Finding your support and working on your mindset.
- Prioritizing self-care -
In Episode 48 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast, Deb talks with Dr. Louise Metcalf, a senior psychologist at the Feel Good Clinic in Sydney and Gheorg.com.
In this episode they cover:
•Three tips to help children and families cope.
•Knowing and managing your own anxiety as a parent
•How Gheorg can help your kids to manage anxiety
Learn more about Louise: https://www.gheorg.com/
Connect with Louise on Social Media:
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn - Gheorg
LinkedIn - Louise Metcalf
Teaching Kids to Manage Anxiety - https://bit.ly/2AJNLDW -
In Episode 47 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast, Deb chats with Nicole Santamaria founder of Miami Handwriting, where she works with children, families, and schools to help develop handwriting skills and the broader issues those kids are dealing with.
In this episode they cover:
•Some fundamentals of good handwriting
•All the different brain functions that need to coordinate in order to have good handwriting
•Sensory systems that you need to tap into in order for the child to be regulated enough to learn
Flexible seating opt in HERE
Handwriting Resources opt in HERE
Bio HERE
Follow Miami Handwriting on
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkBJ...
Instagram - https://www.facebook.com/miamihandwri...
Facebook - https://www.instagram.com/miamihandwr...
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/miamihandwr...
Website - http://www.miamihandwriting.com
Teaching Kids to Manage Anxiety - https://bit.ly/2AJNLDW -
In Episode 46 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast, Deb talks with Rebecca Spokes about all things related to handwriting! Rebecca is an Occupational Therapist who created The OT Notebook.
In this episode they cover:
•Why pencil grip is important.
•What proper pencil grip looks like and others that are functional.
•Troubleshooting tricks for kids who have the wrong grip or hold the pencil tightly.
Links:
Rebecca's Grip Demonstration Video:
Rebecca's Functional Pencil Grips Guide:
Follow Rebecca on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOTNotebook/
Alex Learns that Changes are OK - https://bit.ly/3ehPS0z -
It's difficult to help our kids cope with the many transitions and big issues that 2020 has brought so far. In Episode 45 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast, Deb answers questions from Liz, a counselor at NSWl.
In this episode they cover:
•Deb's transition to telehealth for her Occupational Therapy work.
•How different kids are coping with distance learning and the transition back to public school.
•Deb shares her Four Key Anchors for parents to help children transition.
Liz Hurlow bio:
I love being a mum of two beautiful children and a wife to an amazing husband. I value my faith, exercise, socializing with others and being in nature. I have lived across South Africa, New Zealand and now Australia and love the diversity in people and practice. Currently I work part-time as a school counsellor in NSW. My professional background is in Occupational Therapy and I completed a Master of Counselling to further develop my professional skills. I am passionate about working alongside young people and their families to navigate life well.
Teaching Kids to Manage Anxiety - https://bit.ly/2AJNLDW -
In Episode 44 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast, Deb does a check in to see how everyone is coping post COVID-19. Kids can be so sensitive, it's tough to help them cope with the rapid changes in the world around us. First, online learning. Now they're going back to school in person. And the world around us is struggling to adjust to in-person life again, safely. And she shares the four strong anchors she uses to steady our kids through these uncertain times.
In this episode she shares:
•Feedback from listeners regarding how they're coping.
•The pressure schools are putting on parents regarding school.
•The feelings that children are having in isolation.
•The effects of COVID-19 on multiple sectors of people.
Teaching Kids to Manage Anxiety - https://bit.ly/2XMicRF -
In Episode 43 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast, Deb chats with April Mundall. April and her husband Marcus are passionate about teaching kids financial management skills and April shares how she has had success changing children's entitled attitudes to gratitude and increasing independence and responsibility.
In this episode they discuss:
•How April got into doing Money Smart Kids workshops.
•Recognizing entitlement in kids and how to combat it.
•How to get started in teaching kids how to manage money.
•At each age how to "pay your kids" to help them develop money management skills.
•How to calculate the amount you give to older children to manage
Links:
For more info or to connect with April, email: [email protected]
Sample-Kids-Budget-Worksheet - https://bit.ly/2AgYm8S
To-Share-Sample-Kids-Budget-Worksheet - https://bit.ly/3daor8f
Alex Learns that Changes are OK - https://bit.ly/2M7d84O -
In Episode 42 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast Deb talks about staying connected with your teenager. She welcomes Pauline Duncan, a former teacher and homeschooling mum to teenagers, to the show. Pauline has a burning passion for helping families connect and grow.
In this episode they discuss:
•The importance of validating the transition period between being a child and being an adult.
•The role parents play in facilitating growth in that time period.
•Several ways to stay connected with teenagers during this transition time of life.
•The benefits of staying grounded and present as parents and suggestions for how to do that.
Links:
Find out more about Pauline Duncan and how she can help you and your teen in her Facebook Group: Fun Back To Basics, https://www.facebook.com/funbacktobasics4teens/
Teaching Kids to Manage Anxiety - https://www.bookdepository.com/Teaching-Kids-Manage-Anxiety-Deb-Hopper/9780994448347?ref=grid-view&qid=1550630995978&sr=1-2/?a_aid=LS4KAU -
In Episode 41 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast Deb talks about anxiety in kids with Deb's cousin Lisa Pratt and her son Andrew Pratt. Andrew shares how he dealt with panic attacks and anxiety.
In this episode they discuss:
•Anxiety in their family and Andrew's panic attacks as a child
•Finding the triggers for anxiety in children and addressing them
•How Autism affected Andrew's life
•What daily routines were affected by Andrew's anxiety
•How Lisa dealt with her own realization about anxiety
Links:
Check out Deb's book, Teaching Kids to Manage Anxiety Superstar Practical Strategies, here: https://www.lifeskills4kids.com.au/teaching-kids-book/
Alex Learns that Changes are OK - https://www.bookdepository.com/Alex-Learns-That-Changes-Are-Ok-Deb-Hopper/9780648471004?ref=grid-view&qid=1548296569049&sr=1-1/?a_aid=LS4KAU -
In Episode 40 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast Deb chats with Stacy McBride Wilson. Stacy is a fitness and wellbeing coach for mums. She is passionate about mums being healthy and thriving so they can bring their full selves to their families.
In this episode they discuss:
•What things drain our energy and attention on a daily basis
•The importance of taking time to reflect on what drains or fills us
•Stacy's three gems for refilling yourself and loving on your family
Links:
•Grab Stacy's Three Gems freebie here: www.thehealthyhappysoul.com/freebie
•Visit Stacy's website for more information: https://www.thehealthyhappysoul.com/
Alex Learns that Changes are OK - https://www.bookdepository.com/Alex-Learns-That-Changes-Are-Ok-Deb-Hopper/9780648471004?ref=grid-view&qid=1548296569049&sr=1-1/?a_aid=LS4KAU -
In Episode 39 of the Life Skills 4 Kids Podcast Deb talks with Karli Mckeown, a Teen and Parent Empowerment Coach who helps parents and teens connect and create meaningful relationships during the challenging adolescent years.
In this episode they discuss:
•How children change from childhood to adolescence and some of the frustrations that come with these changes
•Communication changes and challenges that come with adolescence
•How to pivot our parenting to balance their need for independence and helping them to feel supported
•A great approach to setting boundaries and consequences with tweens and teens in order to teach the kids how to do things better
•Karli shares her top three tips to boundary and consequence setting with teens and tweens
Links:
•Visit Karli's website for more information: http://karlimckeowncoaching.com.au/
Find Karli's Course, How to Talk to Your Teenager Masterclass, here: http://karlimckeowncoaching.com.au/how-to-talk-to-your-teenager-masterclass/
Teaching Kids to Manage Anxiety - https://www.bookdepository.com/Teaching-Kids-Manage-Anxiety-Deb-Hopper/9780994448347?ref=grid-view&qid=1550630995978&sr=1-2/?a_aid=LS4KAU - Show more
