There is something slightly strange about the world children are growing up in today. Technology is everywhere. We use it to work, communicate, navigate, organise our lives and, increasingly, to fill every little gap in between. A five minute wait in a queue feels long enough to reach for a phone. Friends meet for dinner

“Ohhh, not again… Please… someone give me more patience!” It’s probably one of the most common silent prayers in parenthood. After a long day, another tantrum, another refusal or another emotional outburst, it’s easy to believe that patience is exactly what’s missing. If only there were a little more patience, these moments would feel easier.

“If you don’t get in the car right now, we’re not going.” “If you don’t pack your toys away, you won’t be allowed to play with them tomorrow.” “If you don’t get in the bath this instant, there’ll be no story tonight.” For many families, these phrases have become part of everyday life. But the

One of the most important skills a child can develop has nothing to do with academics, sport, or even social success. It is the ability to be with themselves. To sit with boredom without immediately needing entertainment. To experience frustration without looking for the quickest escape. To feel sadness, disappointment, loneliness, or uncertainty without believing

One of the things we don’t talk about enough in parenting is how deeply children feel our internal state. Not just what we say or do, but how we feel while we’re doing it. Children are incredibly perceptive. They notice hesitation, doubt, guilt, and uncertainty – often before we even realise we are carrying those

It’s a very natural instinct. We see our child getting upset, frustrated, or on the verge of tears, and something inside us immediately wants to fix it. We distract, we offer alternatives, we rush to make things better. We soften the moment before it fully arrives. Not because we don’t value emotions, but because it’s

For a long time, many of us believed that disciplining children meant punishing them. If a child misbehaved, something would be taken away, a privilege would disappear, or a threat would be made: “If you don’t behave, there will be no dessert,” or “If you keep doing that, we’re leaving.” This approach is so common

Here in Australia, the phrase “sharing is caring” is almost automatically repeated when we talk about children. The intention is usually positive: to teach empathy, kindness, and consideration for others. But in light of RIE principles, it is worth pausing to reflect… Does forcing a child to share truly teach these values? Many adults believe

When faced with a child’s tears, frustration, or discomfort, many adults instinctively turn to distraction. “Look at the bird over there!”“Would you like a snack?”“Let’s get your favourite toy.” Most of the time, this doesn’t come from a place of bad intention — it comes from lack of information, exhaustion, or the discomfort we feel

One of our greatest human needs is to feel understood.And that begins long before words. When a child cries, screams, or throws themselves on the floor, what we often see is only the behaviour. But behind it, there is an emotion.And every emotion simply wants to be seen. It wants to be validated. According to