The Parentalk Podcast for the Primary Years

I'm sure you will agree… we want our children to be trustworthy, not to cheat, lie, be sneaky, cover up things or steal. But what's the best strategy to teach them to be honest? Join Katharine Hill, Kate Middleton and Matt Summerfield as they share their thoughts on teaching our children candor.

Used effectively, consequences can be a handy tool in teaching our children to be responsible for their own actions, by empowering them to make and experience the results of their choice.  They separate the deed from the doer and do not shame or punish.  Join Katharine Hill, Rob Parsons, and Madeline Stanimeros as they share their insights on this parenting strategy.

We as parents can be amazed by how well empathy "works" to calm our children.  For most people, including our children, just having our views and feelings acknowledged makes us feel better, so we're more cooperative.  Listen in to Madeline Stanimeros, Rob Parsons and Katharine Hill as they explore this topic of empathizing with our young ones.  

Having more than one child brings with it the possibility of sibling rivalry. Many brothers and sisters fight from time to time for all sorts of reasons… feeling the need to compete for their parents' attention, possessions, own space and so it goes on and on!  No matter what the fight is about, it can be unpleasant and frustrating to hear and see your children fight. Listen to Rob Parsons, Katharine Hill and Madeline Stanimeros discuss strategies to help reduce and manage sibling rivalry.

What's your parenting style? Authoritarian, Assertive and Permissive!  Do you believe in lots of discipline or are you more permissive? Join Rob Parsons and Katharine Hill as they discuss the different types of parenting styles and learn about which will work best for you.

Many families will be worried about covering the cost of Christmas this year. But is it possible to cut the expense without cutting out the fun? Listen to Rob Parsons and Katharine Hill's tips on having the ‘Best Possible Christmas!' without taking a debt hangover into the new year.  

Building a sense of worth in our children is an ongoing process and begins in those early years.  Naturally, we parents want to instill a ‘can-do' attitude in our children so that they'll bravely take on new challenges and, over time, believe in themselves. Listen to Katharine Hill and Rob Parsons explore some general guidelines around helping build our children's sense of worth.

By now there's a good chance you've heard the term “mindfulness.”   It seems to be making a splash everywhere in regard to helping our children manage their emotions.   Listen to Will Van der Hart and Sila Lee as they explore how we can use mindfulness to help our children manage their anger and feeling of frustration.

In this episode Katharine Hill and Rob Parsons discuss establishing values in our children.  In our day-to-day lives do we as parents need to be more conscious of our own behaviour, even when it is not directed at our children?

It's not clear at what age our children begin to dream, but even toddlers can tell us about having dreams — pleasant ones and scary ones. When children awaken from a nightmare, its images are still fresh and can seem real. So it's natural for them to feel afraid and upset and to call out to a parent or carer for comfort.  Listen to what advice Will Van Der Hart and Sila Lee have to say about this subject.

In this episode, Rob Parsons and Katharine Hill discuss the topic of screen time and the part it plays in our children's lives.  

Parenting is never easy, but when you are part of a blended family—combining stepchildren, ex-partners, plus extended family members… all thrown into the mix—things may get complicated quite quickly.   Steve and Bekah Legg, who parent a blended family with 6 children between them, provide some helpful tips on navigating these waters.

In this second edition we are joined by Rob Parson, founder of Care for the Family and Katharine Hill UK Director.  Rob and Katharine discuss the importance of listening to our children.  Listening isn't as easy as it sounds, but listening to your child's viewpoint will teach you a lot and provide opportunities to find out what's going on in your child's head.  Listening to our children shows respect and builds strong relationships now and in the future.

In this very first podcast we are delighted to be joined by Nicky and Sila Lee – who drawing on their own experience of bringing up four children, talk about the importance of creating family traditions, which help family members get to know and trust each other more intimately, creating a bond that comes from feeling that you  are part of something unique and special.