Parents Archives - Dr Jennifer Smith

Children environment genes Parents Teenagers

Are kids leopards? Or hydrangeas?

August 8, 2019

Linda plonked herself down with a weight of dejected sadness. “A leopard can’t change its spots! Do you really think a child can change his spots? To be honest, I’m not sure why I’m here. There’s no point. He’ll never change.” Her ‘leopard’, 13-year-old Sam, “had always been difficult”. Linda made the appointment because his inflexible, explosive behaviour had deteriorated progressively, together with his oppositional defiance, and “the family can no longer stand it”. “At the moment I don’t like…

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Children environment Parents Teenagers Uncategorized

Child sexual abuse in Australia: By definition, a glass mostly empty

April 4, 2018

Most Australians would be highly distressed by the outcomes of the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2017). The most trusted and revered of institutions like the Church and a few esteemed schools have been exposed as participants in the crime against children. It’s not surprising then, that non-institutional child sexual abuse (NCSA) is currently on the public’s radar. With the horrified look of dreaded uncertainty, a number of parents have recently warned me about their…

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Children environment genes Parents Teenagers Uncategorized

Sibling Rivalry is a Triple-Edged Sword

March 28, 2017

Guardian.co.uk, Thursday 7 April 2011. The Milliband siblings It’s a long time ago now and the world is a very different place, but does anyone remember the 2011 newspaper photograph of the hugging brothers, David and Edward Milliband (above)? Their congratulatory embrace occurred just after the younger Edward defeated David in the election for leader of the British Labour party. There is something admirable about the Milliband brothers’ generous gesture of sibling support – the older David so gracious in…

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Children Mindfulness Parents

Mindfulness over matter? What we know about the hot new trend.

February 24, 2016

Kate’s five-year-old daughter, Lilly, slept in her arms while the jovial paediatrician addressed her from across the desk. “When they’re like this, you just want to eat them, don’t you?” He grinned in anticipation of his punch line. “And when she’s awake, I bet you sometimes wish you had.” Aghast and tickled, Kate had to admit that it was often tough-going with Lilly. There were equal moments of sheer bliss and tear-your-hair-out frustration. She wanted more bliss. So, without hesitation,…

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Children environment Parents Teenagers

OVERWEIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE: FOOD, EXERCISE, AND THE THIRD FACTOR

October 13, 2015

OVERWEIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE: FOOD, EXERCISE, AND THE THIRD FACTOR Wide girths are widespread Over the past three decades, child and teenage overweight and obesity levels have tripled in the developed world. The data is sobering. Current estimates are that about 15 percent of American children and teenagers are overweight, and about 17 percent of young people are obese. Puppy fat is tenacious The prevalence is of medical, social and – Michelle Obama might add – political concern because puppy and…

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Children Parents Teenagers

NAPLAN? OUR KIDS NEED TO SLEEP ON IT!

October 9, 2015

The NAPLAN-driven news that our kids are slipping academically has met with much handwringing and lamenting. There are calls from all corners for more school funding and better teachers and steps to decrease disadvantage. But there is a fourth element that the handwringers have neglected. I suggest that they look at our young people’s sleep habits. That’s because the core sleep periods consolidate much of what kids learn while they’re awake . Facts at their fingertips If we want our…

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Children Parents Teenagers

Book Reviews for BUT I’M NOT TIRED! The nature of sleep and how to nurture it in children and teenagers.

September 16, 2015

“The book BUT I’M NOT TIRED! by Dr Jennifer Smith is a nice introductory “how to” reference guide for parents struggling to get their children to sleep. This book provides the reader with a good general understanding of the physiology of sleep and underlying causes of many of the common sleep disorders. Dr Smith uses a balance of clinical anecdote and scientific research to help deliver key messages and provide useful tips. The book is easy to read and the…

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Children environment genes Parents Teenagers

From whence kids’ difficult genes?

September 14, 2015

QANDAKIDS PARENT: “My daughter [thirteen year old Chloe] is just like her father and her grandmother. She has their difficult, temperamental genes!” Chloe’s mum was confident that she’d nailed the source of her daughter’s volatile behaviour. QANDAKIDS COMMENT I had to smile. I’ve thought and said similarly about my children with reference to their troublesome traits. Many of the mums that I see in my practice have voiced comparable sentiments, eyes rolling, heads slowly moving from side to side: “Jusssttt…

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Children Parents

Milla and her family get their beauty co-sleep

September 7, 2015

QANDAKIDS COMMENT Recently, famous model-actress, Milla Jovovich, received wide media exposure for her views on co-sleeping. Co-sleeping is code for parent-child bed-sharing. She and her British film producer husband sleep in the same bed as their daughters – every night. One daughter is 7 year’s old, the other just a few months old. Ukranian-born Milla believes that her family is more connected because they all share a bed. She also contends that her daughter is much better behaved as a result.…

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environment Parents Teenagers

Why hurried teens crack

July 30, 2015

QANDAKIDS CONSULTATION Sixteen year old Jessica is ‘hurried‘ to the point of cracking. She was originally referred to me by a general physician for an assessment and treatment of her anxiety and Oppositional Defiance Disorder. At session, her parents unwittingly described her hurriedness. They place an extremely high premium on her school achievement, her homework commitment and her success in her extracurricular pursuits. She spends every afternoon after school engaged in an activity and she completes all her homework at…

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