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Has your home loan been steadily increasing over the last couple of years? Are you about to come off a very low interest rate? We speak to financial planner Daniel Brown who shares some golden nuggets about what you can do to ride the interest rate rise. If you've got a mortgage, like most Australians, you're no doubt facing increasing financial stress at the moment. Not only are home loan interest rates steadily rising, the cost of living is increasing too - whether that's the weekly groceries in the trolley, petrol in your car and just about everything else."It's not a sexy topic, and it's something we'd like to avoid. It's probably why most Australians don't get advice. They put it in the "too hard basket". But this is the time to do the opposite. To be prepared, to get ready, because it's not going to stop anytime soon. Inflation is very high. The only lever the Reserve Bank has to put interest rates up, and I suspect that will continue. That impact will be significant in the short to medium term (next two years). We are really going to feel it. Preparation is key." - Daniel Brown, My Money Sorted In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah sit down with money guru Daniel Brown from My Money Sorted, who shares his recommendations about how to ride the interest rate wave... and what you can do now to prepare yourself for the future. In this episode, you'll learn What you can do right now if you know your fixed rate is coming to an end soon At what point should you negotiate your next rate? Ways to temporarily reduce your mortgage payments Whether you should speak to your existing bank first, or use a broker If you are refinancing, are you better to go onto a fixed or variable rate? What to do if you can't pay your mortgage anymore If you have money in the bank, is now a good time to invest? Should you talk to your kids about money and how much things cost? Ways to create extra income to service your loan About Daniel Brown (My Money Sorted)Daniel is a qualified financial planner with 20 years of experience working in financial services. Having spent his entire career learning what it takes to get your money sorted Daniel’s greatest satisfaction in life is sharing his knowledge for the benefit of others. Alongside the My Money Sorted team Daniel is on a mission to improve the lives of 5 million Aussies by helping them make the best money moves, no matter their stage of life.As well as being a seasoned finance expert and co-founder of My Money Sorted, Daniel is a father, Parramatta Eels footy tragic, property investor, entrepreneur, and has written extensively about investment, retirement planning, entrepreneurship and personal development.His work has been featured in Independent Financial Adviser, XY Adviser, and Hunter Headline amongst others.

Got a teen? As you enter the world of parenting a teenager, there are a whole range of new parenting challenges to face. No longer are you worrying about bed wetting, tantrums or fussy eating… you now might need to support your child through more serious issues like self harm, eating disorders or school refusal. If you’ve got a teenager, it’s quite likely that you could be struggling to cope with some of the many new issues that are going on in their lives. Fortunately for us, help is out there. EPIC (Empowering Parents in Crisis) is a local service that provides peer support for parents and carers of teens facing challenges such as self harm, eating disorders, substance use, school refusal, ADHD and mental health concerns and criminal activity. To get an insight into these challenging teenage years, Rachel and Sarah sat down with Madeleine Steel, CEO of EPIC to learn about the issues that can come up, and how EPIC provides a safe space to support parents who are struggling to deal with situations. About Madeleine Steel Madeleine is CEO and cofounder of EPIC, a peer support organisation for parents and carers of young people. Madeleine is passionate about helping parents and carers navigate the challenges of raising teenagers, and provide them with the support they need to thrive.  Madeleine’s lived experience has led her to understand the importance of community connection in helping parents cope with the challenges they face. It is her belief that through peer support and sharing experiences and resources, parents/carers can learn from each other and build the resilience they need to best support themselves and their families. Madeleine is also a keen horticulturist, landscaper, designer, travel consultant, but her most treasured hat is mother to two wonderful teenagers. About EPIC (Empowering Parents in Crisis) Stressed? Isolated? Confused? Parents are first responders to their young people, and EPIC has been created to provide a supportive community that is safe, anonymous and nonjudgmental. Through EPIC, you’ll discover  ideas, strategies and resources to help you parent your teenager. Click here to join the EPIC Community to learn about upcoming events and to receive the newsletter. Click here to join the members-only private Facebook group. Essential Details: EPIC Phone: 0426 425 164 Email: contact@empoweringparentsincrisis.com Website | Facebook | Instagram

In this episode, we talk about this topic that impacts us all. We all experience it at some time, or alot of the time. Rachel and Sarah discuss Sarah's latest Mum Guilt. And delve into some of the other areas we tend to suffer this guilt. Support Services Gidget Foundation: Call 1300-851-758 or visit their website. PANDA: For immediate help contact PANDA on 1300 726 306. The PANDA National Perinatal Anxiety and Depression helpline is open Mon-Fri 9.00am to 7.30pm (AEST) Lifeline: 13 11 14. Helpline is open 24 hours/day Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36

Is setting boundaries a challenge for you? Do you say ‘Yes’ to everything because you fear disappointing people, don’t want to cause any drama or simply want to keep the peace? Meet Suzanne Culberg. She’s a “Nope Coach’ who helps women to say “no” without feeling like a bitch. In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah chat to the inspiring Suzanne Culberg… who shares her rollercoaster weightloss journey and how she eventually changed her mindset to take back control of her life.About Suzanne CulbergSuzanne Culberg is a coach and author, who helps over-givers and people pleasers learn to set boundaries and say ‘No’ in a way that feels good.Through her signature online program Why W8? Suzanne has helped hundreds of women break the cycle of putting themselves last and instead build the confidence to set boundaries.Suzanne’s passion for helping women is fueled by her own experiences of over-giving, over-consuming, and over-doing everything. She’s on a mission to not only help women set boundaries for themselves but also to make boundaries normal. We should be saying ‘No’ more often.Suzanne is a Certified Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic programming (NLP) and holds a Bachelor of Medical Science (Honours). Suzanne also has Certificates III and IV in Fitness,and is a Certified Sacred Depths Practitioner.Suzanne lives in Sydney, Australia with her husband Jeremy and her two young children who keep her both busy and entertained. When she’s not coaching her clients, running her programs, sharing her latest wisdom on Facebook Live, podcasting or writing her popular newsletter, she can be found reading, enjoying Diamond Dotz, or burlesque dancing. She is also a big fan of Yoga. Follow Suzanne on Facebook or Instagram. Subscribe to her podcast Over It with Kristan & Suzanne Why W8?Massive overhauls are usually a direct line to disappointment. In Why W8?, you’ll learn how even the smallest of actions leads to lasting changes, but no changes can be made without badass boundaries. Suzanne’s next 10-week online Why W8 is running from 18 April to 26 June, 2023. Find out more. The Beginning is Sh*t ‘The Beginning is Sh*t’ is the heart wrenching and inspiring story of a woman desperate to achieve a healthy and comfortable weight, her frustration with the many diets she endures, and the ultimate discovery that leads her to ditch dieting and release weight for good. Buy a copy. Support Services SANDS: Support for miscarriage, stillborn or newborn death. Call 1300 308 307 Beyond Blue: Mental health support for anxiety & depression. Call 1300 22 46 36 Lifeline: If you are feeling suicidal, or want to support someone who is, talk to a crisis counsellor now. Call 13 11 14. Helpline is open 24 hours/day #theparentingcouch #theparentingcouchpodcast#northshoremums #suzanneculberg #boundaries

The Parenting Couch is back for 2023! In the first episode of Season 2, Rachel and Sarah talk about their holidays and goals for 2023. We covered so many great topics with so many amazing guests in 2022. Don't forget to head back to past episodes if you haven't heard these yet.  If you are new to the podcast here is a little background on the co-hosts... Rachel Chappell is the founder of Sydney parenting website, North Shore Mums. She0 lives on Sydney's upper north shore with her husband and three daughters (aged 7, 11 & 13). She started North Shore Mums Facebook group in 2012, when she moved to the area with lots of questions, but not many local friends to ask. A year later, she decided to take the Facebook group to the next level by launching the North Shore Mums website. Visit the North Shore Mums website Follow North Shore Mums on Facebook Follow North Shore Mums on Instagram Sarah Levett, co-host of The Parenting Couch podcast. Sarah is a single Mum to her 9-year-old daughter. Sarah has spent much of her life treading the boards in many of Australia’s comedy clubs as a stand-up comic. She's hosted breakfast radio shows in Geelong and Newcastle, and also been on air for Nova 96.9 in Sydney. Recently, she's added marriage celebrant & wedding MC to her list of career credits.Want to book Sarah as a celebrant or MC? Find out more by visiting her website, Facebook page or Instagram.  #theparentingcouch #theparentingcouchpodcast #northshoremums

Sarah and Rachel have recorded this episode as a live video as a Xmas special. They are very grateful to all the guests that have been on in 2022.  They announce the top 5 episodes for the season. Talk about what they love about this time of year too.  They are taking a break for a month or so and thank you, the listener for your loyalty to the podcast too. https://www.northshoremums.com.au/category/podcast/#theparentingcouchpodcast#theparentingcouch#northshoremums#xmas#parenting

With Christmas only a few weeks away, now is the ideal time to declutter your children’s toys, to make way for new gifts from Santa! If you’ve been meaning to sort through the toys to donate or sell, Kristina Duke from Decluttering Diva is here to share her top tips about how to tackle the job. In the latest episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah sit down with Kristina Duke, Decluttering Diva, to find out how we can declutter our lives… so we can have a more simple and less stressful Christmas! In the episode, you’ll learn… How do we ‘declutter’ Christmas? Why it’s a good idea to declutter the toy room before Santa arrives Why you shouldn’t get rid of toys without consulting your child Where you can donate or sell your unwanted toys How to not get overwhelmed by lots of toys if your kids aren’t yet ready to let go Why it’s important to be specific with gift ideas for well-meaning relatives and friends How to organise a collection for a significant present (rather than lots of little ‘bits’) Why you need to declutter your Christmas calendar (you don’t need to go to EVERYTHING!) Why your kids don’t need as many gifts as you think About Kristina Duke, Decluttering DivaKristina Duke is a North Shore Mums of three kids, and is the lead of organiser and founder of Decluttering Diva since 2013.Since its inception Decluttering Diva has grown to a team of 6 professional organisers servicing clients with chronic disorganisation, hoarding disorder and/or ADHD issues across Sydney.Kristina takes clutter seriously and has recently been accredited as NSW’s 1st Certified Professional Organiser in Chronic Disorganisation through ICD – a not for profit organisation that provides education and training to professional organisers and related professionals who specialise in working with the population affected by chronic disorganisation.When she isn’t organising Kristina loves DIY projects in her home, op-shopping, and singing – hence the Diva nameWhere to donate toys Local op shops Playgroups Preschools & daycares Local Public schools and their OOSH Peninsula Toy Recyclers Bikes For Life The Sewing Basket Local street library Donate running shoes to Shoes 4 Planet EarthRecylcing Thornleigh Community Recycling Centre Website  Northern Sydney Community Recycling Centre Website Where to sell toys If your toys are still in excellent condition and you'd like to sell them, try Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and other Facebook local Buy & Sell groups. Essential Details: Decluttering Diva Contact: Kristina Duke Mobile: 0402 021 995 Website Social: Facebook | Instagram

Becoming a parent is the biggest change that we ever go through. Whilst it can be filled with joy, the perinatal period can come with increased anxiety, depression and other perinatal mental health issues that can often go undetected. Arabella Gibson is the CEO of Gidget Foundation Australia - a not for profit that support expectant and new parents experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety. In this interview, she explains: The symptoms of post natal depression How do we know we’re not just sleep deprived, and it’s something more serious How parents can get into The Gidget House for counselling How The Gidget Foundation came into existence How The Gidget Foundation supports pregnant and new parents. The upgrade to Gidget House in North Sydney Support Services Gidget Foundation: Call 1300-851-758 or visit their website. PANDA: For immediate help contact PANDA on 1300 726 306. The PANDA National Perinatal Anxiety and Depression helpline is open Mon-Fri 9.00am to 7.30pm (AEST) Lifeline: 13 11 14. Helpline is open 24 hours/day Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36

In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah sit down with money guru Tom Haigh from My Money Sorted, who shares his top tips for not only saving money, but how we can use it to set us up for a more comfortable life.Money determines the house we live in, the holidays we go on, the clothes we buy, the meals we make... and our general levels of comfort and stability. But we don't get taught this stuff in school! Tom is a local Dad to three kids… who is passionate about putting money-matters into a way that is easy to understand. In the interview, Tom explains... Is it better to fix your home loan at the moment, or opt for a variable rate? Why you should speak to a mortgage broker to ensure you're getting the best rate Why right now it's a "buyers market" for real estate How to save money on day-to-day living expenses... should you be cutting back on the smashed avo, or reviewing your direct debits? How to manage credit card debt Why putting extra money into your superannuation is good for tax now, and good for your retirement! Why you need a clear plan to repay your debts before retirement Why putting additional repayments on the mortgage can be a phenomenal way to reduce the term of the home loan and also the the amount of interest you pay. How to 'enjoy the journey' and not just focus on money saving Why it's important to reward yourself daily with the small things (like a take-away coffee) About Tom Haigh Tom Haigh is a father of three who is passionate about putting money-matters in relatable, personal contexts. His goal is to help young families find the best path to living more and worrying about money less!Tom co-founded My Money Sorted in 2021. Leveraging life experiences, Tom has written extensively about entrepreneurship, property investment, and various other investment-based topics and has been an active investor over the past 11 years.His work has been featured in XY Adviser, news.com.au, Startup Success Story, and Hunter Headline.Last year, Tom co-founded My Money Sorted… a website that provides Aussies with the right tools, insights and expert guidance to help you achieve your money goals.Find out more about My Money Sorted.

Shannon Johnson is a Sydney based personal stylist, speaker, educator, and style expert. Shannon founded Living For Style in 2013 after realising that there was a lack in the market for a stylist specialising in helping busy mums. Shannon empowers women to be the best versions of themselves through 1-on-1 styling services for her private clients as well as through her online learning platform, “In Style Membership". Shannon has partnered with North Shore Mums where she is the in house fashion blogger and also joined the team at Orana Fashion College as a Personal Fashion Styling teacher.

This October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and local mum Laura Matrljan has an important message for all women. Laura was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of just 31 years old. She was a regular mum to two young boys, aged 2 and 4 years old, and found an unusual lump during a routine breast check. She shares her story and her important message to all women. Every day, 57 Australians are diagnosed with breast cancer. It is the most common cancer for Australian women (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer). The good news is that survival rates continue to improve in Australia, with 89% of women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer now surviving five or more years beyond diagnosis.October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and we want to get women talking about breast cancer and, more importantly, checking their breasts or booking in for an examination or mammogram.Early detection is vital. The sooner you find out you have breast cancer, the better your chance of survival.Laura shares her story... "I was diagnosed with breast cancer on 1 May 2015 and 20 days later, I was in surgery. I was 31 years old. Before my diagnosis, I was a regular mum of two active boys, 2 and 4 years old, doing regular mum things. I had a casual job, and looked after my family. I loved to cook, sew, and spend time with my friends having a wine and a giggle. Then, one day I was lying down in bed watching my iPad. I often checked my breasts (something my mother had drummed in to me from very early on) so I was very familiar with the look and feel of them. When I felt my breast that day, straight away I felt a small mass in my right breast. I had just finished my period and often found my breasts would get hard and sometimes lumpy during that time of the month, but this was different..." Early detection of breast cancer is vital Finding breast cancer early provides the best chance of surviving the disease. Remember you don’t need to be an expert or use a special technique to check your breasts. Changes to look for include: a new lump or lumpiness, especially if it's only in one breast a change in the size or shape of your breast a change to the nipple, such as crusting, ulcer, redness or inversion a nipple discharge that occurs without squeezing a change in the skin of your breast such as redness or dimpling an unusual pain that doesn't go away. Most changes aren’t due to breast cancer but it’s important to see your doctor without delay if you notice any of these changes. More information.  Know your lemons! How well do you know your lemons? There are 12 symptoms of breast cancer. Know Your Lemons is an award-winning app that helps women learn about each symptom, calculate your personal risk, get a custom screening plan, learn how to self-exam, and get reminders to stay abreast of your health. Download the app.

The early years of a little girl’s life will shape your daughter’s future in powerful ways. Maggie Dent, Australia’s queen of common-sense parenting, has investigated the development period from birth to age eight. In this podcast interview, Maggie shares some amazing insights into what we can do as parents to support our daughters and help them become more resilient and capable. Drawing on nearly 5,000 survey results, the latest research, and her own extensive experience as an educator, counsellor, facilitator, mum and grandmother, Maggie shows us how to help our girls build an emotional and psychological base for life. Secure foundations, Maggie argues, will help insulate our girls against anxiety and other mental health challenges as they grow into their teens and feel more capable and resilient while keeping their own authentic voice as they enter womanhood.Live Seminar with Maggie Dent: Girlhood Maggie Dent is will be talking at a live presentation on Monday 17 October in Wahroonga. At this event, Maggie will show us how to help our girls build an emotional and psychological base for life. This event offers both a deeply practical guide to raising girls birth-8, as well as a celebration and intimate meditation on the state of being female, which women of all ages will relate to.  Tickets are $40. Book online.

Do you feel guilty everytime you hand over the iPad so you can get a few things done around the house? Does it drive you mad that your son would rather play Fortnite than build a fort with the neighbour’s kids? Do you fret about how much time your teen spends with social media? Or... are you so wary of technology that you enforce a strict no-devices policy? Do you avoid people and places where your child will have access to screens and you’re starting to feel a little socially isolated? How do we know what’s harmful and what’s helpful? What’s the best approach? How do we navigate the digital dilemmas we face in the techno age to raise healthy, happy kids and teens? Technology isn’t going away. It’s such a huge part of our lives that it can be difficult to know where to start. We know that too much can be harmful to a child’s or adolescent’s development, but how much is too much? We also know that screens can be a helpful learning aid in a child’s education, but where’s the line? In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk to Dr Kristy Goodwin about how we can best manage devices with our kids. The interview is packed with lots of sensible and practical advice about how we, as parents, can be the pilot and not the passenger of the digital plane.About Dr Kristy Goodwin Dr Kristy Goodwin is an award-winning researcher, speaker, author, and mum of 3 on a mission to help parents and educators raise happy, healthy children and teens who thrive online and offline.  As a researcher and educator herself, she’s spent most of her professional career researching and speaking about the ways in which technology shapes children’s and teens’ wellbeing, health, and learning. She provides research-based but realistic advice and strategies to teachers and parents on how they can teach their children to use technology in productive and purposeful ways without reverting to phone bans or constant digital detoxes.  She authored the book Raising Your Child in a Digital World and has conducted numerous evaluations and research studies for the New South Wales Department of Education and Communities. Prior to becoming a speaker and consultant, she worked as an educator for 14 years with schools in both the public and private sectors. She also lectured at Macquarie University and University of Notre Dame and have completed a PhD on the impact of digital technologies.Offers Digital Wellbeing Checklist The Digital Wellbeing Checklist has all the tools you need to create healthy tech habits in your home. Whether you love technology or loathe digital devices, your kids and teens will inherit a digital future. So ‘digital amputation’ isn’t a solution. Your child or teen needs to develop healthy and helpful digital habits so that they’re not a slave to the screen. As modern parents we need to help foster our kids’ digital wellbeing and that’s exactly what this Digital Wellbeing Checklist will do. Below you’ll find 20 research-based and realistic strategies to ensure that your child’s or teen’s digital habits are healthy and not harmful… so you can finally ditch your guilt, grief and guesswork as you raise a ‘screenager’. (Nudge, nudge. Many of these tips also work for adults too.) Free download! No code required. Click here to get the Digital Wellbeing Checklist Switched on Parents Portal Where empowered parents and carers come to find expert advice, simple strategies and peace of mind in the digital age. Get 20% iff with code: PARENTS Click here to find out more about the Parents Portal  InCharge Box Get $25 off with code: DRKRISTY

Got a fussy eater? Whether you've got a toddler or a teen, feeding kids can be stressful. As parents, we want our kids to eat healthy but we don't want mealtimes to be a battleground! Paediatric dietician Karina Savage is here to help. Does your kid say "no" before you've even pulled dinner out of the oven? In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast (brought to you by North Shore Mums), leading paediatric dietitian and gut health expert Karina Savage shares her tips and tricks to help mealtimes be a little less stressful, how to boost our gut health and immunity. As a mum of two young kids, Karina knows first-hand the struggles that parents face, and she's shares her practical tips for making feeding fussy eaters less stressful.  How do. you encourage a fussy eater to try new food? Top tips to encourage a positive relationship with food Why you don't need to stress about kids not eating veggies at dinner How to feed a family when everyone has different food preferences What a 'learning plate' is How to know if you child really is just fussy... or if they are sensory averse or a super taster? How to know if your child is allergic to certain foods How to "food chain" technique to introduce new foods. The importance of a healthy gut for strong immunity What food you need to eat for a healthy guy, and what nutrients to take to support your immunity. About Karina Savage Karina is a mum of two and leading Paediatric Dietitian from Tricky Little Tummies. She has been helping families for 20 years and loves working with parents to take the stress out of feeding children, especially fussy eaters. Karina’s passion for the gut has led her to become an Australian leader in the field. She is renowned for her knowledge in paediatric gut disorders and nutrition and regularly presents on this topic, together with providing expert comment to media. She is incredibly passionate about gut health, specialising in fixing tummy troubles, so that babies and children can live their best lives. She loves sharing her knowledge to ultimately enhance the lives of our future generation. Special Offer: 50% off Mealtime Bundle Karina is offering North Shore Mums readers & The Parenting Couch listeners 50% off her Tricky Little Tummies Mealtime Bundle! Stop the daily dinner grind and stress of what to cook with Karina's easy healthy kids recipes, tried and tested with her own kids! Your book of 27 tried and tested recipes that kids love and also boost their nutrition and nutrient intake Pantry staples checklist with everything you need as the basis for healthy quick meals A 2-week meal plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks to take the stress and headaches out of deciding what’s on the menu! Click here to view the bundle Promo code: NSM Discounted price: $7.47 (usually $14.95) Tricky Little Tummies Website: trickylittletummies.com.au Follow: Facebook | Instagram

Pinky McKay is inspired by her passion to see ‘every mother with a baby in her arms and a smile on her face'. Pinky is one of Australia’s most recognised and respected breastfeeding experts, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and best-selling author of four parenting books. Rachel and Sarah welcomed Pinky onto The Parenting Couch, to share her wonderful advice to new mums, with her beautiful compassion, humour and wisdom. The episode covers: How Pinky McKay became the parenting expert she is today Why it's important to 'parent by heart' and listen to your baby's needs How to know if you baby is breastfeeding properly Why pregnant mums should be educating themselves more about the baby than the birth! How to cope with frequent waking and sleepless nights When to introduce a bottle if you're breastfeeding How to know if you baby might be unsettled due to food sensitivities - and why citrus fruits could be to blame! Where to find a local lactation consultant if you are having troubles with breastfeeding. Boobie Foods - her lactation cookies, how they came about Free E-Books from Pinky McKay Prepare to Breastfeed Like a Boss (Before You Have Your Baby) Making More Mummy Milk, Naturally Essential Details Pinky McKay website Shop Boobie Foods! Facebook | Instagram

Do you want your children to be more resilient? More brave? To not shy away from new situations? Kids are mighty, and they need to believe that they are too! Anxiety is a really normal human experience, and learning how to manage anxiety can strengthen children and teens to become courageous and resilient. In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Karen Young from Hey Sigmund talks through how to help your child through anxiety.In the latest episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk to Karen Young about: Why anxiety isn’t a bad thing, and why we need anxiety to grow as a human Why it’s normal (and good!) that an anxious child can create anxiety in the parent Shares top tips for how you, as a parent, can support your child through anxiety Separation anxiety! Understand why clinginess happens, and how to stop it from holding your child How to stop anxiety stealing sleep in Kids and Teens About Karen YoungKaren Young began her career as a psychologist and now consults with parents, schools, government bodies, and child and adolescent focused organisations both at home in Australia and overseas. She is the founder of Hey Sigmund, an internationally popular online resource that provides contemporary, research-driven information on anxiety, parenting, and the neurodevelopment of children. She has written three books, including the bestselling Hey Warrior. The books have been translated into multiple languages and are used extensively in homes, schools, and therapeutic settings throughout the world. Karen also a mum to two children and two stepchildren. Experience has taught her that people can do amazing things with the right information, psychology has something for everyone, jargon doesn’t, everyone has a story to tell, short bios are the longest to write, nobody has it all figured out and the best people to be around are the ones who already know this.Books by Karen Young Dear You, Love From Your Brain: Like all strong, beautiful, important things, brains take time to build. Along the way, children have an enormous capacity to influence the brain-building process in profound and enduring ways. First though, they need information that will help them perform their magic. This book will help children discover more about the brain – how it works, what it needs, and how to love it big so it loves them bigger. Buy on Booktopia. Hey Warrior: Kids can do amazing things with the right information. Understanding why anxiety feels the way it does and where the physical symptoms come from is a powerful step in turning anxiety around. Anxiety explained, kids empowered. Buy on Booktopia. Hey Awesome: If kids with anxiety could see their strengths, they would feel so much bigger than their anxiety. They would feel bigger than everything – as though a tiny, tip-toed stretch could have them touching the top of the world from where they are. This book is a reminder for all kids that everything they need to be brave, strong and brilliant is already in them. Buy on Booktopia. Support Services Lifeline (Crisis support and suicide prevention): 13 11 14 Beyond Blue: 1300 22 46 36 Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 Suicide call back Service:  1300 659 467 National Indigenous Critical Response Service: 1800 805 801

Buying property is the biggest investment you'll ever make, Whether you're looking to buy your first house, upgrade to something bigger or thinking about investing in property,  knowledge is power. The more you know about it, the better you're going to do from it. In this episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, we talk to Henny Stier from OH Property Group, who has been a Buyer's Agent in Sydney for many years, and has bought hundreds of houses on behalf of North Shore families. As a North Shore Mum to three boys and long-time member of the Facebook Group, she has been generously sharing her advice and recommendations on our website for the last 10 years.  Questions covered in the interview with Henny Stier How does a Buyers Agent help someone buy property? Why has Sydney property prices gone up so much? What are the big mistakes that people make when buying property? Is it worth getting a Building Report for every property you're interested in buying? What is a subpar property, and why do people buy them? Is it better to buy the worst house on the best street, or the best house on a bad street? What properties should you avoid? Is asbestos in a property a problem? Should you walk away? What should you do if the Building Report shows termite damage? How can you be less emotional and more rational and objective about buying a home? How do you put an offer in? And how do you know you're not offering too much or too little? Does it really matter if you overpay on a property that you plan to live in for 10-20 years? Should you believe a Real Estate Agent if they say they've had a higher offer? About Henny StierHenny Stier is the founder and Principal Buyer at OH Property Group. A respected, straight talking property expert, Henny specialises in the search, analysis, appraisal, negotiation, bidding and purchase of properties across all price ranges throughout Sydney. She also has significant experience in building, renovating and managing properties. Having inspected thousands of properties, Henny is uniquely qualified to spot the best opportunities that others may miss and to give sound advice. Henny regularly appears in the media to discuss various real estate topics and to dispel myths in her typical no-nonsense style. She is a proud mum to three boys.Visit OH Property's websiteFollow OH Property on FacebookRead testimonials in the North Shore Mums Directory

In the latest episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk to Phillip Heath, Head of Barker College, about how to choose a school for your child and why Barker made the transition to fully co-educational in 2022. Choosing a school for your child is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make as a parent. There are many factors to consider… practical considerations like how close it is to where you live, public transport options, cost, where friends might be going, and before & after school care. There are also school factors to consider – the size of the school, facilities, religious affiliation, teaching philosophy, academic results, their approach to behaviour management, support for children with additional needs. You’ll also be wanting to consider how different schools might suit children’s personalities, strengths, needs and interests. Another thing to think about is whether you choose a co-educational or a single sex school. For some, this can be one of the most important factors. Phillip Heath achieved a First Class Honours degree in Reformation History and taught at Trinity Grammar School Sydney and King’s School Ely (UK), before becoming Deputy Head of The William Clarke College in Kellyville, and then Headmaster of St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sydney, where he formed the Gawura Campus for Indigenous inner city children. Author of “Trinity, the Daring of Your Name”, and numerous journal articles, Mr Heath became fifth Principal of Radford College ACT in 2009 and the school received the Order of Australia Association (ACT) Award for Community Service twice under his leadership. He was made a Fellow of the ACT Branch ACEL in 2011 and in 2018 was awarded as a Member in the general division of the Order of Australia for his service to education and his commitment to creating greater opportunities for Indigenous students. He was appointed as the Head of Barker College in 2014. In 2016 it was announced that the School would transition to be fully coeducational by 2022 with female students commencing in Years Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten in 2018, Year 3 in 2019 and Year 7 in 2020. In 2016 he formed the Darkinjung Barker Campus for Indigenous children on the Central Coast of New South Wales and in 2020 the Ngarralingayil Barker Campus for Indigenous children in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. In 2021, following the signing of an MOU with the Yothu Yindi Foundation, Dhupuma Barker commenced as a school for Indigenous children On Country in North East Arnhem Land. Phillip has served on the NSW Board of Studies representing the Independent Sector (2000-2009) and is also a past National Chair of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (2013-2015). He is currently working on an unpublished manuscript titled “One Life at a Time”, exploring his journey and work to create greater educational opportunities for Australia’s First Nations people.

In the latest episode of The Parenting Couch podcast, Rachel and Sarah talk to Alison Brahe Daddo about her incredible journey. For Gen X women, Alison has been a big part of our lives... on the cover of Dolly as we were going through puberty and teen years... and now she is back to support us through that next big life stage of life, Menopause. Once a household name, Alison was much loved nationally and grew up alongside a generation of Australians. Now, just like the rest of us, she’s all grown up and is now in her fifties. She’s also gone through menopause, an experience that she shares in her new book Queen Menopause: Finding your majesty in the mayhem. Menopause changed Ali’s perspective on life, relationships and body image. It made her truly realise the implications of being silent, of speaking up, of consent, of boundaries and the importance of feeling, of being and of anger. She reveals how all the shifting and changing that menopause brings she found a new emerging sense of self and her life.Buy Queen MenopauseFollow Ali Daddo on Instagram

Got a daughter? Kaz Cooke, Author of Girl Stuff 8-12 years (and many other amazing life-stage books) shares her tips about how to guide your tween girl through body changes, periods as well as inappropriate comments from relatives. Throughout the episode, she emphasises the importance of normalising puberty, and that the experience and timing is different for all girls. And it's all normal. Kaz says: "Do not let anyone in the family comment on your child's body changes. Do not let brothers and sisters tease each other. You need to have a very strong hard rule. Often family members who feel like they have a right to comment of girls bodies - Uncles, Aunts and often grandparents. They'll say 'oh you've put on weight', or there's a judgement built into "Oh you've shot up". It's astonishing that people in extended families might make comments like 'Oh, you're growing out the front now'. " About Kaz CookeKaz is your friend for life, her books helping generations of girls and women with their health and life stages. She constantly updates her books which have become classics, reassuring and entertaining more than two generations of Australians.She began her career as a cadet journalist at The Age newspaper, and soon lurched into other areas, producing her cartoon strip Hermoine the Modern Girl; and the first of many columns and books. She still writes things, and talks in public and on the radio. And on the phone. Kaz lives in Melbourne and often works in her pyjamas (usually without leaving the house). Her hobbies include reading, sewing in a straight line and shouting at the television news. Kaz recommendsIn this episode, Kaz recommends the following documentary about body image:Embrace is a social impact documentary by Taryn Brumfitt that explores the serious issue of body loathing, inspiring us to change the way we feel about ourselves and think about our bodies.