Fewer and fewer parents will smack their children – but it’s still legal. Should that change?
SanyaSM/Getty Images A study published this month shows many Queenslanders believe parents should not be convicted of assault for doing things such as smacking their children for misbehaviour. I am a clinical psychologist who researches child adversity, parenting and mental health. So what else did the study find? And what does it mean about laws […]
Are you using AI to study? Here’s how to do it well
Capuski/Getty Images Artificial intelligence (AI) means high school and uni students now have access to a resource that can potentially “do all the work for them”. While this can reduce students’ immediate stress in submitting assessments, it may negatively impact their long-term learning. As high school and uni students enter the end-of-year exam period, they […]
Not enjoying being a parent? You’re not alone. Here’s how to handle this complicated feeling
Helena Lopes/ Pexels We’re often told parenting is one of the most rewarding things we’ll ever do. But as many parents will attest, it is also full of very difficult moments. And sometimes these moments seem almost constant. While it can feel taboo to say it out loud (“I’m not enjoying being a parent”), a […]
Many Indigenous people now study and teach at Australian universities – but they are still excluded
Don Wu/Getty Images When I graduated from high school more than 25 years ago, I received a phone call. I hadn’t met the caller, but they knew of me. They informed me that, according to their records, I was one of only 50 Indigenous students to successfully complete secondary school in the states of South […]
Advice around children’s screen use can be overwhelming. There is no single ‘right’ approach
Yan Krukau/Pexels When should your child start engaging with screens? How long should they use them for? Can they watch or play alone? Should there be a gap before bed? There is lots of advice for parents about children’s screen use – and it’s getting more complex. The advice is conflicting, often prescriptive and can […]
Kids and teens are going to AI chatbots for advice. How can parents make sure this is safe?
ilkercelik/Getty Images Last week, Australian Federal Police commissioner Krissy Barrett warned artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are not a sufficient replacement for human support for children. The comment was in response to a recent Adelaide University study that found more than one in three Australian children turn to AI chatbots for support when they are sexually […]
School teachers are burning out at alarming rates. How can we help keep them happy in their jobs?
Nataliya Voitkevich/ Pexels More than a third of Australian teachers say they plan to leave the profession before retirement, while a further third say they are unsure of their career plans. High levels of stress and burnout are cited as key factors behind teaching turnover. A 2025 Australian study found 90% of teachers reported severe […]
When parents don’t see eye to eye: are differences in parenting styles a bad thing?
StockPlanets/Getty Images Sometimes it can be hard for parents to agree on how to raise children. One parent might insist their child’s homework has to be finished before they’re allowed to use devices. The other may think a bit of screen time before study is perfectly reasonable. Rules and consequences might be the preferred strategy […]
A global report gives NZ tertiary education a pass – but hides another side of the story
Getty Images Each year, the OECD’s sprawling Education at a Glance report compares education systems across the developed world. And each year, New Zealand typically gets a pass mark. The 2026 edition is no different. About 44% of New Zealand adults aged 25-64 have a tertiary qualification – a diploma, degree or higher. That’s almost […]
Worried about your Year 12 exams? 3 ways to help anxiety
JohnnyGreig/Getty Images The high-stakes nature of Year 12 exams can bring out sudden anxiety in the best of students. You might have felt this before or during an assessment. Sometimes it feels like a rising panic in your chest. Other times it’s like your mind has gone blank and you can’t remember anything. These feelings […]