Impressive - On-Air Consults I Parenting I Child Psychologist

In this instalment of Impressive, Dr Kimberley O’Brien speaks to mum Naomi and her daughter Yasi about what it feels like to deal with separation anxiety. Dr Kimberley kicks off by explaining that children often present with separation anxiety at Quirky Kid around the age of two and that it can reoccur when children start primary school or go to school camp or sleepovers. She says it can even occur again at the start of high school and children need a lot of care and support to get through it. Naomi reveals to Dr Kimberley that Yasi’s separation anxiety started around age two or three and affected her ability to enjoy daycare, participate in activities and go to birthday parties. She would stick by her mother’s side and be unable to participate even if she deeply wanted to be part of the fun. When Naomi explains that she ended up sticking around for birthday parties and her daughter would eventually float into the group, Dr Kimberley says that she uses techniques including role-playing and visuals in the clinic to slowly help children get comfortable with situations that cause them anxiety. Naomi and Dr Kimberley agree that the “dump and leave” approach doesn’t work with children who suffer from this level of separation anxiety. Dr Kimberley asks Naomi what techniques ended up working for her family. Naomi explains that finding the right psychologist, explaining the situation to Yasi’s friends and being persistent were the three things that helped the most. Because she has many years of experience working with children who have separation anxiety, Dr Kimberley shares some of her top techniques, including having a buddy system. Exploring the parents’ perspective next, Dr Kimberley asks Naomi how she feels when Yasi is experiencing separation anxiety and Naomi admits she sometimes gets very irritated and has to work hard to stay patient. She says she’s the main person who supports Yasi because her husband is less patient and Dr Kimberley points out that different parenting styles can make dealing with separation anxiety difficult. Naomi then shares that Yasi has found school camps and sleepovers challenging and that she needed to be encouraged to return to group activities after COVID. Dr Kimberley says these are common themes at Quirky Kid and offers advice. What you will learn in this episode: • What separation anxiety looks like • When separation anxiety can occur • Techniques that can help parents deal with separation anxiety • How a hardline approach may be unhelpful

In this episode of Impressive, Dr Kimberley O’Brien discusses encopresis, or faecal soiling, with toilet training educator Monica Ferrie. Monica kicks off the episode by explaining that encopresis occurs when there’s a build-up of poo and the bowel stretches until the rectum loses sensitivity. The child then doesn’t know when they need to poo until some of the impacted poo slips out. When Dr Kimberley points out that Monica is much more comfortable talking about this topic than the families who come to consult at Quirky Kid about it, Monica says embarrassment is a common theme surrounding encopresis. Families assume they’re the only ones dealing with this problem when it’s in fact quite common. With the encopresis fact sheet being the most popular one on Quirky Kid’s website and the number of families consulting for encopresis increasing, Dr Kimberley agrees it’s a much more common problem than people realise. Monica points out that encopresis isn’t deliberate and that the first line of intervention should be to deal with the constipation with plenty of fluids, fibre, sitting on the toilet and stool softeners if necessary. Both Dr Kimberley and Monica agree that a team approach involving the child’s psychologist, GP and teacher is key when treating encopresis. Dr Kimberley underlines the importance of getting help early and giving children independence and control over their toileting at home and at school. It’s also important for parents to have support and for a system to be put in place to deal with encopresis so it doesn’t affect the whole family. While encopresis isn’t always easy, families can overcome this issue and thrive with the right help and support. What you will learn in this episode: • What encopresis is • How to treat encopresis • The importance of a team approach in dealing with encopresis • Why the whole family needs support

Design Expert and Entrepreneur, Rachel Peachy and her family travel internationally to photograph playgrounds. They are paid to collaborate as a family on projects exploring playground culture, and how different communities interact and engage with in play spaces. Listen up as we explore: 1. How to seek out family-friendly international gigs 2. The pros and cons of hiring a babysitter while working abroad 3. A three month stint of homeschooling away from homebase. To connect with Rachel, about photography, exhibitions, graphic design, webpages and more, go to: www.racket.net.au To be part of the conversation, you’re invited join the ‘Impressive podcast’ group on Facebook or to apply for an on-air consultation with Kimberley email: [email protected]

Healthy child development is fuelled by good nutrition. In this episode, Nutritionist and Holistic Health Coach, Steph Meades shares her personal journey as a mother navigating the impact of preservatives on her son’s behaviour and it’s influence her career. Steph has built a thriving online and in-person business coaching families, educators and individuals on how to transition to real foods, as opposed to the processed variety! Listen up as we explore: 1. The most toxic preservatives for toddlers. 2. How to recognize common reactions to processed food. 3. Where parents can find support to change family eating habits. Listeners also receive a discount for Steph’s “Real Food Reboot” online program. Use the discount code: ‘quirkykid’ at: www.lifewellnessco.com If you liked this episode of Impressive, click ‘Subscribe’ and ‘Review’ our weekly stories about parents who find answers faster, do things differently and take their families further! To be part of the conversation, you’re invited join the ‘Impressive podcast’ group on Facebook or to apply for an on-air consultation with Kimberley email: [email protected]

Family mealtimes are a challenge for most children under 5 years...and their parents! In this on-air consultation, Leadership Team Advisor, Janna Lundquist seeks tips to encourage her children to stay at the table longer during mealtimes. Listen up as we explore: How to change dinner time dynamics When to use rewards at the table Why we shouldn’t negotiate with children in relation to food Listeners will learn about recommended resources to extend children’s mealtimes at the table, such as: www.timetimer.com To find out more about Founder and CEO of Janna Lundquist Consulting, a specialist in productive teaming within large organizations, see: https://www.jannalundquist.com/about/ If you liked this episode of Impressive, click ‘Subscribe’ and ‘Review’ in your podcast app. Impressive is a weekly podcast for parents who like to find answers faster, do things differently and take their families further! To apply for an on-air consultation, email: [email protected]