A 13-year Australian study's findings are shaking the medical world. Children on ADHD medication reported lower quality of life than those who weren’t medicated. In this eye-opening episode, Justin unpacks why the “gold standard” research behind ADHD treatment might have been flawed all along — and what this means for families trying to do what’s best for their kids.

This one might make you rethink everything you’ve been told.

KEY POINTS

• The shocking Deakin University study on ADHD medication and child wellbeing.
• Why “the gold standard” MTA study may have misled the world for decades.
• How peer review can fail — and how Big Pharma shapes the story.
• What long-term follow-ups reveal about medication outcomes.
• Why your child isn’t the problem — and what really needs to change instead.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“Your child doesn’t have a problem. Thinking your child is the problem is often the bigger problem.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• MTA Study (Multimodal Treatment of ADHD) and 3-year follow-up research.
• Deakin University longitudinal study on ADHD medication and quality of life.
• The Parenting Revolution by Dr Justin Coulson.
• Parenting ADHD [The Course] + Course FAQs
• [Article] Help for the Parent with ADHD

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

1. Don’t make changes overnight — start by reading the linked studies.
2. Talk to your child’s GP, psychologist, or psychiatrist about alternative supports.
3. Focus on your child’s environment, not just their behaviour.
4. Trust your gut — if something doesn’t feel right, it’s worth exploring.
5. Remember: grace for your child, yourself, and your professionals.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why can’t kids just calm down? Here’s the truth: they’re not supposed to. Expecting children to manage their emotions alone is like expecting them to drive a car before they’ve learned to walk. In this episode, Justin and Kylie bust the biggest parenting myth about big feelings — and share 3 powerful, science-backed strategies you can use in the heat of the moment to help your child ride the emotional waves.

KEY POINTS

• Kids’ brains are on “L-plates” when it comes to emotion regulation — it’s a developmental process.
• Big feelings are normal, not a sign of “bad behaviour.”
• Three strategies parents can use:
• 1. Distraction – helps reset the nervous system.
  2. Co-regulation – lending your calm to your child.
  3. Pause problem-solving – wait until emotions settle before teaching or fixing.
• Parents often feel judged when meltdowns happen in public — but compassion (for ourselves and our kids) is the game-changer.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE
“No one can think clearly in a fire drill — and that’s exactly what trying to reason with a child mid-meltdown is like.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Happy Families resources for parenting strategies & support
• Little People, Big Feelings Summit

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nine hours a day. That’s how long Aussie teens are spending on recreational screens. But what does this mean for their development—and should parents panic? In this confronting but practical conversation, Dr Justin Coulson is joined by Dr Brad Marshall, clinical psychologist and researcher, to unpack Australia’s biggest study to date on screen overuse and gaming disorder in kids. Together, they explore what the data shows, what it means for families, and what you should (and shouldn’t!) do if screen use has taken over your home.

KEY POINTS

• New research shows 9 hours/day of screen time for high schoolers and 6 for primary kids—just for fun, not school.
• Around 5% of kids show signs of clinical or subclinical gaming disorder. 10% show signs of smartphone addiction.
• Significant developmental impacts were found across emotional, behavioural, educational, and physical domains.
• These issues start in primary school, not just during adolescence.
• It's not about banning screens but about helping parents set and enforce realistic, healthy limits.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

"If your child is in a sleep deficit because they’re on screens at night, that snowballs into everything else." – Dr Brad Marshall

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• The new Macquarie University study on screen overuse
• Brad’s Developmental Impact Questionnaire
• Happy Families podcast archive
• Brad Marshall’s organisation: Control Shift

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

1. Don’t attack the tech. Avoid saying things like “that game is rotting your brain.” It shuts down connection.
2. Don’t allow screens in bedrooms at night. Sleep loss is a key trigger for wider issues.
3. Don’t argue in the heat of the moment. Have the “screen talk” when everyone’s calm.
4. Get curious about impacts. Use tools like the Developmental Impact Questionnaire to understand your child’s experience.
5. Pick your battles. Focus on habits and boundaries, not just hours.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.