Are you buying children’s books your kids will love — or ones you’ll secretly dread reading for the hundredth time? On this episode of The Parenting Police, host Sean Szeps is joined by ARIA-winning Australian musician and celebrated children’s author Josh Pyke to debate what makes a children’s book truly worth bringing into your home.

With a dozen children’s books to his name, Josh knows a thing or two about telling stories kids and their parents love. He shares how becoming a dad inspired his writing, why the best children’s books need to entertain parents as well as kids, and how stories can help families explore big emotions like grief, memory and loss.

Sean and Josh also put a number of children’s books under the microscope, tackling some big questions: Are celebrity authors helping reluctant readers discover a love of books? Do wordless picture books deserve a place on the shelf? Are expensive pop-up books worth the inevitable damage? And have we made children’s stories too safe by avoiding the strange, scary and uncomfortable?

From books that spark meaningful conversations to stories children want to revisit again and again, this episode is packed with thoughtful insights, lively debate and inspiration for your next trip to the bookshop.

LINKS :

• Follow @joshpyke on Instagram
• Josh's latest album Kingdom Within is out now
• Check out Josh's books

MORE FROM SEAN SZEPS:

• Watch The Parenting Police on YouTube
• Follow Sean (@seanszeps) on Instagram
• Like Sean on Facebook

CREDITS:

• Host: Sean Szeps
• Guest: Josh Pyke
• Video Producer/Editor: Aidan Parkes
• Theme song co-written and produced by Josh Pyke
• Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
• Managing Producer: Ceci Herbert
• Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind-the-scenes content

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when the pop culture our kids love starts sending messages we’re not quite ready for them to hear?

In this episode of The Parenting Police, Sean Szeps is joined by actress, musician and mum Tammin Sursok to take a closer look at girl groups, pop music and the increasingly blurred line between entertainment and the sexualisation of young girls. Using the hugely popular girl group KATSEYE as a starting point, Sean and Tammin unpack how the imagery, lyrics, fashion and choreography surrounding young female performers have evolved — and ask an uncomfortable question: at what point does pop culture stop being harmless fun and start shaping how our daughters see their bodies, relationships and self-worth?

Tammin draws on her own experience growing up in the entertainment industry, including her struggles with anorexia and the pressure she felt to seek attention through her appearance. She opens up about becoming addicted to what she calls the “male gaze” and why she believes sexualisation can become an attention cycle that is incredibly difficult to break.

The conversation also explores what parents can realistically do when children are inevitably exposed to sexualised content through music, TikTok, YouTube and their friends. Rather than trying to control everything their children see, Tammin argues that parents need to give them the language, values and confidence to question the messages they're consuming.

From girl groups and Britney Spears to body image, beauty standards, social media, parenting boundaries and the difficult conversations we sometimes avoid, this is an honest and thought-provoking discussion about raising girls in a hyper-connected world.

Join the conversation! Add #TheParentingPolice to your social post.

LINKS :

• Follow @tamminsursok on Instagram
• Watch Tammin's series 'Aussie Girl' on YouTube
• Watch Tammin's latest movie 'You, Me & The Penguins' on Netflix

MORE FROM SEAN SZEPS:

• Watch The Parenting Police on YouTube
• Follow Sean (@seanszeps) on Instagram
• Like Sean on Facebook

CREDITS:

• Host: Sean Szeps
• Guest: Tammin Sursok
• Video Producer/Editor: Aidan Parkes
• Theme song co-written and produced by Josh Pyke
• Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
• Managing Producer: Ceci Herbert
• Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind-the-scenes content

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it really take to raise boys who are confident, kind and emotionally healthy?

In this episode of Parenting Police, Sean Szeps is joined by developmental paediatrician and author Dr Billy Garvey to unpack what parents need to understand about raising boys in a world where ideas about masculinity are changing.

Billy shares his own experiences growing up and the lessons he learned about hiding emotions, being tough and what it means to “be a man”, before exploring how these expectations can shape the way boys communicate, manage emotions and build relationships.

Billy and Sean discuss why boys don't necessarily need to be “toughened up”, the importance of emotional connection and empathy, and why the old idea that “boys will be boys” can sometimes prevent children from learning healthier ways to behave. Billy also explains why punishment isn't always the answer when boys become aggressive, and what parents can do instead when their child is overwhelmed or struggling.

From the role fathers play in modelling emotional behaviour to the importance of warmth, boundaries and respectful relationships, this is an honest and practical conversation about raising boys without limiting who they can become. This is an important conversation for anyone raising boys — and anyone who wants to better understand the boys and young men in their lives.

Join the conversation! Add #TheParentingPolice to your social post.

LINKS :

• Dr Billy Garvey's book Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Raising Boys is available now
• More on Guiding Growing Minds
• Follow @drbillygarvey on Instagram
• Listen to Billy's podcast Pop Culture Parenting

MORE FROM SEAN SZEPS:

• Watch The Parenting Police on YouTube
• Follow Sean (@seanszeps) on Instagram
• Like Sean on Facebook

CREDITS:

• Host: Sean Szeps
• Guest: Dr Billy Garvey
• Video Producer/Editor: Aidan Parkes
• Audio Producer: Adrian Walton
• Theme song co-written and produced by Josh Pyke
• Executive Producer: Damien Haffenden
• Managing Producer: Ceci Herbert
• Follow @novapodcastsofficial on Instagram for videos from the podcast and behind-the-scenes content

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.