Dr Justin Coulson
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The Happy Families Podcast with Dr. Justin Coulson is designed for the time poor parent who just wants answers now. Every day Justin and his wife Kylie provide practical tips and a common sense approach to parenting that Mums and Dads all over the world are connecting with. Justin and Kylie have 6 daughters and they regularly share their experiences of managing a busy household filled with lots of challenges and plenty of happiness. For real and practicable advice from people who understand and appreciate the challenges of a time poor parent, listen to Justin and Kylie and help make your...
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Research, family experience and practical language meet in parenting advice designed to change what happens in the next difficult conversation.
Justin and Kylie Coulson turn parenting questions into clear, conversational problem-solving. Their exchanges move easily between research, family experience and practical scripts, covering resilience, attention, smartphones and girls' body image.
Wedding tears and smartphone rules sit side by side; your parenting doubts get unusually human company.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A warm, practical episode about making period education more open, age-conscious, and less shaped by taboo.
Periods move into the family conversation through the memory of a first one, as Kylie Coulson asks whether it was discussed openly, feared, or treated as taboo.
A calm, practical guide to hearing a child's body concern before trying to answer it.
Body image moves into the family conversation early, as girls' worries frame a listener's question about helping them feel at home in their bodies.
A thoughtful case for letting children meet manageable struggle instead of being hurried past it.
Resilience is framed here as more than toughness. The episode centers on whether children feel worthy and purposeful, then ties that inner footing to the experience of doing difficult things rather than being shielded from every struggle.
A wedding-day misstep becomes a tender reflection on parenthood, imperfect moments, and letting grown children choose their own way.
Wedding-day panic gives this Happy Families episode its shape, as Kylie Coulson looks back on their second daughter's marriage and Justin Coulson owns the moment he forgot to walk her down the aisle.
A grounded, practical look at attention, distraction, and the environments shaping family focus.
Attention spans get a grounded reality check in this single-episode review. The discussion turns on a new Nature study, shifting the concern away from the familiar idea that concentration is simply disappearing and toward the environments that keep pulling focus in competing…
A clear, parent-first case for holding off on smartphones a little longer.
Happy Families turns a familiar parental question into something with real stakes: when is a child actually ready for a smartphone? It opens with a new Pediatrics study that followed 10,000 12-year-olds, then returns to the same hard finding that earlier smartphone use is linked…
Parenthood and bodies, told one honest story at a time.
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This episode discusses the challenges facing boys and men in Australia, prompted by a listener question about calls for a government minister for men.
The host shares four predictions for 2026 parenting trends, starting with the 'hybrid education exodus' where more families will leave traditional schooling due to issues like neurodivergence, bullying, and curriculum dissatisfaction.
The hosts discuss a thought-provoking article by Derek Thompson about prioritizing family over work and whose metaphorical cup we're filling in our lives.
This episode discusses how to build awesome relationships with in-laws and explores patience as a key tool in parenting and business.
This episode discusses the parental reality of giving more than receiving, exploring how to embrace this without resentment while highlighting family dinners and sharing personal experiences from raising five children.
This episode addresses a parent's concern about her eight-year-old son's sneaky lying behavior and offers advice on handling it to prevent escalation.
This episode features an interview with Dr.
The hosts of a parenting podcast discuss their favorite books from 2025, sharing personal reading experiences and recommendations.
This episode addresses a listener's question about raising boys in a toxic online world, prompted by Louis Theroux's documentary 'Inside the Manosphere', offering parenting advice on navigating these challenges.
This episode examines the impact of Australia's social media ban for under-16s, discussing what's working, what's not, and how families can help children navigate digital spaces safely.
The hosts discuss their 28-year marriage anniversary and tease a key family strategy they use every 12 weeks to improve family functioning.
This episode of the Happy Families podcast explores how to have meaningful conversations with children about tricky topics, using real-life parenting experiences and listener interactions.
This episode explores the trending FAFO parenting style, a tough love approach contrasting with gentle parenting, discussing its origins, media attention, and implications for family connections.
This episode addresses a parent's concern about their eight-year-old son's aggressive behavior at home despite excellent conduct at school, exploring emotional regulation differences and practical solutions.
This episode features a conversation between hosts Justin and Kylie Coulson about Kylie's personal fitness and weight loss journey as a mother of six, addressing topics like body image, perimenopause, and self-improvement.
This episode discusses the effectiveness of homework for children and covers breaking news about Meta and YouTube being taken to court over allegations that their products cause addiction and mental health issues in young people.
This episode features body safety educator John Cardamone discussing how parents can respond effectively when children disclose abuse, drawing from his personal experience and professional expertise.
This episode discusses the dangers of e-bikes and e-scooters among teenagers, sharing parental perspectives and community concerns about safety and responsibility.
This episode addresses a listener's question about helping her 9-year-old daughter develop positive body image and self-esteem through practical parenting strategies.
This episode examines how AI like Chat GPT affects children's learning and memory, critiques alarmist headlines about AI making kids dumber, and discusses what parents should teach their kids about using AI responsibly.
Justin and Kylie Coulson share a unique back-to-school checklist based on their experience with six children and over 60 first days at school, offering practical parenting advice for the upcoming school year.
The host recounts their critical stance on Roblox as a dangerous platform for children and shares details of a surprising meeting with the company's CEO to discuss these concerns.
This episode discusses how big tech companies like Meta and YouTube are facing lawsuits in the US and how Australia's social media age legislation is influencing global policies, focusing on the impact of screens on parenting and children.
This episode discusses a Pediatrics study on how parents often unknowingly fail to monitor what their 6-12 year old children are watching on screens, focusing on age-appropriate content and invisible influences.
This episode of the Happy Families Podcast features hosts Dr.
This episode explores how building strong relationships with teachers can significantly impact a child's school year, offering practical advice from experienced parents.
This episode addresses a parent's dilemma about fostering independence in their 11-year-old son while dealing with his dishonesty about breaking agreed-upon boundaries like curfew and location reporting.
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This episode discusses new research on how maternal responsiveness to crying babies impacts children's socio-emotional development and emotional regulation.
This episode of the Happy Families podcast discusses parenting challenges and successes, including a daughter's achievements and a review of a sunrise alarm clock that has improved morning routines.
This episode presents 10 reasons why homework is not beneficial for primary school children, addressing a listener's question about articulating this professionally to colleagues.
This episode challenges the individualistic view of resilience by arguing it is relational, offering parenting insights on helping children through emotional and social challenges.
A parenting podcast addresses a listener's question about managing peer pressure when her 11-year-old daughter wants a mobile phone while the family maintains strict screen boundaries.
This episode explores the ethical and developmental implications of using tracking apps like Life360 to monitor children, balancing safety concerns with the need for autonomy and independence.
This episode features Dr.
This episode discusses a Belgian study revealing that children exposed to gambling-like features in video games are more likely to start real-money gambling, with insights for parents.
This episode of the Happy Families podcast addresses rising loneliness across age groups and offers practical advice for adults on building and strengthening friendships.
The hosts discuss their decade-long decision to homeschool their six children, sharing their personal journey and research behind it in response to a listener's question.
This episode examines recent research questioning whether growth mindset interventions actually improve academic achievement, exploring the concept's origins and current scientific scrutiny.
This episode discusses the family's experiences with teaching values to kids and using kinesiology despite contradictory evidence, sharing personal stories and insights.
This episode offers two evidence-based strategies to help families get their school routines back on track when everything feels like it's falling apart.
This episode addresses a parent's question about how to start homeschooling their five-year-old when feeling uncertain, building on broader trends in homeschooling and individualized education.
This episode explores research on the 'kindness paradox'—how helping others can improve mental health more than self-care—and discusses practical ways to teach kindness to children.
A parenting podcast episode discussing how children reflect parents' habits and sharing personal family stories to help listeners improve their parenting skills.
This episode explores how parents can help their children feel worthy and build resilience by encouraging them to do hard things rather than making life too easy.
A couple celebrates their 28th wedding anniversary and discusses lessons learned for a happy marriage on their parenting podcast.
This episode of the Happy Families Podcast explores how resistance or procrastination in family dynamics often stems from underlying fear rather than simple unwillingness.
This episode features an interview with Andre Casson, headmaster of Brisbane Boys College, discussing strategies for raising boys to become respectful, character-driven men who positively impact the world.
This episode explores how parents can help children build resilience and push through challenges when learning new skills like math or piano, using psychological concepts about emotions.
Kylie Coulson opens a solo Happy Families interview with Kate Andrews to ask how parents should talk about a first period before it becomes taboo.
“Get curious, not furious” is Justin Coulson’s first response to a nine-year-old saying “Am I pretty enough?”
Justin Coulson frames the Happy Families episode around whether children feel worthy, not whether they are worthy, and argues that worth is felt through purpose and contribution.
Justin Coulson and Kylie Coulson talk through Abby's wedding a week after it happened, including the moment Justin "totally forgot" to walk her down the aisle after a bike crash and concussion.
Justin Coulson says a 2024 meta-analysis of 287 studies found no decline in attention abilities from 1990 to 2021.
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Ethan Kross explains how the “Batman effect” helps children create distance from temptation.
Dr Justin Coulson interviews Northwestern University psychologist Renee Engeln about her book Beauty Sick and appearance pressure on girls and women.