The Family Factor

How NOT to respond to online Trolls

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:25:00 +0000

The term ‘trolls’ comes from the folklore and legends type that sat in wait under a bridge. Online trolls sit in wait for opportunities to pounce on unsuspecting bloggers, commentators and...

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Switchfoot - Please manage your responsibility to young people wisely.

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:02:00 +0000

Today I am deeply disappointed with San Diego band Switchfoot's response to Australian community concerns over their performance outside a City Beach store in Queensland tomorrow. I am aware...

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How do I make rape 'not funny' to my teenage son?

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:13:00 +0000

I recently received an email from a parent with the exact subject heading as the title of this post. What got me thinking was that this was not the first time I had been asked/emailed/tweeted this...

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Tough love = boundaries + consequences

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:35:00 +0000

Collett Smart on Today Tonight:

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Healthy school lunch box ideas - Nutritionist Susie Burrell

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:25:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of co-presenting a seminar, on the health and mental well-being of girls, with nutritionist Susie Burrell at The Stadium Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Centre last October. I...

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"Do whatever you want." Except if you are a girl! Guest Post

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:19:00 +0000

This guest post is by my friend and media advisor Heather Jones. Heather is Filtered Communications’ founder and director and is a 15-year corporate communications and Public Relations...

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Social media a free-fire zone for cyber hate: by adults too - Guest post

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:33:00 +0000

This article, written for The Sunday Age, has been reprinted with the permission of Melinda Tankard Reist. Melinda is a Canberra author, speaker, commentator, blogger and advocate for women and...

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Tobacco Tots

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:57:00 +0000

'Just art' or another excuse to push the boundaries? Collett Smart's comments on The...

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Supporting Children through domestic violence - White Ribbon Day

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:26:00 +0000

I LOVE the fact that my children's school has issued white ribbons for every staff member and every male student in the school to wear today!Domestic violence was first recognised as a serious...

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Cross 'em of your Christmas list!

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 03:51:00 +0000

Don't pay for Sexploitation this holiday season:(Used with the permission of Collective Shout.)It’s that time of year again. The time of year when companies ramp up their advertising in order to...

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No 'cotton wool kids' here! - Building Resilient children

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:56:00 +0000

Collett's interview on Sunrise discusses resilience:

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Dear Diva - Bin the Bunny

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:53:00 +0000

This weekend, I and a group of people (and a disgruntled bunny named Myxi Matosis) planned to descend upon various Diva stores around the country, with a hard copy of a petition, holding 6000+ names...

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Final exams - reducing the stress at home

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:04:00 +0000

The final school exams can be a stressful time for the whole family, but let's take a look at what you can do to get through these last few weeks with the best possible outcome. This period is...

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10 Top Tips for teaching your kids to become media savvy

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 06:50:00 +0000

According to Maggie Hamilton "Children were the untapped market, so corporations used grooming techniques similar to those of predators." Such as: Pretend to be their friend Offer gifts...

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Thank you Steve Jobs for teaching us to Dream Big

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:39:00 +0000

Steve Jobs declared that Apple would block pornography from their apps on their Apple Store. This created an uproar among some critics. Ryan Tate, who is a writer for Gawker, lashed out at...

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Playboy & Diva - Our little girls are off-limits! - Collett on Sunrise

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:46:00 +0000

No, this is not a broken record (or an i-pod on repeat), it is just that some retailers still DO NOT get it, so we will continue to spell it out! Diva is marketing and promoting the global brand...

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10 tips to empower families online.

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:27:00 +0000

Professor Tanya Byron of The Byron Review believes, "We must empower children and young people to access and enjoy the opportunities and benefits of the digital world, be risk aware, but not...

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Big Trouble on The Biggest Loser - Collett Smart on Today Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:16:00 +0000

My interview on Today Tonight regarding the show 'The Biggest Loser' Read more »

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Does Media Matter: Media and Perception of Reality - Guest Post

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:19:00 +0000

Dr Jennifer Shewmaker. I have featured a post by Dr Jennifer before. I love her work. Dr Jennifer Shewmaker is a professor of psychology in the US and has been working with families and children...

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R U OK? - Supporting Teens with Depression

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 11:53:00 +0000

What is National R U OK? Day? "Thursday 15 September, 2011 is R U OK?Day. It’s a national day of action which aims to prevent suicide by encouraging Australians to connect with someone they...

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Finding the balance: Pushy Parenting vs Encouragement

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:51:00 +0000

We all know the type: The parent that sees all their child's achievements as a reflection of themselves. I remember being a teenager and watching a certain parent that used to come to school...

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Let's talk about Sexting - Parenting Teens #2

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:05:00 +0000

In light of my interview on Sunrise this week and my radio interview recently, I have chosen to write about 'sexting' again. Even though I have written on the issue in the past (see here),...

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My week on Planet Pageant

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 11:56:00 +0000

So the pageant has come and gone but not without a trail of debris left in its wake. As an advocate for childhood, I have had an interesting week, watching all the drama unfold. Last Wednesday...

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The 'value' of Child Beauty Pageants - Televised debate between Mickie Wood and Collett Smart

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:11:00 +0000

If you would like to see the other articles I have written on Sexualisation and Child Beauty Pageants please click on the following links: Self-image vs Sexualised image Child Beauty Pageants - The...

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Sexualization: Real or Imagined Problem?

noreply@blogger.com (The Family Factor) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 08:37:00 +0000

The following is a guest post by Dr Jennifer Shewmaker. Dr Jennifer is a professor of psychology in the US and has been working with families and children for the past 15 years. Jennifer is deeply...

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