Big Bear's Treehouse

18/11/2025

Toddlers feel everything with their whole little bodies — and sometimes it bubbles over in ways that can feel huge for us too. 🌿

I love this gentle reminder from Queensland Health: when a toddler is overwhelmed, they’re not trying to be difficult… their brain is still learning what to do with all those big emotions.

Our calm presence becomes the thing that teaches them safety, regulation, and connection — not perfection. 💛

Sharing this conversation because it explains it beautifully, and I know many of the families I work with will find it comforting and incredibly helpful.

'Toddlers are busy brain builders; they're literally wiring their brains to manage emotions. When big feelings erupt, they're telling us they need our help.'

As an early intervention clinician, Karen knows first-hand the rollercoaster ride parents face with toddlers.🎢

Her role involves helping parents to navigate the crucial early years, building skills that foster lasting emotional health for their little ones and themselves.

'When a toddler has a tantrum, it's because their emotional system is overloaded. They're not giving you a hard time; they're having a hard time,' she explained.

'As caregivers, staying calm in these moments teaches our kids it's safe to feel their emotions and that we'll guide them through.'

For Karen, effective parenting isn't about perfection, but about connection and consistency. 👐

Discipline, she said, actually means 'to teach'. It's less about control and more about clearly and calmly helping children understand boundaries, making them feel secure.

Karen also champions the importance of emotional literacy, advocating the use of stories and everyday moments to help children name and understand their feelings.

'Even toddlers benefit from learning words for their emotions, like jealousy, excitement and frustration. It builds their self-esteem and gives them tools they'll use their whole lives.'

Her best advice for parents? 'Be kind to yourself. Parenting is tough, and it's okay to make mistakes. It's how we reconnect afterward, like admitting when we're wrong, talking through emotions, that truly strengthens our bond with our kids.'

Thanks for your invaluable insights, Karen, and all you do to support Queensland families! ❤️

👉 Hear more from Karen in the latest season of It Can’t Hurt To Ask: our mental wellbeing podcast for parents. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. 🎧

https://it-cant-hurt-to-ask.captivate.fm/listen

24/10/2025

some great times for helping children stay safe online

The internet is forever, so sharing too much online can pose significant safety risks for youth. While staying in touch is simple, protecting your information and privacy requires extra care. Download our new infographic on staying safe online here: https://bit.ly/42RvOxq

24/10/2025

What a smart way to show consent to a teenager without appearing to lecture at them.

22/10/2025

✨ Kind Words for the Week ✨

Parenting isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence.
Our children don’t need us to have all the answers; they just need us to show up, listen, and connect.

Let’s take a deep breath this week and remember that being present is enough. 💜

19/10/2025

🌈 Children’s Week 2025

This week we celebrate the courage, creativity and connection that children bring into our lives — and the gentle reminders they give us to slow down, listen, and be kind to ourselves.

💜 “When we meet ourselves with kindness, we teach our children what safety feels like.”

Here’s to growing safe spaces — for our children, and within ourselves.

24/09/2025

These online games are not as innocent as so many parents think.

Please, please be vigilant about what your children are doing online. 🙏

‘She described being coerced into a s*xual assault so graphic that the principal standing beside me wobbled.’

A 7NEWS exposé has pulled back the curtain on what many have been saying: Roblox is being used by predators to groom, s*xtort, and s*xually assault kids. According to the report, countless young users have repeatedly tried to report predatory behaviour only to feel ignored.

Online safety educator Kirra Pendergast puts it bluntly:
“Allowing a young kid to play on Roblox alone is ‘the direct equivalent of a parent dropping their child off outside a Westfield shopping centre, and saying: ‘Off you go, darling. You can go in there and be whoever you want to be for the next hour’.”

Roblox has responded with new commitments under new Australian legislation: age verification features, disabled chat until age is confirmed, restricted communication between under-16s and adults unless parental consent is granted, refining avatar detection, etc.

These are a step forward, but will not foolproof a platform this compromised.

Article link in comments.

Key Risks Parents & Carers Must Know:
⚠️ User-created games often contain violent, s*xual, or disturbing content - even with filters enabled.
⚠️ Predators are grooming children using Robux in exchange for explicit content.
⚠️ Scam games and fake giveaways exploit kids for money, information, and access.
⚠️ Games can link to external, unmoderated platforms like Discord or YouTube.
⚠️ Hidden "condo games" simulate sexual acts and evade moderation.
⚠️ Real-world violence, hate speech, and extremist content are present in some games.
⚠️ Bullying, harassment, and exclusion are common social dynamics.
⚠️ Children are at risk of addiction, disrupted sleep, and mental health impacts from overuse.

Parents should treat Roblox not as a harmless kids’ game, but as a high-risk platform exposing children to grooming, sexual exploitation, scams and violence.

Read our full breakdown here: https://collectiveshout.pulse.ly/nlwm9efxci

24/07/2025

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