How long do you think you can focus on one thing before your mind begins to wander? In the 1970s, it was 12 minutes … in 2000, it was 12 seconds … and in 2024, a study found that the attention span of an average human adult was 8.25 seconds. Random other things constantly enter...
As parents, it’s natural to want to shield our children from discomfort and big emotions. But what if the goal isn’t to eliminate stress, but to help our children—and ourselves—feel safe even when stress is present? True regulation is not about making all the hard feelings disappear. It’s about...
As parents, carers, and educators, we all want to help children learn, grow, and thrive. It’s natural to reach for strategies that seem to work in the moment—like offering a treat for good behaviour or threatening a consequence for challenging actions. But have you ever wondered why these...
The first drop-off at school or childcare is a significant milestone for families. For some, it’s a smooth transition; for others, it can be filled with tears, worry, and apprehension that persist well past the first day — on both sides. Separation is not just about saying goodbye at the...
Let’s be honest—screens are everywhere, and as parents, we know how tempting it is to hand over a device when life gets busy. There’s no shame in using screens to get through the day. But what if we reframed screen time as a missed opportunity for something even more valuable? Why Screens Are So...
As parents, it’s only natural to want to ease our children’s struggles—whether it’s a meltdown before school, a refusal to try new foods, or a need for things to be “just so.” We often accommodate by adjusting routines, avoiding certain situations, or stepping in to smooth things over. This comes...
As parents and teachers, we’re often told: “Just get them to do some heavy work—it helps.” But what exactly does that mean? “Heavy work” refers to activities that activate the proprioceptive system—our body gets information from our muscles and joints that helps us understand where we are in...
We are starting to see the impact of the recent changes to NDIS legislation. The introduction of ‘Impairment Notices’ by the NDIS will link all funded supports to specific impairments. Section 33 of the legislation has introduced funding amounts and funding periods to all new NDIS plans. This...
To most parents’ surprise, handwriting is a complex task that requires numerous sensory systems, muscles, and brain-body connections to work together. When parents see that their child’s handwriting is messy, their child avoids handwriting or that they have a very awkward grip, they may think...
Family Connections Sydney is a multi-disciplinary group of professionals dedicated to providing high quality services to children and their families.
