When we are about to get married or have recently married, I ask “What Marriage Expectations do you have for your relationship?’ Most of the time I get blank stares, even asked from some couples, ‘are we supposed to have one?’ Fact is, Yes, you should. Why should you? To know what it is you want and expect and to then work towards achieving it. If we have no real expectation, how then do we move

Why is it that so many couples are unable to agree on things to do together? I am continually saddened to see couples from their 40’s plus in distress because either him or her want to ‘do things’ in their free time or even when they plan to retire. One partner may want to trek, ride a camel, go white water rafting, parachute, anything that takes some effort or energy. What then happens when their

While we are often attracted to the person’s outside appearance when we meet, does this slowly dissolve into loving what they have on the inside only? Does it remain relevant to want an attractive body to love? Time is often not kind to our bodies. Gravity takes over, skin becomes looser; children scars are noticeable, weight often increases and hair can disappear into baldness. Sure we can whinge and whine about what we use to

Dubbed Australia’s Lifestyle Doctor, Dr Karen Phillip is gearing up for a tour of several DYMOCKS stores to share her invaluable advice and help people build stronger relationships.   As well as being a regular on Channel 9’s TODAY show and Radio 2GB, Dr Karen is a leading relationship expert, media commentator and professional Counselling Psychotherapist. Karen has a wealth of experience, both as a counsellor to thousands of couples, and from her personal life,

  Many parents struggle with this question. When do we bring it up, what age is appropriate, how do I not damage my child by giving them this intimate information? Learning about the body and then sex, is a normal part of learning. It is usually the parent that has the issue with this, not the child. How then do we address this to ensure our child is correctly informed; how old is old enough?

I was asked to write about how parents can stop their child interrupting them. I consulted on this for Essential Child. It is often a daily occurrence that can drive parents crazy. Please have a read and follow the easy steps to get the outcome you want, and have your child wait… While being interrupted is a part of life when your children are little, there comes a time when they can learn better habits. “Children from

I have done a few interviews this past week regarding Grandparents babysitting their grandchildren and the strain it can place upon them. I have attached an article below from Seniors Magazine reflecting this. Yes there are times parents need the Grandparents to assist them out with childcare however when did the responsibility leave the parent to care for their own children. When we decide to become a parent we must accept the change this means

Ensuring we set a solid foundation for our marriage is vital. Many couples fail to discuss the many topics that will present as your life progresses. The worst thing to happen is to approach these things blind. When we don’t really know what our partner thinks or how they will respond, can often cause a situation that should be small to erupt into a major disaster. How can we prevent these things from escalating point

Beware – December is the Breakup Month   Research tells us that the end of the year is the most common time couples separate. The reason this occurs is we may have tolerated our partner, their behaviour, family or friends and once the end of the year is upon us we reassess what the year has been like and often make a conscious decision to start the new year fresh. In December we assess the

Raising a teen can certainly be challenging at times. Why is it they suddenly seem moody, hysterical, throw dreadful tantrums, start being sneaky around us and exclude us from their lives? Is this the beautiful child I raised and what happened? How can I speak with or treat my teen so they stay calm, focused and friendly? How can I spend time with them so they don’t feel I am intruding in their life and

We have a sad literacy rate and many children struggle to learn. This is not the teachers’ fault but can be attributed to either the lack of educational pursuits from their parents or the way the child actually learns. I know many schoolteachers, as I am sure most of us do. Yes they do an amazing job and have to tolerate belligerent parents and defiant children almost every day yet they continue undertaking their vital

We have a new generation of adult children remaining in the family home. We ask – why won’t my adult child leave home? There are a few reasons this could be occurring and reasons parents need to consider if they want their older children to move out and become independent. Parents can consider the reasons why their adult child may remain at home: I do everything for my child so they don’t want to have