Prof Daryl Higgins (he/him)

Research shows it’s harmful to smack your child, so what should parents do instead? The good news is there are evidence-based strategies that can help you discipline your child without using violence.

Research shows it’s harmful to smack your child, so what should parents do instead?
theconversation.com/research-sho...

ADHD prescriptions are up tenfold, with the wealthiest kids most likely to be medicated While children living in poorer areas used to have the highest rates of ADHD prescriptions, this has flipped.

ADHD prescriptions are up tenfold, with the wealthiest kids most likely to be medicated
theconversation.com/adhd-prescri...

‘I wish I could fall asleep and never wake up’: even passive suicidal thoughts are a worry. Here’s how to respond ‘I don’t want to live but I don’t want to die.’ ‘I wish I could fall asleep and not wake up.’ When people talk like this, how should we respond?

theconversation.com/i-wish-i-cou...

We know how to cool our cities and towns. So why aren’t we doing it? Cities swelter in heatwaves - they heat up faster and stay hotter. But Australia has few strategies to cool them. Here’s how we could shift from laggard to leader.

We know how to cool our cities and towns. So why aren’t we doing it?
theconversation.com/we-know-how-...

Australia needs a school lunch program – like many other high-income countries Australia can learn from other countries to introduce a universal free school lunch program that benefits children, families, local farmers and the planet.

theconversation.com/australia-ne...

I love my friends … I do not love their kids If kids behave badly – or even just like kids – it can make catch-ups chaotic. And can strain adult friendships.

theconversation.com/i-love-my-fr...

It’s (not) a new bike! How to manage kids’ gift expectations at Christmas The excitement of tearing into gifts is often mixed with intense anticipation – and sometimes, disappointment.

theconversation.com/its-not-a-ne...

Search engines will soon start filtering adult content under new eSafety rules The new year will bring new controls over what you see online – such as blurring pornographic or violent search results if you’re not logged in.

theconversation.com/search-engin...

Uh oh, my child just discovered the truth about Santa What happens when the penny drops about the guy who brings toys in a sleigh?

Uh oh, my child just discovered the truth about Santa
theconversation.com/uh-oh-my-chi...

Planning your next holiday? Here’s how to spot and avoid greenwashing Hotels talk a lot about sustainability, but often it’s no more than a marketing ploy.

I travel quite a bit - and I always leave towels on the rack for reuse…. But almost inevitably they are replaced with fresh ones by housekeeping. Need better training, explanation and engagement with staff about the purpose and rationale it it’ll work.
theconversation.com/planning-you...

Check out this podcast! 2ser.com/stories/beyo...

Australia’s national plan says existing laws are enough to regulate AI. This is false hope Without dedicated AI regulation, Australia will leave the most vulnerable at risk of harm.

Lets build a society where community safety, not money, comes first. theconversation.com/australias-n...

How can parents talk to their kids about the Bondi terror attack? When your child asks you a question, try to be honest, even if the answer is hard to give.

theconversation.com/how-can-pare...

Australia social media ban: Why isn't gaming included? Parents and experts say gaming poses many of the same risks for kids as social media, and want them included.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

How to get through the festive season when you’re estranged from your parents This time of year can bring a resurgence of grief about facing Christmas without family.

theconversation.com/how-to-get-t...

How to host a meal if one of your guests has an eating disorder or is anxious around food With a little thought, you can host a meal with family and friends that’s supports everyone.

theconversation.com/how-to-host-...

Is the focus on NAPLAN’s ‘top’ schools a good idea? On Wednesday, we got the results of how individual schools performed in this year’s NAPLAN tests.

theconversation.com/is-the-focus...

Ongoing heatwave to fuel further extreme weather on east coast An ongoing heatwave along Australia's eastern seaboard will fuel further extreme weather this weekend, and its longevity is now breaking long standing records.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...

Australia will get a register to track educators and CCTV trial in centres – we still need more to keep kids safe All Australia’s education ministers met in Sydney to agree on a new package of measures to improve safety in childcare.

Australia will get a register to track educators and CCTV trial in centres – we still need more to keep kids safe
theconversation.com/australia-wi...

How common is sexually abusive behaviour between children? How should daycare centres respond? Parents have spoken up about harrowing cases of their young children being abused by other children in daycare centres.

How common is sexually abusive behaviour between children? How should daycare centres respond?
theconversation.com/how-common-i...

How common is sexually abusive behaviour between children? How should daycare centres respond? Parents have spoken up about harrowing cases of their young children being abused by other children in daycare centres.

How common is sexually abusive behaviour between children? How should daycare centres respond?
theconversation.com/how-common-i...

A smuggled book changed his life. Now he’s built 500 prison libraries. Reginald Dwayne Betts was locked up as a teenager for carjacking. Books were his escape, and he went on to be a poet, lawyer and founder of Freedom Reads.

Reginald Dwayne Betts was locked up as a teenager for carjacking. While in prison, books were his escape. After his release he went on to be a poet, lawyer and founder of Freedom Reads — a nonprofit that installs libraries in prisons across the country.

In 2024, the climate crisis worsened in all ways. But we can still limit warming with bold action We are living in a hotter, more chaotic world, with more emissions, fires and fossil fuel consumption.

theconversation.com/in-2024-the-...

OpenAI’s Atlas browser promises ultimate convenience. But the glossy marketing masks safety risks If you want to try Atlas, the advice is straightforward: extreme caution.

theconversation.com/openais-atla...

How much does it really cost to raise a child? An expert does the maths With fertility rates at a record low, many say young people aren’t having kids because they’re too expensive. Turns out, it’s not that simple.

theconversation.com/how-much-doe...

GPs will soon get extra incentives to bulk bill. So will your doctor be free? Whether your GP decides to bulk bill all your visits will depend on on these 6 things.

theconversation.com/gps-will-soo...

The impact of clergy sexual abuse on spirituality and health: A systematic scoping review of the literature Sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy or other Church leaders can cause harm to the spirituality of people who are subject to this abuse, which also has impacts on their overall health. We conducted a sy...

Checkout this article I found at PLOS: dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...

Is Melbourne really the ‘crime capital of Australia’? Sussan Ley recently declared Melbourne the ‘crime capital of Australia’. But a closer analysis of the data shows a much more nuanced picture.

theconversation.com/is-melbourne...

Bribing kids to eat vegetables might backfire. Here’s what to do instead If you promise dessert after a few more bites of broccoli or carrot, kids can start to see sweets as the ‘prize’ and veggies as the ‘chore’.

Bribing kids to eat vegetables might backfire. Here’s what to do instead
theconversation.com/bribing-kids...

As social media age restrictions spread, is the internet entering its Victorian era? Social media bans suggest a resurgence of conservative values in our digital lives. But at what cost to young people’s autonomy, creativity and expression?

theconversation.com/as-social-me...