Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families

This week, Australia made global headlines — and parents everywhere felt it. Justin shares the emotional, history-making moment inside Kirribilli House as the new social-media age laws rolled out, the families whose stories shaped the legislation, and why this shift matters more than most people realise. Plus: the behind-the-scenes chaos of a family holiday that turned into a resilience masterclass. A powerful mix of emotion, insight, and laugh-so-you-don’t-cry parenting moments.

KEY POINTS

• Inside the Kirribilli House event announcing Australia’s new age restrictions for social media.
• The heartbreaking parent stories that pushed lawmakers to act — and why the room was filled with tears.
• A rare moment of political unity that left Justin with goosebumps.
• What this new law actually means for teens, parents, and tech platforms in the months ahead.
• A family holiday disaster (expired passports, food poisoning, meltdowns, gale-force winds)… turned into a resilience-building win.
• Why doing hard, screen-free things is the secret ingredient to family connection.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

"This isn’t about politics. This is about our kids." — Prime Minister Albanese

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Heads Up Alliance
• Let Them Be Kids campaign
• Go Rail Trail (Queenstown)

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

1. Talk to your teen about Australia’s new age rules and what they mean for your family.
2. Watch how platforms respond over the next few months — enforcement will evolve.
3. Create screen-incompatible moments: activities that pull kids away from devices naturally.
4. Normalise hard things — help your kids practise choosing helpful thoughts when challenges arise.

Lean into connection: shared struggle (and shared laughter) builds family closeness faster than comfort ever will.

If you’ve ever stood in the toy aisle wondering what will actually make my kids happy, this episode is the Christmas miracle you need. We unpack the surprising research on gift-giving—why experiences matter, when they don’t, and what different ages really want (and remember!) on Christmas morning. This one will change how you wrap Christmas… literally.

KEY POINTS

• The science-backed truth: giving really does make us happier than receiving.
• Why toddlers get more joy from giving than getting (what?!).
• The ages where kids prefer “stuff”… and why it’s developmentally normal.
• When experiences finally “click” for kids and bring more lasting joy.
• How anticipation, shared moments and memories make experiences powerful.
• A simple framework for choosing the right gift for the right child at the right age.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“It’s not what you give — it’s that you give — that makes you happy.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Today’s the day. Australia’s new Social Media Minimum Age Legislation kicks in—and families everywhere are feeling everything from relief to panic. In this special episode, Justin is interviewed by “Intrepid Reporter Kylie” in a reenactment of a newsroom conversation that never got to air.

You’ll hear what this ban actually means, how parents and teens are reacting, why the timing matters, and what families can do to keep kids connected, active, and thriving—without the algorithm pulling them in.

Short, practical, reassuring. A must-listen for every parent navigating summer holidays and a new digital reality.

KEY POINTS

• Why parent reactions have been overwhelmingly positive
• How teens really feel—and why some are secretly relieved
• What the legislation does and doesn’t block
• The truth about VPNs, fake IDs, and workarounds
• Why school holiday timing may actually be perfect
• How this ban affects connection, loneliness, and real-life friendships
• What platforms are age-restricted vs. still accessible
• Why messaging apps aren’t the same as social media
• How Justin & Kylie navigated the changes with their own teen
• The essential role parents still play (the ban doesn’t replace you!)

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“I’m not anti-screen. I’m pro living a full, balanced, whole, healthy life.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Why does Christmas feel so magical—and how can we bottle that feeling for our families? In this episode, Justin and Kylie unpack the science behind Christmas joy and reveal the seven psychological drivers that make the season feel warm, connected, nostalgic, and full of wonder.

From sensory anchors to collective effervescence, discover how small tweaks to your traditions can transform a stressful season into a slow, meaningful, joy-soaked one. This is your cheat-sheet to creating the kind of Christmas your kids will remember forever.

KEY POINTS

• Relationships are the heart of Christmas—intentional togetherness boosts joy and belonging.
• Anticipated joy (hello Advent calendars) fuels dopamine and lifts mood weeks before the day arrives.
• Sensory anchoring—smells, sights, tastes—creates powerful nostalgia and emotional connection.
• Collective effervescence elevates community energy when everyone enters the same seasonal rhythm.
• Permission for wonder gives adults a rare chance to play, imagine, and embrace childlike magic.
• Savouring and gratitude turn small moments into the big memories our kids carry into adulthood.
• Applying these principles can fix a stressful or disappointing Christmas and make it joyful again.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“Christmas is culturally sanctioned slowness—and if we savour it, the joy multiplies.”

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

1. Prioritise connection over productivity—plan moments of slow, intentional togetherness.
2. Create anticipation with rituals that build excitement (tree, lights, Advent, small traditions).
3. Use sensory anchors—scents, recipes, music, decorations—to spark nostalgia and joy.
4. Lean into wonder: play, imagine, and embrace the magic your kids already feel.
5. Savour moments in real time—pause, breathe, and let the season be slow.

What if the world’s biggest social media company discovered its platforms were harming mental health… and then buried the evidence? Today, Justin and Kylie unpack explosive court documents about Meta’s secret research, the upcoming social media age-limit legislation, and what really happens when we step away from the online world. Then, we dive into your powerful responses to our most controversial episode of the year — including raw truths from parents who feel exhausted, confused, and desperate for answers. This episode will make you think differently about screens, kids, “normality,” and what families actually need.

KEY POINTS

• Meta allegedly hid internal research showing users became less depressed after deleting Facebook.
• Why this matters ahead of Australia’s new social media minimum-age legislation.
• Justin’s own social media detox — and the surprising wellbeing shift.
• Why young teens are the most vulnerable to social platforms.
• The cultural shift toward labels, diagnoses, and pathologising behaviour.
• Parents respond to the Sammy Tamimi episode: gratitude, confusion, frustration, exhaustion.
• The power — and danger — of language when describing kids’ struggles.
• Why the environment (screens, sleep, school, structure) often matters more than labels.
• Reassurance: you can hold the nuance — be curious and compassionate without losing hope.

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

"When we change our language, we change our experience." — Justin

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Meta court case reporting (news.com.au)
• Searching for Normal by Dr. Sammy Tamimi
• Previous Happy Families episode featuring Dr. Sammy Tamimi
• Research on Facebook deactivation and mental health

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

1. Audit your child’s digital environment — sleep, screens, stimulation, social pressure.
2. Create a family phone culture (including boundaries around late-night messaging).
3. Hold diagnoses lightly, not dismissively — take what helps, leave what harms.
4. Stay curious about what might be driving big emotions or behaviour.
5. Prioritise connection over correction when your child is struggling.
6. Remember progress > perfection — small steps make a big difference.