Parenting with Ngala

In this episode, Jen and Hannah welcome back Jill, a child health nurse of 25 years who has spent most of her career in the Wheatbelt and the last eight years with Ngala, to talk toddlers, mealtimes and nutrition, one of the topics parents ask about most.
Jill explains why twelve months marks a real pivot, from milk as the main source of nutrition to family meals and the five food groups, and why a toddler's growth slows even as their energy needs climb. Together they unpack the division of responsibility, why it helps to zoom out and look at what a toddler eats across a week rather than a single meal, and how platters, tongs and low pressure mealtimes can turn "yuck, nope" into curiosity.
From early dinners and second breakfasts, to water, milk and why toddler formula isn't needed, to iron, meat free families, safe foods and why banning "bad" foods backfires, Jen, Hannah and Jill cover the whole mealtime landscape with warmth, honesty and a reminder that every parent gets desperate sometimes, and that's okay.
Is this episode for you? This episode is perfect for parents with a baby aged 12 months –3 years who want to have a clearer understanding on their child's behaviour.
Resources:
www.ngala.com.au/resources/toddler/feeding/
📞 Need more help? For those in Western Australia, you can call the Ngala Parenting Line on 08 9368 9368 for free expert support from our team.
Follow the Podcast:
Subscribe: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@UCctvj5LUZ1eAzSErNAmAvxA
Website: 🔗 https://www.ngala.com.au/
Timecodes:
(00:00) Introduction: you can't force a toddler to eat
(00:45) Jill introduces herself and her work as a child health nurse
(01:15) The range of toddlerhood and the shift from milk to family meals
(04:15) Why growth slows and nutrition shifts to muscles, energy and brain development
(06:15) The division of responsibility: parents decide what, when and where
(07:45) Zooming out: looking at intake over a few days, not a single meal
(09:15) Platters, tongs and low pressure mealtimes
(10:45) Sitting together, modelling and why it matters after a big day
(12:15) Early dinners, second breakfasts and feeding toddlers when they're hungry
(16:45) What should toddlers drink? Water, milk, dairy and toddler formula
(19:30) Listening to tummies and letting go of finishing the plate
(20:45) No good food, bad food: why banning treats backfires
(23:45) Meat free and dairy free families: protein and iron alternatives
(28:15) We all get desperate: bribes, sensory preferences and every child's own pace
(29:45) When to see a GP or child health nurse, oral care and mealtime rituals
Follow Ngala 🌐
Instagram 🔗https://www.instagram.com/ngala.official/
Facebook 🔗https://www.facebook.com/Ngala.Official/
LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ngala/?originalSubdomain=au
Produced by Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
Music from #Uppbeat⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/the-summit⁠License code: FTQLZK6PIYUYDCXK
#parenting #parentingtips #toddlernutrition #toddlers #ngala #fussyeaters #perthparents #parents #mealtimes #podcast

All the (sometimes) messy details of toilet training or, as we prefer to call it, toilet learning. In this episode, Jen and Hannah sit down with Kat, who has spent ten years working with children and families, to reframe one of parenting's biggest milestones as a learning journey rather than a race, where mistakes and accidents are part of the process, not a problem to fix.

Kat outlines the signs that a child is ready, from language and gross motor skills to staying dry after naps, and why parents need to be ready too. Together they unpack why staying neutral matters, how to build a child's confidence and independence, and the practical planning, spare undies, nearest toilets, potty or toilet, that sets everyone up for success.
From helping boys learn to aim (yes, the ping pong ball trick), to managing constipation and the pain cycle, to what toilet learning looks like for neurodivergent and children living with disabilities, Jen, Hannah and Kat cover the whole journey with warmth, honesty and a reminder that every child learns at their own pace.
Is this episode for you?
This episode is perfect for parents with a baby aged 12 months –3 years who want to have a clearer understanding on their child's behaviour.
Resources:
A guide to successful toddler toilet training (also known as toilet learning) - Ngala📞 Need more help? For those in Western Australia, you can call the Ngala Parenting Line on 08 9368 9368 for free expert support from our team.
Follow the Podcast:
Subscribe: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@UCctvj5LUZ1eAzSErNAmAvxA
Website: 🔗 https://www.ngala.com.au/
Timecodes:
(00:00) Introduction: readiness is not a competition
(01:15) From toilet training to toilet learning: why the language matters
(04:00) Is the parent ready too? Life changes and emotional readiness
(05:15) Signs a child is ready: language, motor skills, staying dry
(08:45) Practical planning: spare undies, nearest toilets, ownership
(10:25) Potty or toilet? What suits your child and your home
(12:20) Why a relaxed body helps, and staying neutral as a caregiver
(15:15) Involving your child and building independence
(17:00) Consistency across the car, grandma's house and daycare
(19:30) Every child is unique: no magic wand, no three day formula
(25:05) Supporting boys: anatomy and the ping pong ball trick
(30:35) Hygiene, hand washing and learning to wipe
(34:25) Constipation, painful poos and the pain cycle
(37:10) Children living with neurodivergence and disabilities: individual support
(41:40) Reaching out to Ngala's Parenting Line and wrap up
Follow Ngala 🌐
Instagram 🔗https://www.instagram.com/ngala.official/
Facebook 🔗https://www.facebook.com/Ngala.Official/
LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ngala/?originalSubdomain=au
Produced by Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
Music from #Uppbeat ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/the-summit⁠License code: FTQLZK6PIYUYDCXK
#parenting #parentingtips #toiletlearning #toilettraining #ngala #toddlers #perthparents #parents #pottytraining #podcast

Tantrums, big feelings, and why an incorrectly peeled banana can lead to armageddon. In this episode, Jen and Hannah sit down with Beth, a registered nurse on the Ngala Parenting Line with a background in perinatal and infant mental health, to reframe toddler tantrums as communication rather than defiance, and to reassure parents that a toddler's goal is never to make life hard, but to learn, explore and connect.
Beth explains why toddlers are wired to test boundaries, how to find the balance between keeping them safe and letting them explore, and why staying neutral and lending your calm matters more than fixing the feeling. Together they unpack 'name it to tame it', co-regulation, and why a dysregulated adult cannot regulate a toddler.
From warm boundaries versus cold ones, to the difference between discipline and punishment and consequences and punishment, to rupture and repair, sensory tools, and preparing for transitions and waiting, Jen, Hannah and Beth cover the whole toddler landscape with warmth, honesty and a reminder to delight in how funny and wonderful this age can be.
Is this episode for you?
This episode is perfect for parents with a baby aged 12 months –3 years who want to have a clearer understanding on their child's behaviour.
Resources:
📞 Need more help? For those in Western Australia, you can call the Ngala Parenting Line on 08 9368 9368 for free expert support from our team.
Follow the Podcast:
Subscribe: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@UCctvj5LUZ1eAzSErNAmAvxA
Website: 🔗 https://www.ngala.com.au/
Timecodes:
(00:00) Introduction: all feelings are safe feelings
(00:45) Beth introduces herself and why she loves toddlers
(01:50) Positive ways to parent toddlers and finding the balance
(03:40) Overestimating and underestimating your toddler's capacity
(04:15) How parenting looks different with first and later children
(05:25) Effective strategies: praise and positive reinforcement
(06:25) Your attention and delight as the highest currency
(08:45) Encouraging independence and the just right challenge
(10:20) Big feelings and the emotional flood
(11:15) The iceberg: what tipped them over the edge
(12:20) Helping your toddler in the moment: validate and label
(13:40) Name it to tame it, and lending them your calm
(14:10) A dysregulated adult cannot regulate a toddler
(14:20) Coming down from the peak of a tantrum
(15:35) Sensory preferences and helping the nervous system reset
(16:50) Small resets: a sip of water, a deep breath, smelling a flower
(17:40) Connection over distraction
(18:25) Feelings are not a problem to be fixed
(19:10) Warm boundaries versus cold boundaries
(20:20) Simple, age appropriate boundaries and predictable responses
(23:35) The difference between a boundary and discipline
(24:10) Consequences versus punishment
(25:25) Good enough parenting and the football hold to the car
(26:10) Rupture and repair, and modelling how to apologise
(27:40) When you feel like you are rupturing all the time
(28:20) Toddlers are fun, and living in a state of awe
(29:15) Revisiting boundaries that are not sustainable
(30:45) Meeting your child's temperament: runners and climbers
(31:25) Supporting transitions with warning and preparation
(32:35) Waiting well: novelty, snacks and keeping them engaged
(33:50) Visual timers and making time make sense
(34:55) Delighting in the joy of toddlers
Follow Ngala 🌐
Instagram 🔗https://www.instagram.com/ngala.official/
Facebook 🔗https://www.facebook.com/Ngala.Official/
LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ngala/?originalSubdomain=au
Produced by Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
Music from #Uppbeat⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/the-summit⁠License code: FTQLZK6PIYUYDCXK
#parenting #parentingtips #baby #parenthood #ngala #grossmotordevelopment #podcast #perthparents #parents #behaviour

Season three of Parenting with Ngala kicks off with a look at toddlerhood: those wild, wonderful years between twelve months and three years. Jen and Hannah dig into what is happening inside a toddler's brain, why meltdowns make total sense, and why toddlers might look like little people, but are nowhere near little adults.

They cover language development in depth: why parents understand their toddler far better than anyone else, why correcting speech backfires, what to expect at twelve and eighteen months, and why bilingual toddlers are getting a gift, not falling behind. They also unpack the shift from challenging behaviour to using words, and how to hold warm, loving boundaries.

From climbing and clumsy falls to rupture and repair, self feeding and shoes flying off at the door, Jen and Hannah reassure parents that most of what feels chaotic about toddlerhood is right on track, while sharing the signs that might be worth flagging with a child health nurse.

Is this episode for you?
This episode is perfect for parents with a baby aged 12 months –3 years who want to have a clearer understanding on their child's behaviour.
Resources:
📞 Need more help? For those in Western Australia, you can call the Ngala Parenting Line on 08 9368 9368 for free expert support from our team.
Follow the Podcast:
Subscribe: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@UCctvj5LUZ1eAzSErNAmAvxA
Website: 🔗 https://www.ngala.com.au/
Timecodes:
(00:00) Introduction: toddlers are little people, but not little adults
(01:00) Acknowledgement of country and Season 3 welcome
(01:30) Meet Hannah and Jen: entering the toddler years
(02:00) Why toddler brains cause big meltdowns
(02:45) Executive function: decision-making, logic and impulse control
(04:15) Neuroplasticity: neurons that fire together wire together
(05:15) What supports healthy brain development in toddlers
(06:15) Play is the occupation of childhood
(07:15) Why parents understand toddler speech better than anyone else
(08:15) First words and easy sounds, like dada and bubble
(09:15) Why correcting a toddler's speech backfires
(10:15) Word counts around 12 months and the language explosion
(11:15) 18 months: two word phrases and the first no
(12:15) Warm boundaries: what to do when your toddler says no
(14:00) Public meltdowns and letting go of judgement
(16:15) How language explosions disrupt toddler sleep
(17:45) Naming to tame it: the shift from behaviour to words
(19:15) Biting and pushing at daycare
(20:15) Bilingual toddlers: a gift, not a delay
(21:30) Receptive language: helping toddlers understand you
(23:15) Narrating your day and serve and return
(24:15) Gross motor development: climbing, running and risk
(26:15) Bumps, bruises and why toddlers are so clumsy
(27:15) How to respond when your toddler falls over
(29:15) Rupture and repair after a hard moment
(30:15) Scooters, balance bikes and fine motor milestones
(33:15) Brushing teeth, shoes on and off, and building independence
(34:45) Parallel play: why toddlers don't share yet
(36:15) When to flag language delays with a child health nurse
(38:15) Walking milestones and restrictive play
(39:15) Struggling with transitions and trusting your gut

Follow Ngala 🌐
Instagram 🔗https://www.instagram.com/ngala.official/
Facebook 🔗https://www.facebook.com/Ngala.Official/
LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ngala/?originalSubdomain=au
Produced by Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
Music from #Uppbeat ⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/the-summit⁠
License code: FTQLZK6PIYUYDCXK
#parenting #parentingtips #baby #parenthood #ngala #grossmotordevelopment #podcast #perthparents #parents #behaviour

When we hear the word "behaviour," we tend to think of toddlers, but babies are communicating from the very first weeks of life. In this episode, Jen and Hannah sit down with Carol, a child health nurse with 11 years at Ngala and a mother of three, to reframe what behaviour actually means in the first year

Carol explains why there is no such thing as a naughty baby, how the iceberg analogy helps parents get curious instead of reactive, and why responding warmly to your baby will not spoil them.

From the personality emergence at three to four months, to separation anxiety and object permanence at nine months, Carol walks through what's developmentally normal, and why the "convenient child" at the next table in the restaurant is not necessarily doing better than yours.

Resources:
📞 Need more help? For those in Western Australia, you can call the Ngala Parenting Line on 08 9368 9368 for free expert support from our team.
Follow the Podcast:
Subscribe: 🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@UCctvj5LUZ1eAzSErNAmAvxA Website: 🔗 https://www.ngala.com.au/
Timecodes:
(00:00) Introduction — babies that know they have a safe person
(01:00) Carol introduces herself
(01:45) What does "behaviour" actually mean in the first year?
(02:45) There is no such thing as a naughty baby
(04:15) The iceberg analogy — behaviour as communication
(05:00) The shift from fix-it mode to curiosity
(06:15) How relationships shape behaviour and brain development
(08:00) You cannot spoil a baby — and you cannot be manipulated by one
(09:30) "What did I do to cause this?" — reassuring parents it's on track
(11:45) Temperament — why the same parenting looks different across children
(12:30) How to nurture a strong caregiver relationship
(15:00) Good enough parenting — the 30% rule
(16:00) Rupture and repair — it's okay when you can't always respond
(17:00) Sitting with big emotions — and what it brings up in us as parents
(19:15) What to expect at three to four months — personality emerging
(20:15) Four to five months — preferences, fun and motor frustration
(21:00) Six to twelve months — attachment, separation anxiety and object permanence
(24:00) Soothing preferences and how they change
(25:15) Big circles and little circles — confidence to explore
(26:15) Comparing your baby to others — the "convenient child"
(27:45) Goodness of fit — the baby you have vs. the baby you imagined
(28:30) Wrap up and Ngala Parenting Line
Follow Ngala 🌐
Instagram 🔗https://www.instagram.com/ngala.official/
Facebook 🔗https://www.facebook.com/Ngala.Official/
LinkedIn 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/ngala/?originalSubdomain=au
Produced by Podwave Studios: https://podwavestudios.au/
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
Music from #Uppbeat
⁠https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/the-summit⁠License code: FTQLZK6PIYUYDCXK
#parenting #parentingtips #baby #parenthood #ngala #grossmotordevelopment #podcast #perthparents #parents