Firstfiveyears.org.au aims to create a collaborative community of parents, professionals and educators to share insights and experiences about the early years and help meet the challenges of raising young children. First Five Years gives parents the advice, support and tools they need to make the most of the first years of their child’s life. The website aims to provide credible information and empower parents in a positive, real-world and non-judgemental way.

As parents we barely get the time to read the back of a cereal box, let alone what the latest neuroscience says about how to raise happy, healthy children. But don't stress, chances are you are already doing more for your child's brain development than you realise.

"Children need happy healthy parents. I think what we should do is think about parenting in terms of whether we're providing good enough parenting as opposed to whether we're providing perfect parenting." Dr Jack Shonkoff, Center Director, Harvard University Center for the Developing Child.

The idea of rough and tumble is to let the child win, but with effort. How high to set the bar, how hard to make it before they win is up to you. Push too hard and the wrestling match will be frustrating instead of fun. Give in too easily and you take away the thrill of beating mum or dad.

Registered nurse, midwife and author of The Tresillian Sleep Book Fran Chavasse says too many people mistakenly believe that children can learn to sleep at any age. In this three-part series, Fran offers her advice on dealing with baby sleep associations and self settling.

One of the most troubling trends we are seeing in many western countries is a growing number of anxious children. Anxiety, in itself is linked to stress and stress is a very difficult concept to define given the broad array of individual factors that can create stress. What is well known, however, is that stress is incredibly detrimental to the brain and healthy development.