What We Teach Our Children

EP 46 – Angela White – Rites of Passage

EP 46 - Angela White - Rites of Passage

00:00 / 22:49

Rites of passage are universal — every culture on earth has a way of marking the transition from child to adult. The question is: how do we guide today’s teens with purpose?”

In this episode of What We Teach Our Children, I speak with Angela White, Chief Operating Officer of The Rite Journey. With deep roots in New Zealand, Māori and Scottish heritage, and a lifelong connection to education, Angela is passionate about empowering teachers and transforming the adolescent experience.

Her career has been dedicated to empowering teachers, fostering innovation, and driving positive change in education. From her leadership as Executive Officer for Adolescent Success—where she championed professional development and inclusive learning environments—to her ongoing advocacy for girls’ education, Angela has been a catalyst for equality and relational teaching.

Together, we explore why rites of passage matter, how cultural connection shapes identity, and how contemporary schools can guide young people with purpose through life’s biggest transitions.

Angela will transform your view with her passion and vision to the universal human tradition of rites of passage. Across every culture, these ceremonies mark the shift from child to adult, strengthening community and embedding important values.

*This podcast is recorded for educational and inspirational purposes only. The information provided in these stories does not constitute professional legal, medical, or business advice.

Discover more:

Website: https://theritejourney.com/adolescentsuccess.org.au

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/theritejourney/
linkedin.com/in/angela-white-804a3415

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Together, we can be the change we want to see in the world — one story at a time.

EP 45 Marja Jarvis – Strength & Independence

What We Teach Our Children

EP 45 Marja Jarvis – Strength & Independence

00:00 / 21:58

What does it take to live a life of strength and independence?

This week on What We Teach Our Children, meet Marja Jarvis — born in the Netherlands, adventurous from the start, she credits her mother for imprinting a wanderlust for life and travel.

Leaving the motherland as a young graduate of physiotherapy, Marja lived on a London houseboat, discovered her love of Australians in pub crawls, and in 1987 a twist of fate brought her to Australia. This ‘wide brown land’ has tested her resolve and gifted her a life she dreamed of as a child.

Now in her 60s, Marja leads the Thrive and Impact Circle, an online community of women brought together by her mission to share stories that motivate, uplift, and empower – inspiring women worldwide to live boldly and create change.

In this episode, we’ll explore the lessons of a life lived fearlessly, the importance of independence, and how it’s never too late to create impact.

Marja Jarvis embodies traditional feminism, advocating for women on the basis of gender equality and human rights, her story is one of determination and courage.

*This podcast is recorded for educational and inspirational purposes only. The information provided in these stories does not constitute professional legal, medical, or business advice.

Discover more:

Website:
https://marjajarvis.com/

Socials:
linkedin.com/in/marja-a-jarvis-6082b5341
https://www.instagram.com/marjaajarvis/
https://www.facebook.com/marja.a.jarvis/

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Together, we can be the change we want to see in the world — one story at a time.

EP 44 Megan Stray – Healthy Minds Matter

What We Teach Our Children

EP 44 Megan Stray – Healthy Minds Matter

00:00 / 17:41

With bullying statistics reaching significant highs, our youth mental health has never been more important. A 2023 study revealed that victims of bullying are at an increased risk for developing eating disorders like binge eating, anorexia, and bulimia.

These psychiatric conditions take a physical and mental toll on sufferers and their families. Approximately one third of Australian adolescents engage in disordered eating behaviours withing a given year. ( https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders )

More than half of those will be teenage girls.

Megan Stray Founder of Healed Tribe believes we can all make a difference.

“So many girls experiencing disordered eating, anxiety, trauma, or emotional distress are slipping through the cracks of traditional systems.”

Her response? The Dandelion Project, which exists to catch them – with real people, real support, and real healing. From teaching to mentoring Megan has witnessed firsthand how consistent care changes everything.

“Girls who once felt voiceless now mentor others. Girls who once struggled to survive are now thriving.”

Megan’s story and passion to provide our youth with a path back to hope will return your faith in humanity and motivate you to think differently about our responsibility as citizens of a civil society.

*This podcast is recorded for educational and inspirational purposes only. The information provided in these stories does not constitute professional legal, medical, or business advice.

Discover more:

Website:
https://healedtribe.org.au/

Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/Heal.ed.gc/

linkedin.com/in/megan-stray-068144293

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Together, we can be the change we want to see in the world — one story at a time.

EP 43 Maggie Ciobanu – Critical Thinking

What We Teach Our Children

EP 43 Maggie Ciobanu – Critical Thinking

00:00 / 23:38

Bullying, it’s a scourge on our societies across the globe!

Described as the repeated and intentional use of words or actions against others to cause distress and isolation. Teasing, abuse, intimidation, threats, violence, and exclusion all constitute bullying.

In the 70’s and 80’s most bullying was experienced in person, however technology and devices now mean the bullies have 24/7 access and decades after we’re witnessing the effects of unleashing that technology on our most vulnerable – children.

53% of Australian children and youth reported cyberbullying in 2019, and overall the latest figures reveal 1 in 5 children have experienced it. In the US 26.5% of teens reported being cyberbullied in 2023, with many more incidents unreported. Mostly recorded on social media and group messaging, that afford the bullies anonymity and worse, protection through auto-deletion.

Determined to take positive action, Maggie Ciobanu set about creating an app to help parents and children combat this rising problem through prompting critical thinking.

Maggie will inspire you to think very carefully about the consequences of providing a smart phone or WIFI-enabled device in this confronting episode every parent should hear.

*This podcast is recorded for educational and inspirational purposes only. The information provided in these stories does not constitute professional legal, medical, or business advice.

Discover more:

Website:
https://www.yoochooz.com.au/
https://www.bullyzero.org.au/

Socials:
Linkedin

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Together, we can be the change we want to see in the world — one story at a time.

EP 42 Bryn Edwards – Nature vs Nurture

What We Teach Our Children

EP 42 Bryn Edwards – Nature vs Nurture

00:00 / 23:47

“We’re not in a mental health crisis at the moment – it’s an emotional health crisis…”

This statement stopped me in my tracks. As I thought about what I was hearing it started to make sense – emotional dysregulation is a symptom of many mental health conditions, and whilst emotional and mental health are closely related, they are distinctly different.

Mental health encompasses cognitive functions – how we think, learn, and cope with stress. Emotional health focuses on our ability to comprehend, manage, and express feelings in a healthy way. If we haven’t been shown how to regulate our emotions, could that be interpreted as a mental health issue?

According to Organisational Psychologist, Bryn Edwards, our lives are increasingly rationalised, intellectualised, and analysed. He believes we’ve been taught to think, analyse, and reframe when confronted with emotional disruptions or feelings – trying to think and talk our way out of feelings isn’t a long-term strategy.

“We’ve all got baggage. We’ve all had things happen early in life that left a mark. And if we never learned how to move through those experiences properly, we carry them. They don’t go away. They just wait. And then they show up — at work, at home, under pressure. That 8-year-old, 12-year-old part of us starts driving the bus. We react, we shut down, we wonder “Who even am I right now?”

In this episode Organisational Psychologist, Bryn Edwards, delivers an uncomfortable truth about the fragility of our being.

*This podcast is recorded for educational and inspirational purposes only. The information provided in these stories does not constitute professional legal, medical, or business advice.

Discover more:

Website:
https://wisdominyourlife.com.au/

Socials:
Li n kedin

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Together, we can be the change we want to see in the world — one story at a time.