Conversations with Kristi

In this episode of Conversations with Kristi, Kristi sits down with child safety consultant, author, and educator Nicole Talarico to explore what it really takes to create cultures of safety for children - not just policies, but everyday practice, mindset, and leadership.

Kristi and Nicole discuss why child safety cannot be treated as a compliance checklist, and instead must be embedded into culture, relationships, and daily decision-making across education and care settings.

They unpack the uncomfortable truth that harm does not happen because people don’t care - but often because systems become complacent, reactive, or underprepared. Together, they explore how real safety comes from preparation, awareness, and a willingness to sit with discomfort before something goes wrong.

Nicole shares her journey from early childhood educator to consultant, author of Asserting a Culture of Child Safety, and creator of practical safety systems designed to support services in real-world risk situations. Her work highlights the importance of embedding safeguarding into everyday routines, not as an add-on, but as a foundation of quality practice.

The conversation also explores the tension between fear and empowerment - especially for educators and parents who worry that talking about risk might create fear in children. Instead, Kristi and Nicole emphasise that children are already exposed to information and experiences, and adults have a responsibility to guide those conversations safely and intentionally.

A key theme throughout the episode is the role of communication - how children, teenagers, and families can build trust through ongoing dialogue rather than one-off “big talks.” They discuss practical strategies such as co-creating safety plans, using text-based communication with teens, and maintaining open, non-punitive relationships so children feel safe to seek help when needed.

Kristi and Nicole also challenge common misconceptions around child safety in education settings, including the belief that risk only exists outside of services. They highlight that while the majority of harm does not occur in early childhood education settings, the responsibility to remain vigilant, trained, and prepared remains critical.

This episode encourages educators, parents, and leaders to shift from avoidance to action - and from discomfort to capability.

Because safety isn’t about eliminating risk entirely.
It’s about being ready for it.

Content Covered in This Episode

Why child safety is about culture, not compliance

The dangers of complacency in education and care settings

How Nicole’s experience in early childhood shaped her safeguarding work

Why risk awareness should be part of everyday practice

The importance of embedding safety into curriculum and routines

How to talk to children and teens about risk without fear-based messaging

Co-creating safety plans with children and young people

Supporting teens through open, ongoing communication

Why children are more likely to be harmed outside of education settings

The gap between educator responsibility and training in real-world disclosures

Why uncomfortable conversations are necessary for protection

Building confidence through preparation, not fear

Understanding bias in adult decision-making and how it impacts children

Consent, boundaries, and autonomy from early childhood

Technology, online exposure, and safeguarding in digital spaces

Creating safer environments through awareness and intentional action

Why This Conversation Matters

Child safety is often discussed in policy documents, audits, and compliance frameworks - but Nicole and Kristi remind us that real safety lives in everyday decisions.

When adults are prepared, informed, and willing to engage in uncomfortable conversations, children are more likely to be protected, heard, and supported early.

This episode is a call to move beyond reactive systems and toward proactive cultures of care.

Because protecting children is not about fear.
It’s about readiness, responsibility, and relationship.

About Nicole Talarico

Nicole Talarico is a child safety consultant, author of Asserting a Culture of Child Safety, and an experienced early childhood educator with decades of sector experience.

She works with education and care services to embed safeguarding into everyday practice, with a focus on prevention, culture, and practical implementation.

Nicole is also the creator of safety tools designed to support services in emergency preparedness and child protection awareness.

Learn More About Nicole Talarico

Book
Asserting a Culture of Child Safety: Offering Children the Protection and Care That They Deserve

📱 Social Media
@talaricoconsulting

Practical Support & Resources

If this episode has raised questions about protecting children, having safety conversations, or supporting a child, Kristi provides trauma-informed education and practical tools for parents and carers.

🔗 Explore education and resources:
👉 www.kristimcvee.com

Resources include:

Guidance on teaching children body safety and boundaries

Tools for building open and safe communication

Support for navigating difficult conversations

Trauma-informed parenting strategies

Resources & Support

If this episode raises concerns or questions about child safety or wellbeing, support is available:

Lifeline – 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au
Kids Helpline (5–25 years) – 1800 55 1800 | kidshelpline.com.au

If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services.

In this episode of Conversations with Kristi, Kristi sits down with Adam from the Family Advocacy and Child Abuse Alliance to explore one of the most difficult but important topics we face as a society - child abuse prevention, awareness, and advocacy.

Kristi and Adam discuss the realities of child abuse, the warning signs that are often missed, and the critical role that education and awareness play in protecting children. This conversation sheds light on how abuse can occur in ways many people don’t expect, and why it’s essential for adults to feel confident recognising and responding to concerns.

Together, they unpack the importance of empowering children with knowledge about their bodies, boundaries, and safety, while also addressing the discomfort many adults feel when having these conversations.

This episode challenges the idea that child protection is someone else’s responsibility. Instead, it highlights how every adult - parent, educator, or community member - plays a role in creating safer environments for children.

Kristi and Adam also explore how trauma impacts children, why some behaviours are often misunderstood, and how we can better support children who may be experiencing harm.

This is not an easy conversation - but it is a necessary one.

It’s about awareness, education, and taking meaningful steps toward protecting children.

Content Covered in This Episode

The realities of child abuse and why awareness matters

Common signs and indicators that a child may be at risk

Why many cases go unnoticed or unreported

The importance of teaching children about body safety and boundaries

How to have age-appropriate conversations with children about safety

The role of parents, educators, and communities in prevention

How trauma can impact behaviour and development

Why children may not disclose abuse immediately

How to respond when a child shares something concerning

The importance of creating safe, trusted environments for children

Why This Conversation Matters

Child abuse is often misunderstood, and many people feel unsure about what to look for or how to respond.

As Adam shares, education is one of the most powerful tools we have in preventing harm.

When adults feel informed and confident, they are better equipped to recognise concerns early, respond appropriately, and support children in a way that prioritises safety and trust.

This conversation encourages a shift from avoidance and discomfort to awareness and action.

Because protecting children is not the responsibility of a few - it is the responsibility of all of us.

About Adam & FACAA

Adam is a representative of the Family Advocacy and Child Abuse Alliance, an organisation dedicated to raising awareness, educating communities, and advocating for the prevention of child abuse.

FACAA works to equip parents, educators, and professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to better understand, recognise, and respond to child abuse.

Their work focuses on prevention through education, helping create safer environments for children through informed and empowered communities.

Learn More About FACAA

🌐 Website
www.facaaus.org

📱 Social Media
@faca_aus

Donate to FACAA at
Donation FACAA

Practical Support & Resources

If this episode has raised questions about protecting children, having safety conversations, or supporting a child, Kristi provides trauma-informed education and practical tools for parents and carers.

🔗 Explore education and resources:
👉 www.kristimcvee.com

Resources include:

Guidance on teaching children body safety and boundaries

Tools for building open and safe communication

Support for navigating difficult conversations

Trauma-informed parenting strategies

Support Services (Australia)

If you or someone you love needs support:

Lifeline – 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au
Kids Helpline (ages 5–25) – 1800 55 1800 | kidshelpline.com.au

If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services.

In this episode of Conversations with Kristi, Kristi sits down with neurodevelopment specialist and educator Dr. Christine Payard to explore something many parents and teachers have never been taught - how early physical development shapes the way children learn.

Dr. Christine explains how the body and brain work together during the earliest years of life, and how movements such as rolling, crawling, balancing, and reflex responses play a foundational role in learning, attention, reading, and behaviour later on.

Together, Kristi and Dr. Christine unpack the concept of primitive reflexes - automatic movement responses present from birth - and how these reflexes help build the neurological pathways that support learning. When these reflexes don’t fully mature, children may struggle with things like sitting still, focusing, reading, or coordinating their movements.

This conversation challenges the idea that children who struggle in school simply “aren’t trying hard enough.” Instead, it encourages parents and educators to consider what a child’s body might be communicating about their learning needs.

Kristi and Dr. Christine also discuss why many children are quickly labelled with behavioural or attention challenges, when in reality their nervous system may still be developing foundational skills that support learning.

This episode is not about blame - for parents, teachers, or children.
It’s about understanding development, recognising what children’s bodies are telling us, and supporting them to thrive.

Content Covered in This Episode

What primitive reflexes are and why they matter in early development

How early movement patterns influence learning later in life

Why some children physically struggle to sit still or concentrate

The connection between balance, vision, and reading ability

How retained reflexes can impact attention, behaviour, and coordination

Why children often develop creative workarounds when learning is difficult

The importance of crawling, movement, and sensory development

How educators can better understand what behaviour may be communicating

Why supporting the body-brain connection can improve learning outcomes

Why This Conversation Matters

Many children who struggle in classrooms are quickly labelled as disruptive, inattentive, or difficult.

But as Dr. Christine explains, behaviour is often the body communicating something important.

When children haven’t fully integrated early movement patterns or reflexes, their nervous systems may still be working hard just to regulate movement, balance, or focus. This means far less energy is available for academic learning.

Understanding the body-brain connection can help educators and parents shift from asking:

“What’s wrong with this child?”

to asking:

“What might this child’s body be telling us?”

When we understand how development works, we can support children in ways that build confidence, resilience, and learning capacity.

About Dr. Christine Payard

Dr. Christine Payard is an educator, researcher, and neurodevelopment specialist who works with schools and educators to help them better understand how early development impacts learning.

Her work focuses on the connection between movement, reflex development, sensory systems, and academic learning, helping teachers identify underlying developmental factors that may influence behaviour and learning in the classroom.

Dr. Christine is the creator of the Body to Brain Learning at School program, which provides educators with practical tools and strategies to support children’s neurological readiness for learning.

Learn More About Dr. Christine’s Work

🌐 Website
https://bodytobrainlearning.com

📱 Social Media
Instagram/Facebook: @bodytobrainlearning

💼 LinkedIn
Dr. Christine Payard

Practical Support & Resources

If this episode has raised questions about parenting, boundaries, or guiding children through adolescence, Kristi offers trauma-informed education and practical tools for parents and carers.

🔗 Explore education and resources:
👉 www.kristimcvee.com

Resources include:

Guidance on connection-based parenting

Tools for teaching children advocacy and self-expression

Conversation guides for families

Trauma-informed strategies for resilience and safety

Support Services (Australia)

If you or someone you love needs support:

Lifeline – 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au

MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78 | mensline.org.au

1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au

Kids Helpline (ages 5–25) – 1800 55 1800 | kidshelpline.com.au

If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services.

In this episode of Conversations with Kristi, Kristi is joined by Damian Porter, also known as The How Not To Die Guy, for a powerful, practical conversation about situational awareness, self-protection, bravery, and what it really means to prepare for unsafe situations.

With a background in the New Zealand Army, including Special Forces, policing in Western Australia, and over 15 years as a firefighter, Damian brings lived experience from high-risk environments - but what stands out most is his grounded, teachable approach to helping everyday people stay safer.

This is not a fear-based conversation.
It’s a preparation-based one.

Kristi and Damian unpack why most people freeze in dangerous situations, how practice changes reaction time, and why “hypervigilance” isn’t the goal - awareness is. They explore how violence often arrives as a surprise, why ego can escalate risk, and how simple behavioural shifts - like using your voice, creating distance, or taking early action - can interrupt harm.

The episode also bridges their shared work in child safety and prevention. They discuss:

Teaching children to recognise unsafe behaviour

Practicing “emergency no” and using your voice

The power of situational awareness in everyday settings

How offenders rely on silence, compliance, and disbelief

Why most perpetrators avoid resistance and exposure

How bravery is a choice - not a personality trait

Damian shares practical frameworks for handling threats, from verbal deterrence to physical self-defence, while Kristi connects those principles to child protection, early warning signs, and empowering families.

Together, they reinforce a simple truth:

Preparation reduces panic.
Practice reduces freezing.
Bravery is chosen in seconds.

This episode is about building files in your brain - so if something ever feels “off,” you already know your next step.

Key Themes Covered

Situational awareness without hypervigilance

Why violence is often unexpected

The biology of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn

Practicing responses before you need them

Using your voice as a deterrent

Creating distance and changing positioning

When force is legally justified - and when it isn’t

Staying alive, staying out of jail, and managing aftermath

Teaching children about safe and unsafe people

Domestic violence safety planning

Why ego escalates risk

Choosing bravery in critical moments

Why This Conversation Matters

Many people walk through life believing, “It won’t happen to me.”

But safety is not about paranoia - it’s about preparation.

Children benefit when adults model awareness and confident boundary-setting. Families are safer when they’ve had conversations about what to do if something feels wrong. Adults are more capable when they’ve mentally rehearsed scenarios before they occur.

This episode reminds us that:

You don’t have to live in fear.
But you do need a plan.

And bravery isn’t about being fearless - it’s about choosing action when it counts.

About Damian Porter – The How Not To Die Guy

Damian Porter is a former New Zealand Special Forces soldier, police officer, firefighter, and long-time instructor in practical self-protection.

Through his platform, How Not To Die Guy, Damian teaches everyday people - including women, elderly individuals, parents, and children - how to:

Avoid dangerous situations

Recognise early warning signs

Use verbal deterrence effectively

Protect themselves when necessary

Understand legal considerations around force

His mission is simple: teach good people how to handle bad situations.

🔗 Website:
👉 https://www.hownottodieguy.com

📱 Instagram:
👉 @hownottodieguy

Damian responds personally to messages and inquiries.

Practical Support & Resources

If this episode has raised questions about child safety, boundary setting, prevention, or building safer family environments, Kristi offers trauma-informed education and practical tools for parents and carers.

🔗 Explore education and resources:
👉 www.kristimcvee.com

Resources include:

Body safety education tools

Conversation guides for families

Support for teaching children to use their voice

Trauma-informed strategies for prevention

Guidance on safe and unsafe behaviours

Support Services (Australia)

If you or someone you love needs support:

Lifeline – 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au
MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78 | mensline.org.au
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au
Kids Helpline (ages 5–25) – 1800 55 1800 | kidshelpline.com.au

If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services.

In this episode of Conversations with Kristi, Kristi is joined by Michelle Mitchell, parenting expert, author, and educator, for a practical, encouraging conversation about connection, boundaries, and raising resilient teenagers.

With decades of experience equipping families to stay connected through the messy emotional years, Michelle brings grounded insights that help parents move beyond fear and frustration and into thoughtful, values-based parenting.

This is not a perfection-based conversation.
It’s a connection-based one.

Kristi and Michelle explore why control isn’t the goal, why “parenting is just hard” is a myth, and how building trust with teenagers requires intentional, age-appropriate guidance. They discuss:

Why connection matters more than control

Teaching principles instead of just rules

Using friendships as the practice ground for adult relationships

How to stay consistent and present, even when your child pushes away

Why saying “no” is sometimes the most loving thing you can do

Navigating independence while maintaining safety

The roundabout metaphor for the normal ups and downs of growing up

Michelle shares practical frameworks for guiding teens through decision-making, resilience-building, and critical thinking, while Kristi connects these principles to child safety, advocacy, and helping children grow into capable adults.

Together, they reinforce a simple truth:

Kids don’t need perfect parents-they need present ones.

This episode is about showing up, even when it’s messy, and giving your children the space to grow safely while knowing they are supported.

Key Themes Covered

Connection vs. control in parenting

Teaching principles rather than just rules

Age-appropriate trust and boundaries

How to handle teenage pushback without conflict

Encouraging critical thinking and problem-solving

Preparing children for independence and real-world decisions

Staying present and consistent as a parent

Using everyday moments to build resilience and advocacy skills

Why This Conversation Matters

Parenting teenagers can feel overwhelming. Social media, technology, and cultural shifts add pressure, and parents often doubt whether they’re doing it “right.”

This episode reminds us that:

Children thrive when adults show up consistently, not perfectly

Trust is earned and age-appropriate, not unconditional

Boundaries teach respect, safety, and critical thinking

Resilience comes from practice, not perfection

Michelle and Kristi model that parenting isn’t about controlling every outcome-it’s about guiding children to become thoughtful, capable adults who know they are supported and loved.

About Michelle Mitchell

Michelle Mitchell is a parenting expert, author, and educator with decades of experience supporting families through the emotional ups and downs of childhood and adolescence. She teaches parents to:

Build connection over control

Set meaningful boundaries

Guide teenagers with age-appropriate trust

Encourage critical thinking, advocacy, and resilience

Michelle’s mission is simple: equip parents with tools and confidence so children can grow into capable, confident adults.

Website:
www.michellemitchell.org

Instagram:
@michelle.mitchell

Practical Support & Resources

If this episode has raised questions about parenting, boundaries, or guiding children through adolescence, Kristi offers trauma-informed education and practical tools for parents and carers.

🔗 Explore education and resources:
👉 www.kristimcvee.com

Resources include:

Guidance on connection-based parenting

Tools for teaching children advocacy and self-expression

Conversation guides for families

Trauma-informed strategies for resilience and safety

Support Services (Australia)

If you or someone you love needs support:

Lifeline – 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au

MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78 | mensline.org.au

1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au

Kids Helpline (ages 5–25) – 1800 55 1800 | kidshelpline.com.au

If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services.