Short & Curly

This season we go on a little adventure in our minds. Join Molly, Carl and Matt as we imagine what the world might be like without things like schools and sadness and punishment. Would everything be better without them?

Imagine if something private you told a friend could be shouted out for the whole world to hear? Or if an embarrassing bodily function was shared with everyone? Some people say privacy is only necessary if you have something to hide, but are there other reasons to keep certain things just for yourself? Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim, Kiara, Victoria, Vinugo and Sienna.

We often feel sadness and heartbreak when something bad happens, like when a much-loved pet dies or someone at school doesn't want to be friends anymore. Or even when your sports team loses the grand final after you've trained really hard for it. Would life be better if you could magically make that sadness disappear? Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim, Kiara, Victoria, Vinugo and Sienna.

What's the point of school anyway? That's a question lots of you have written to us to ask. Nearly every day of the week for years and years and years, you have to get up, put your uniform on and go to a big building full of other children, just so you can learn stuff. And then once you're in the school building, grownups get to decide when you're allowed to eat your lunch and when you're allowed to play. It's tiring and sometimes boring. So should we just get rid of schools? Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Ibrahim, Kiara, Victoria, Vinugo and Sienna.

What if there was no fine for letting your dog poo on the footpath? No consequences for hitting your brother or sister? And teachers never gave detention for breaking a school rule? If we lived in a world without punishment, would we all start just doing whatever we wanted? Or are there better ways to deal with people doing the wrong thing? Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Mara, Roni, Alana, Isaac and Adele.

Would you still want to play sport if there was no one keeping score, there were no winners or losers, and no trophies at the end of the season? What would be the point? On the other hand, can competition actually ruin sport? Come and spend the afternoon with Molly and Carl as they kick the ball around in a park. Brains Trust: Plenty Parklands Primary School in Mill Park, Melbourne: Mara, Roni, Alana, Isaac and Adele.

If you find a $20 note on the street, can you keep it? Does it make it okay if it's just $5? Money is complicated, especially because everyone has a different relationship with it. So, when it comes to money, things can get curly really quickly. A big thank you to Isla for this tip-top question!

Do you have a favourite game? Maybe it's 'tip' or 'snap'? There are rules everywhere: from playing a game, watching TV, and even how to ask a question in class. But where there are rules, there are often loopholes. Are loopholes always bad? What if you're not hurting anyone? Thank you to Eloise for this loopy question

The word ‘independent’ often sits with other words – like independent learning, independent thinking, independent adult, and lots more. So, what is independence and at what age should we get it? Thank you to Leela for this thoughtful question!

Getting comfortable can feel warm, nice, and sometimes even soothing. So, when we're happily floating along in life, a sudden tide change can really rock the boat. How do you deal with change? Should you be scared? Thank you to Kira for today's amazing question!

Beliefs can shape the way someone speaks, acts, and even dreams. Everyone believes different things, but sometimes those things aren’t true. If your friend’s belief isn’t quite right, should you tell them? Does it really matter if it’s true or not? Thank you to India for this curious question!

Lots of adults think children should never swear. Many Short & Curly listeners tell us they secretly swear behind their parent’s backs. So what’s wrong with swearing anyway? Aren't they just harmless words? Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin: Mariah, Megan, Dylan, Aeldrich, Lily

Have you ever wanted to give someone a taste of their own medicine? They might have hurt you or been mean to you or taken something that's yours. But is it okay to do the same thing back to them? Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin: Maggie, Feranmi, Leo, Oli, Esha, Marjorie

Short & Curly listener Luca often gets stared at when he is in his wheelchair. His parents think the people who look too long are just being curious but Luca thinks it's just plain rude. So when does curiosity become rudeness? And how can we be curious about someone's difference without hurting their feelings? Brain Trust — Casuarina Street Primary School, Katherine: Bruno, Leilani, Eloise Lawson, Lexi, Kodah

There are about 10 quintillion insects in the world. Yes, that's a real number. And it's a lot! They're very small and very different from us humans. We might not stop to think about it before we poison a cockroach, squish an ant with our shoe, or kill a mosquito, but is it ethical to kill an insect? Brain Trust — Casuarina Street Primary School, Katherine: Riley, Mahlia, Milo, Clay, Angus, Ava

War, environmental destruction, inequality. We humans can do some pretty bad stuff. Lots of listeners have asked us if humans are more good than they are bad. Maybe it's time for you to be the judge. Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin: Mariah, Megan, Dylan, Aeldrich, Lily Extra: Brain Trust — Casuarina Street Primary School, Katherine: Bruno, Leilani, Eloise Lawson, Lexi, Kodah Brains Trust – Anula Primary School, Darwin: Maggie, Feranmi, Leo, Oli, Esha, Marjorie

If you love watching cartoons where the good guys battle the bad, it probably has fighting, explosions, and maybe guns too. Is it okay to watch violence if it's in a cartoon? Can we laugh and find it funny? Thank you to Linus for this exciting question!

Friends are like flowers. There are lots of different ones out there, but you pick a couple to be your favourites. But what about your teacher? Can you be friends with them? And if they're a friend, can they still be a good teacher? Thank you to Orli for this great question! Pssst, we love your favourite episode too! 'Are parents hypocrites?' was a goodie.

Bullying is being mean to someone over and over again. It can happen at home, school, online, on the bus… and it's not always physical. When you're bullied, you can feel hurt, angry, and sad, all at once. So, if a bully hurts you, can you hurt them back? Can you call it justice? Thank you to Athena for this great question!

What if your friend asks if their shirt looks cool and you don't think it does? Or your dad asks if you like his gift, but you actually don't? The truth can be so hard to say – especially to the people we love the most. Should we tell the truth even when it hurts someone? Thank you to Charlotte and Nima for this curly question!