The Parent Squad

In just a few days, a law banning the use of social media for under 16s will take effect in Australia.  For many parents, social media has been a daily part of family life for years - allowing kids to stay connected with their friends and family, sharing life updates with people they may not get a chance to speak with very often.  Generations before have been relatively ignorant to just...

The school year is drawing to an end and soon enough, families will be filling school halls and gymnasiums for the end-of-year prizegiving.  For the star students or athletes, it's a moment of pride to walk across the stage and receive a well-earned award. For others, the whole thing can feel demoralising.  Never mind the awards themselves - there are clear differences between some, like...

Summer holidays is just around the corner and kids will be rushing out the door to spend as much time as they can with their friends.  But this time of year is often the longest period that parents will be able to spend time at home with the family.  We don't want to pull our children away from their friends, but we also want to instil the value of family time.  So where do we draw...

We live in a near cashless world these days. Hardly anyone has anything further than a couple cards, or even just Apple Pay.  We all remember a time we'd get a gold coin for washing mum's car, or a couple notes for chopping wood, but those days seem to be gone.  How are parents going about pocket money without cash? Are we really giving our kids bank cards, and how young is too young?&nb...

We're on the brink of exam season and a lot of families are feeling the pressure.  As parents we can prepare our kids to study as much as we want, but there are other areas they will need support in.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know the dangers of tech these days, but it's unavoidable.  Our kids need a laptop for school, an iPad to pass the time, and a phone for parents to reach them on.  There are positives to technology, we just need to teach our children to take advantage of the good things their devices have to offer.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should you stay together for the kids?  A lot of the time it does more harm than good - and countless adults will tell you they wished their parent had split when they were children.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many parents wrestle with the balance of keeping their kids involved with extracurriculars, while also teaching them the value of rest in a world that prioritises the daily hustle.  We're signing them up to every opportunity possible to help them develop as people, but are our kids just too busy?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear lots of horror stories about parenting - from the accidents that cost us a hefty bill, the arguments and bickering we bump into as they get older, the worries about our what they're doing when we're away, and the concerns of how social media's affecting their mental health. But we do it because we love them - unconditionally. And part of that is having to embrace the numerous versions of p...

Our kids are growing up, and with that comes the parental obligation to allow them to start making decisions for themselves.  This come after we saw the story of the Gaza Flotilla and an interview with the father of Sam Leason, an 18 year old who was a part of the recent flotilla to Gaza.  I think regardless of your views, most parents would be pretty hesitant to allow their teenager to...

It's that time of the year when many high school kids are having to make choices when it comes to subject options, perhaps some of which will determine what choices they have in future careers.  So how can parents support their children through the choice process?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Students are dropping out of high school at the highest rate since 2007.  It's become fairly accepted in recent years that you don't need a diploma or a degree to be successful in life, but many parents will still be concerned if their child comes to them wanting to leave early.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Around 96.8% of children in New Zealand attend some sort of Early Childhood Education at some point before entering school.  Some begin right from a few months old, while some are only enrolled at 2 or 3 for kindergarten.  But why is ECE so important?  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parenting in the modern world comes with a slew of challenges - not just in terms of technology and social media, but the people who have influence over your children.  The majority of those born into Generation Z or earlier looked up to sports tars, actors, and the like. But today, it's whoever the public finds interesting enough to follow online.  Whether it's a good or a bad thing, ra...

Literacy and numeracy rates in New Zealand are still shameful compared to other countries in the OECD.  23% of year 8 students are at the curriculum benchmark for maths following recent curriculum changes from the Government, up from 22% in 2023.  Teachers in recent years have put the blame on parents, saying kids are starting school without the basics.  Harpreet Singh is the founde...

The first 1,000 days are the most important in any child's life - to set the foundation for a well-rounded and stable adulthood.  A key part of those first 1,000 days is early attachment, the importance of forming healthy attachments, and what that means for children as they grow up.  Nathan Wallis is a neuroscience educator and he joins to discuss early attachment. LISTEN ABOVE See omny...

Principal psychologist at Umbrella Wellbeing Dougal Sutherland joins Tim Beveridge to discuss whether it's ever okay to discipline a child that isn't yours.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the past week there have been multiple incidents at youth and school sports games, all involving bad sideline behaviour from parents.  John Cowan joins Tim Beveridge for the Parent Squad.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There comes a time in every parent's life when your sweet child comes home one day and announces they're in a relationship.  What boundaries and conversations should parents have when this time comes?  Psychologist at MindWorks, Sara Chatwin, joins Tim Beveridge for Parent Squad.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids these days are far more tech savvy than previous generations, but does that really help them stay safer online?  Tim Beveridge is joined by Principal Psychologist at Umbrella Wellbeing, Dougal Sutherland, for Parent Squad.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids can eventually turn a corner where they get a bit more stubborn when it comes to listening to us. Sometimes it's just them being cheeky, sometimes it's a bit rude, sometimes it's just a miscommunication. But how do you stay boss in the relationship? Should you even do it or is it something to worry about? Tim Beveridge is joined by Family and Parent Coach Jenny Hale for Parent Squad... LISTEN...

With the school holidays and dreary weather - kids are likely to be glued to their rooms and screens. How can we change that? What can we do to keep them busy while we're at work? Additionally, with recent floods across the country - how can we help our children dealing with the experience? Psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Andrew Dickens for the Parent Squad... LISTEN ABOVE   See omnystudio.co...

How can you teach accountability to your children? What ways can a lesson go too far? Parent teacher interviews - what questions should we be asking our teachers? Tim Beveridge is joined by Education Expert Sandy Pasley... LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens inside a child's brain when they're having a meltdown? How should we approach their struggles? Tim Beveridge is joined by Neuroscience Educator Nathan Wallis.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Beveridge is joined by Parenting Expert John Cowan to talk about in-laws problems, and side-line behaviour. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.