The Parent Squad

Social media giants Meta and YouTube have been found liable for deliberately designing their platforms to be addictive.  We don't need to look too far into the details of this specific trial, because parents everywhere will have stories of their own to some extent, but how much of the blame falls on the parents? There are countless things in the modern world that young people risk becoming ad...

Most kids will take part in some kind of sport throughout their childhood.  It's a great opportunity to keep them moving and allow them to burn off some energy, but how early should we be getting our children into these teams? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids push limits - it's just what they do.  From as early as the toddler years, it's completely developmentally normal for children to figure out just how for they can push their parents before a very clear line is drawn - but what about those times where behaviour you never would have imagined doing yourself as a child rears its head? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

Early childhood education is darn expensive.  You want your kids to socialise, make friends, learn some basics - but it costs an arm and a leg.  So how long can you put it off? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it's a friend, your own parents, or you may be going through it yourself - we've all heard the question of whether a couple should 'stay together for the kids'.  Realistically, a divorce does have a significant impact on children, even if they're prioritised and not put in the middle of it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Child safety reform in the world of big tech is sweeping the globe at the moment.  Australia's leading the charge in the social media ban for under 16s, and California has expanded the Coogan Law to cover child influencers, to name a few.  Although we haven't seen any change here in New Zealand, the conversation has truly started and we may see moves being made soon.  LISTEN ABOVE S...

Many parents will be starting to feel the exhaustion from getting back into school and extracurriculars.  We often go into the new year with high expectations of ourselves - like completely homemade school lunches, no takeout, keeping on top of house work - but quickly realise there was a reason we weren't accomplishing all that last year.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener f...

A new report this week found nearly 90% of Auckland primary school say there's an increasing number of new entrants starting school without bare basic skills like being toilet trained and talking properly. These are 5 year olds who are otherwise capable, but some stage of their early childhood seems to have been neglected - they can't even identify the letters of their name or hold a pencil. ...

Schools have started back up and we all, obviously, want our children to do well.  Parents will be doing drop off and pick up, making sure the homework is done and forms are signed, keeping an eye on grades and reports.  But how involved should parents really be in their children's education? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the hottest topics of the modern era is kids and smartphones. As we've seen more of the what the internet can do (for better or worse) they seem like an essential part of life. Wallet, Keys, Phone, that's what you always keep on you.  A first phone is typically only for texting mum and dad, so why do you need a device that has the capability for so much more?  Child Psychologist S...

NCEA results are officially out. Most kids would have genuinely worked as hard as they could to get the grades they hoped for - even the kids who act like they don't really care.  And for many it won't have turned out as hey had planned - whether that meant not quite meeting the dizzying heights of their ambition or an actual fail grade. But it's unavoidable - at some stage through their scho...

We've all seen the videos - we may have even seen it in our own living rooms on Christmas morning...  A child, even teenager, opens a gift their loved one has especially picked out for them, and they proceed to complain about how it's not the one they wanted.  The wrong colour bicycle, wrong model phone, it could be anything.  So how do we teach our children to be grateful for anyth...

What are the essential life skills our kids truly need to know before they head out into the real world?  How often to wash their sheets, how to cook a basic meal, managing bills and payments, doing laundry without turning their white shirts pink - these are things that most of us learnt well before we moved out, but they don't seem to be as common today.  Only 21% of parents of children...

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.