It Takes A Village

Clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire discusses how baby-parent attachment shapes infant brain development. During infancy - emotion, cognition and behaviour is all part of a developing brain. New research shows that how parents, or caregivers interact with babies not only affects development, but can shape a child's future health, both socially and emotionally. Jacqui has some advice on how to nur...

What is the right way to deal with your kids wanting to quit a sport or an extracurricular activity? Whether it's their first year doing it, or they've been working at it for a decade, it can be a difficult territory for parents and kids to navigate. Sport NZ surveys show kids from 5 to 11 are usually the most active participants in sport, while there is a big dropoff once they reach ages 15 to 17...

When it comes to body image, it's near impossible to escape pressures to look a certain way - and teenagers especially vulnerable to it. Even with body positive movements in recent years, relentless messaging from the fashion industry and social media it still taking a toll. But how can you tell if it's something your teenager is struggling with? And and what's the best way to approach a conversat...

We're looking at what creativity is, why it is important and also how it is not just a preserve of the arts. Kathryn's guest is Mark Osborne - he set up Leading Learning which covers a range of educational services including leadership development and mentoring, curriculum development and creating innovative learning environments. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Shoshannah Shand's second child was six weeks old when she took her on an overnight tramp for the first time - along with her toddler. The Christchurch solo mum of two has thousands of followers on social media for her adventures with her children. She says kids love the outdoors, and she wants parents to know that getting into the backcountry is do-able. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more d...

This may sound like living in Utopia - getting your children to tidy their rooms, eat vegetables, the list goes on. Christiane Kehoe is a researcher of child behaviour based at the University of Melbourne, and also the co-author of the Tuning in to Toddlers, Tuning in to Kids, and Tuning in to Teens parenting programmes. She shares some parenting strategies and tips to avert friction. Go to this e...

Educator, speaker, mum and parenting commentator Karen Boyes on the importance of being honest with kids. She is CEO of Spectrum Education, Principal of Spectrum Online Academy and the author of 13 books. She says teachers and parents have a delicate balance of inspiring children, while preparing them for the realities of life. She says telling kids 'learning is fun' and 'high grades will get you...

Whether your child is being bullied, or your child is being a bully, Dr Karyn Healy has advice. She is an Australian registered psychologist who has worked with schools, parents and children to prevent and address bullying, and resolve conflict. She co-authored a family programme to address school bullying called the Resilience Triple P program. Dr Healy says parents can help children manage confl...

When Jennifer Anderson became a mother, she - like many new parents - realised the uphill battle that can be mealtimes. Getting young kids to eat their greens, voluntarily, isn't always straightforward - and advice on how to encourage them is polarising. Do you force them to sit and finish their plate, bribe them with dessert... and at what point, do you just give up on the brussel sprouts? But Ms...

The phrase "there's an app for that" certainly applies in the education space - one estimate puts numbers available on the Apple and Google Play stores at nearly 400,000. But are they any good? The phrase "there's an app for that" certainly applies in the education space - one estimate puts numbers available on the Apple and Google Play stores at nearly 400,000. But are they any goo...

The big question for many parents of young children is - how can I get my kids to do what I'm asking them to do? The big question for many parents of young children is - how can I get my kids to do what I'm asking them to do? Some parents swear by sticker charts or reward charts and the idea that you can encourage your child to do certain things with the promise of a material reward. But can...

New York Times contributor Andrew Reiner writes about traditional roles previously assigned to men and boys affects their lives. no caption New York Times contributor Andrew Reiner writes about traditional roles previously assigned to men and boys affects their lives. He's a published author of the book - Better Boys, Better Men, and also an educator. At Towson University in Maryland he'...

Maggie Dent is known as the Queen of Commonsense Parenting. She's a former high school teacher, counsellor, mother of four sons, grandmother of seven, author of numerous books and the host of the ABC podcast Parental as Anything. Her latest book is called Help Me, Help My Teen. And Maggie's coming to Auckland next month for two public sessions: Mothering our Boys and Calming Today's Anxious Kids....

Parenting commentator Nathan Wallis joins Paddy Gower to talk about what to do when child only wants the other parent. Parenting commentator Nathan Wallis joins Paddy Gower to talk about what to do when child only wants the other parent. It is painful, but he says it is normal, and shares strategies on how to rebalance the dynamic. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Dr Lucy Foulkes is an academic psychologist at the University of Oxford, and her new book draws on decades of research to reveal why teens behave they way they do. Adolescence is a time many of us might want to forget: full of self doubt, peer pressure, bullying, and self consciousness. It's also a time of intense friendships, first love, risk taking and self discovery. Dr Lucy Foulkes is an...

A University of Auckland led study has investigated how parents discuss setbacks with their children - and the correlation with a child's fear of making mistakes. A University of Auckland led study has investigated how parents discuss setbacks with their children - and the correlation with a child's fear of making mistakes. Associate Professor of Psychology Elizabeth Peterson is with us to di...

Tips and tricks for keeping your cool with your children. Tips and tricks for keeping your cool with your children. Many parents will have had moments with their kids they're not proud of, and they've yelled at their children in the moment. Jackie Riach is a psychologist and manager of parenting organisation Triple P New Zealand. She shares strategies for not "losing it". Go to...

Clinical and health psychologist Dr Toni Lindsay says anxiety is a bit like chocolate: a little bit is ok, but too much can make you spin out. "Anxiety is going to show up anyway and us fighting with it or trying to get rid of it actually just makes us really exhausted." While it can be "really, really uncomfortable" anxiety is a natural experience we can learn to work with, sa...

Wellington speech and language therapist Christian Wright discusses the different spoken language stages preschoolers go through as they learn to talk. Wellington speech and language therapist Christian Wright discusses the different spoken language stages preschoolers go through as they learn to talk. He shares language stimulation strategies for parents to help children's language developme...

Psychologist Jacqui Maguire discusses tips and advice for parents struggling to carry the mental load of parenting, family life and work. Psychologist Jacqui Maguire discusses tips and advice for parents struggling to carry the mental load of parenting, family life and work. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How young is too young to watch Stranger Things (M with a content warning)? What do you tell a 16-year-old who wants to watch Euphoria (R18 so actually illegal for those 17 and under)? To make informed decisions about safe family viewing, parents should take into account not only ratings and content warnings but also their child's individual sensitivities, says Kate Whitaker from New Zealand's Cla...

When Rob and Zareen Cope's four children began wanting phones and screens, the pair decided to dive into the research. They travelled overseas talking with experts and made a documentary. Today, the Cope's company - Our Kids Online - educates parents about the dangers of handheld devices and the internet-age, and how best to mitigate them. They spoke to around 500 parents in Wellington last night....

Starting baby on solids can be a daunting prospect, no matter how many kids you have - since every child's food journey is different. Baby led weaning or spoon feeding? How to introduce potential allergens into their diet? How much is enough? Australian-based duo Julia Tellidis and Lauren Skora are a clinical nutritionist and baby nutrition consultant who have have teamed up to create what they've...

How do you encourage children to start making their own decisions? And at what age should they be able to do this with confidence? First off, it's all about helping them build "decision-making scaffolding", education specialist Mark Osborne tells Nine to Noon. How do you encourage children to start making their own decisions? And at what age should they be able to do this with confidence? First of...

Gratitude journals have been embraced by some adults in recent years - but what about children? An electrician turned writer, and an Auckland teacher have now created a wellbeing journal for tamariki - Piki te Ora. Hira Nathan trained as an electrician, it is still his day job, but has always had a passion for writing. He has already written a bilingual gratitude journal for adults- Whakawhetai. A...