It Takes A Village

How can parents get their children through the anxiety, the disappointment or what comes after a successful sports trial? How can parents get their children through the anxiety, the disappointment or what comes after a successful sports trial? Sport New Zealand says non-selection from trials can be a huge blow to children's confidence and can even lead them to give up a sport altogether. It s...

Making sense of behaviour, building meaningful routines and de-escalating high conflict moments are all key tools parents can use when wanting to support their teens' mental health. Psychologist Andrea Temkin-Yu who has written a guide for parents wanting to work on their relationship with their teen. She is a specialist in parent-focused intervention to help young people with their mental health....

Steve Sobota is the co-CEO of an organisation called Big Buddy, and has been matching boys without a dad in their life with positive male role models for nearly 25 years. We know that boys' achievement at school has been lagging behind girls, and that boys are more at risk of behavioural issues and mental health issues. So what can be done to help support boys as they grow to adulthood? Steve has...

Term one of the school year is in full swing and with it the after school activities. But how much is too much? And how can parents judge that? Maggie Dent is known as the 'Queen of Commonsense Parenting' and is a former high school teacher, mother of four sons and the host of the ABC podcast Parental as Anything. Maggie says if the activity is being driven by the parent, the benefits disappear Go...

Wellington speech and language therapist Christian Wright talks about children and lisps. What is a lisp, and when should a parent become concerned? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Neuroscience educator and parenting coach Nathan Wallis talks about how early attachment can impact adult relationships. He says the first 1000 days, plays a critical role in defining later outcomes for our children and for their future. Nathan features in a new Australian documentary Seen which explores the importance of personal healing for parents on parenting and its impact on child brain deve...

What's the best way to keep children healthy - and how can you help them when things go wrong? Paediatrician Dr Leila Masson has spent over 25 years working with kids considering these very issues - she specialises in nutritional and environmental medicine. Footnote:   In this interview, Dr Masson referred to apples being “covered in pesticides” and recommended that the fruit be washed. A 2010 stu...

'Tis the season for visits to and from family and sometimes it's not always smooth sailing. Jenny Hale from Parenting Place says the grandparent / parent dynamic can be difficult to navigate over the holiday season. Whether it's grandad who won't stop handing out the lollies, or grandma going overboard on the gifts. It could be a clash of parenting styles, or a battle for old and new Christmas tra...

What should parents do when they're concerned their child has a mean or 'toxic' friend? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

While many fathers naturally grow into the job of dad, some new fathers are uncertain what their role should be and how they can best parent their child. Research shows that having an engaged and nurturing father is one of the greatest assets a child can have. Parenting coach and education consultant Joseph Driessen shares his thoughts on becoming the best dad you can be. Go to this episode on rnz...

Neuroscience educator and parenting coach Nathan Wallis says if your teenager seems self-obsessed, defiant and unmotivated, you're not alone. He says understanding the changes that are happening for your teen can help parents navigate these important and formative years. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Wellington speech and language therapist Christian Wright talks with Susie Ferguson about developing comprehension in toddlers and when to be concerned if understanding, speaking and learning do not seem to be coming easily. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Jo Robertson is a therapist, educator and researcher. Earlier this year, she and others presented a petition to parliament - signed by over 10,000 - calling for internet service providers to strengthen filters on all illegal sexual behaviour. This afternoon, she'll appear before a select committee to submit in person. She talks with Susie about legislation changes she wants to see. She also discus...

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'...