It Takes A Village

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...

One in every three people between the ages of 18 and 34 still live at home with their parents, according to Stats NZ. How do you navigate sharing household costs with adult children who've either returned home or never left? One in every three people between the ages of 18 and 34 still live at home with their parents, according to Stats NZ. How do you navigate sharing household costs with adult ch...

Melbourne-based provisional psychologist Darren Godwin says tween and teens athletes and their parents can benefit from the same sort of assistance pros get to deal with ups and downs. Melbourne-based provisional psychologist Darren Godwin works with Australia's largest sport and performance psychology practice, Condor Performance. Professional sports teams have the services or psychologists...

As a cellphone ban comes into force this term for school kids, Nine to Noon looks at the issue of when to get a phone for your child. While many - if not most - of us had a phone-free childhood, the pressure for children to get their own phones is creeping lower and lower. Many parents will opt for Year 7 and 8 - the intermediate school years - as a time when a phone can help kids navigate a littl...

Negative body image is a lifelong issue for many women which social media only serves to fuel. Yet the habits and self-talk of mothers can also have a profound effect on young girls becoming overly critical of their bodies. Psychologists Janet Boseovski and Ashleigh Gallagher offer advice on what to do and what not to do in their new book Beyond Body Positive: A Mother's Evidence-Based Guide for H...

We intuitively know music is powerful. Songs have the ability to shape the way that we feel about and interact with the world. Music therapists harness that power to help people overcome metal and physical challenges. It can be particularly useful for children who need a little extra push to meet their development goals. Sessions involve celebrating music in all its forms, singing songs and playin...

Many parents will know the struggle of getting children off devices. But Rachel Clare has some great ideas. Many parents will know the struggle of getting children off devices. But Rachel Clare has some great ideas. She's the author of Play Wild: Nature Craft Projects for Tamariki. It's a how-to guide for getting kids into nature and encouraging their creativity. As Rachel points out in...

Speech and language therapist Christian Wright on some of the most effective evidence based-strategies to build preschoolers language across the day. Speech and language therapist Christian Wright talks about some of the most effective evidence-based strategies to build preschoolers language across the day Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The social aspect of school can be a minefield for some kids. Parents and caregivers can help them navigate the fickle world of friendship by asking questions that aren't the "nervous" kind, says Life Education Trust educator Ingrid Kemp. The social aspect of school can be a minefield for some kids. Parents and caregivers can help them navigate the fickle world of friendship by asking questions th...

School refusal is a different kettle of fish than a child simply wanting to stay home for a day. It's a situation where they become so anxious or fearful - and it can be for a variety of reasons - that they refuse to go, repeatedly. While it's difficult to measure how many kids experience this, Dr Rosina McAlpine, founder of the Win Win Parenting program in Australia, says it could be up to five p...

It is a vexed issue for many parents, how to navigate the social media tightrope with their children and be aware of the dangers. It is a vexed issue for many parents, how to navigate the social media tightrope with their children and be aware of the dangers. Dr Mandy Truong is a public health researcher from the Australian Institute of Family Studies who is across the positive aspects of online a...

Boston-based psychologist Laurie Kramer has built a career out of helping children to get along. Her work focuses on the experiences of kids aged three to five - an age where many become siblings for the first time, and are also making friends at preschool and kindergarten. Her work began in the '90s, when as a fresh graduate she became interested in what childrens' interactions were actually like...

Neuroscience educator and parenting coach Nathan Wallis discusses the incredible development of the human brain - particularly in the early months and years. He talks about research which identifies critical or sensitive periods in early childhood which can impact brain development. What are these "windows"? And once closed, can they ever be re-opened? Neuroscience educator and parenting coach Nat...