Let’s be honest: getting kids to help around the house can sometimes feel like trying to herd cats. You know they can do it; you’ve seen them organize…
In kid’s sports, there’s no doubt parents are essential – they’re the free ferry service, the half-time orange supplier, and the local cheer squad. But when it comes…
As families across New Zealand welcome the new year, growing concern looms over the wellbeing of our children. And one of those concerns is around e-cigarette use, otherwise…
How do we foster creativity in our children and in our parenting? Both require space and time. We all need ample time and a sense of abundant space…
It’s tricky, the whole ‘going back to work’ thing after or amidst your kids early years. I actually looked on Seek for a few jobs before listening to…
Have you been wondering how you can celebrate Matariki the Māori New Year at your place. Here’s 5 fresh ways to celebrate Matariki with your family.
All around the country families are starting to prepare for their child’s return back to school or even starting school for the first time!
New research shows Kiwi men are romantic, believe in love at first sight, spend more on Valentine’s Day than their partners, and would rather cuddle up as a…
It’s cold outside but this easy to make heating pad or wheat bag will help keep you toasty warm. Wheat bags are so easy to make, and they’re…
The evidence is in: children who have a close bond with their parents, or primary caregivers, are more likely to have improved brain development. Find out the importance…
Petplan in the UK tell us about the amazing research they conducted using Artificial Intelligence, or AI. They’ve scoured the web and social for pictures of owners and…
Dads have a special and important role in their children’s lives. We’ve compiled over 90 tips and ideas to help Dads show up, and be the Dads their…
After numerous, and sometimes disastrous, attempts at finding a consistent ad partner for our blog, we finally found Nirvana with Monumetric – probably the best ad network for…
‘Mum’. The small word carries a big meaning for most of us. That meaning partly depends on how we feel about our own mothers and grandmothers and also…
Let’s face it. Power bills are typically the biggest ones that New Zealand families face each month. Household energy costs tend to climb highest during the winter, but…
If there’s one thing we’ve learned last year, it’s that digital devices are key to ensuring learning continues in spite of lockdowns and disruptions.
The COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest public health threat that people around the world are facing right now. It calls for decisive, actionable plans on a broad scale…
Parenting can be a demanding and stressful job at any time, however parenting through a pandemic can pile additional pressure on parents, according to new research.
A rip is a narrow body of water moving out to sea like a river. These currents are caused by complex interactions between the ocean – such as…
In the new world of navigating COVID-19, we’ve seen a surge in online healthcare and it’s certainly been welcomed by many. Kiwis across the country can see the…
Men in general have fewer social and emotional support systems and these generally involve the sort of social activities that are Covid-19 has currently curtailed, such as meeting…
Family law varies in different countries and more often than not, the legislation is influenced by the tradition or religion that is practiced by the majority of people…
Nowadays, turning 50 is not anymore considered as an “over the hill” cliche it used to be. Although it’s still an important milestone in a person’s life, there…
A few simple touches to a delicious home-cooked meal can seriously increase the food’s health content. If you have a young family, you want to make sure that…
Many parents are stuck in an ever repeating cycle of foods that their child comfortably eats. Over time repetitive menus become boring and our child loses enthusiasm for…
Cove launched mid-2017 with the goal of making insurance in New Zealand friendlier, smarter, and a whole heap simpler.
At this time of year, we’re all looking forward to some time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, to relax and re-charge and enjoy the…
It’s a child’s natural response to protest against our parental demands (on their time, space, behaviour, activities, etc.). But a child’s protests are all part of their development.…
If you’ve had a baby, you likely attended a 6-week postnatal check with your obstetrician, midwife, or GP. But you may not have had a postnatal check with a women’s…
In response to a reader comment on our What is eczema article, Kiwi Families reached out to our wonderful Facebook community for advice. We had such a great…
We all know planning a holiday for the family can be stressful and often pricey. Thankfully there are several ways to save some cash, from scoring cheap flights…
There’s an old chant many parents will remember: “Nobody loves me, everybody hates me; I’m going down the garden to eat some worms.” Challenging behaviour from small children…
In this article you’re going to find out exactly how we used online tools to save $57,653. I’ve worked in the consumer information industry for more than 15…
Looking for the right lunch box to suit your family’s needs can be somewhat of a mammoth task. So here at Kiwi Families we’ve made the job a…
Christmas, oh Christmas! ‘Tis the season to be jolly! To offer presents of presence, slowing down with family to create everlasting memories and connections. While ideally inspiring gifts…
Teenagers spend quite a lot of time home alone, after school, holidays, into the evenings and also sometimes overnight while parents are at work, away or even just…
This article’s title covers a lot of the parenting experience! Learning and teaching is a two-way street – you and your kids are both engaged in learning and teaching…
Click the image below to view the 2020 Kiwi Families Gift Guide
It can be hard to think of gifts for the whole family at Christmas time. The great thing about printed books is that they’re well-priced gifts, they’re always…
So your teen has made the big decision about what they want to do after school. Now they need to put a plan in action to make it…
Hey dads, you make a big difference! By teaching your sons how to respect women you prevent violence. Simple.
I want the best for my children and want them to be the best they can be. I suspect most, if not all, parents want this for their…
Ever find yourself in a situation where your toddler is nearing meltdown mode, hyperventilating, panicking, losing all control? Teaching your toddler deep breathing may be the answer.
Have you ever wondered how to grow a giant pumpkin for Halloween? When you think about Halloween, you instinctively think of an American celebration with carved pumpkins at…
As first time parents, or any time parents really, we may sometimes find ourselves sitting in front of ‘professionals’ vigorously nodding our heads in agreement with what they’re…
I have been doing the ‘doing’ for my children for so long, they can’t see their own capacity and capability to be able to ‘do’. I’ve read the obligatory…
We took the Nestlé Choose Wellness quiz and were a bit shocked at the results. I thought we lived pretty well. But what we’re discovering is that living…
You – yes YOU – are a successful mummy Instantly, some of you will have thought “no, I’m not”. If that’s you, stop right there. That’s storytelling: a story…
Hard-working superstar needed for world’s most important role. Are you up to the challenge? Applications open now. Salary and conditions to be determined.
Being a parent is a mixture of elation, exhaustion, delight and fear, sometimes all at the same time!
Like most families, we’re always in search of health and wellness for ourselves and our children. Sometimes it feels like we’re searching for the holy grail though; we’re…
The first parent I think of celebrating is the widow of the black man, Philando Castile, murdered by an American policeman when pulled over for a broken tail…
With the Hi-5 House Hits tour just about to hit New Zealand shores, we wanted to find out something about Hi-5 we didn’t already know.
We’ve rounded up an eclectic mix of 2022 Father’s Day gift ideas. We’ve selected gifts at a few different price points, so there should be something for everyone on the…
There’s some absolute truth about fatherhood in the modern age that I’ve discovered. In fact, there are 12 actual truths. Share them with every Dad you know.
There’s only one thing I ever ask for on Father’s Day. It’s the same thing every year. Breakfast in bed, with a coffee and a newspaper. Ahhh, the…
They did… I did … I hope she does… We consciously and subconsciously carry through our lives pre-conceived ideas, learnt behaviour and negative influences from our upbringing. It’s…
Back in the day our parents and grandparents were fortunate enough to live the quarter-acre dream. They had backyards big enough to have a large garden to supplement the…
Spaghetti bolognaise is a go-to staple in most households. And it’s not hard to see why. Full of protein and carbs, with the sweetness of tomatoes, and lots…
What kid doesn’t love chicken nuggets right? And there are some good brands out now with organic chicken, and healthier batter. But, still, some chicken nuggets leave a…
There’s nothing quite like a winter vegetable soup to make you feel warm on the inside, when it’s cold on the outside! This tummy-warming recipe comes from Mandy Sacher.…
Going on a holiday or weekend getaway with the family is a great way to escape from your day to day routine, create long lasting memories and spend quality…
The title sounds like the starting point for an article on how to explore the Amazon while avoiding piranha, or maybe eating puffer fish in Japan without suffering terminal…
When I think about keeping my children safe the first thing that comes to mind is keeping them safe from other people. But how? I can’t wrap them up…
I was ready to be a mother at the age of four, it was 1978.
In this busy modern world, cities are expanding and backyards are shrinking. Yet the desire to grow food is more pressing in the face of rising food costs and…
It may have taken a while to show up this year, but winter is here and making its presence felt across the country with chilly weather and, in some…
It’s well known that getting children immunised helps protect them from some serious diseases. What is less well known is that women can get immunised during pregnancy for…
How would you like an extra $200 for the family budget? By switching your power to the smaller, smarter power company Electric Kiwi, that’s exactly what we’ll guarantee…
When most people hear the word “gamer”, they usually add the prefix “video” subconsciously. But, while digital games have slowly become accepted as part of mainstream entertainment, the…
I am happy when my children are happy. Sounds pretty simple right? Well, I would be fooling both myself and you to say this state of utopia…
As a parent, happiness tends to be measured by your child’s happiness. All we want is for our kids to be happy and heathy, which makes us happy…
I don’t know about you, but breakfast is by far my favourite meal of the day. But it is one so many of us have so little time…
Happiness cannot be measured by one simple, single moment. It comes in many forms. A look, smile, smell, feeling, thought, word or just simply, life.
Hi Jen, I was wondering if you had some advice that could help us. We have been looking for a good way to help our son release his…
That never-ending hunt for happiness. Do a Google search and there are countless blogs and websites on finding your true happiness and inner meaning. It’s the meaning behind…
I have always been taught to tell the truth so here it is… I have kids. Three of them actually – so that makes me a ‘Dad’ -…
Our feature at the moment is New Beginnings and over the last couple of months, we’ve heard HEAPS of amazing stories about people who have had all kinds…
When a child is born, her brain has been given a starter set of instructions as to how to lay its basic structure out and begin the important…
The cupboard of dreams. High on the top shelf in the linen cupboard are new beginnings for the three children and the two grandchildren we raised – school…
Around the world, caring for mothers after childbirth has traditionally been a matter of great importance. In many societies the practical knowledge of how to help mothers after…
After separating one of the last things you think about is how you will manage the job of parenting with your ex partner!
In the life of a garden it always feels like you are in the middle of something, the middle of a season, weeding, watering or harvesting. But rarely…
We get it – parenting is hard at the best of times. School is back and you’re busy packing lunches and managing an ever-changing schedule of sports training,…
What a cruel end to a lazy, warm summer! Kids’ feet cramped by shoes; t-shirts and togs replaced with stiff uniforms, and parents girding themselves to become disciplinarians again.…
We’re flying head first into the new school year and, if you’re like us, we’re cracking into the start of another crazy year as best prepared as we can…
In our series on Great Kiwi Families we get to meet kiwis (new and old!) who are doing cool things. Jackie Kulak is a new-to-New Zealand mum with…
After 9 years of me being the “primary caregiver”, hubby and I are now swapping roles! It’s definitely a new beginning and a new chapter for us.
Charlie can whistle now. He worked it out on his own, more or less. One day, quite by mistake, out came a toot tweet, and he giggled, Hey!…
A common question parents ask cycling instructors is “how will my child become more confident on a bike?” Kiwi cycling instructor Marilyn Northcotte passes on her tips for parents…
The New Year is always a time for resolutions and the chance for change. Sometimes (if not most of the time) we go for the grand gesture, only…
To look at me, you might see a bit of a Mumsie. And you’d be right! I’m 46 years old, with two daughters, a sedate driving style and…
“Don’t stress”- haha- who even says this 4 weeks out from Christmas? Well, I’m giving the “don’t stress” idea a go – surely it seems worth a try?…
You hear this said all the time, “we live in a different world these days…” Well, I’ve been thinking about things that are ‘different’… but also somehow the same,…
Learning is something that we humans are programmed to do. We arrive helpless and dependent but wired to acquire language, and anyone who’s ever lived with a toddler…
Life Love Living Learning Without one there are none of the others. Our bodies, hearts and minds connect each of us to ourselves, others and the world through…
A lot happens in our New Zealand Summer school holidays. We have the long summer holiday itself, Christmas, New Year and then the build up to going…
Having recently celebrated (or not) my 66th birthday, I have had time to reflect on my journey. On many stages of this journey I frequently thought I knew…
One of the major challenges within your blended family will be how to bond your stepchildren with your own children. We all have that ideal fantasy, The Brady…
Make a fast rag tag Christmas garland…… and a cheat to make it even faster! Hello again……