Growing up in the States, the holidays were always celebrated with as much extravagance as we could muster. Sometimes that was a lot and sometimes just a little…
Connection: You know when things just flow like a mid-summers breeze… conversation…laughter…getting each other’s jokes…touch…your inner child ventures out…you feel alive…happy…they get you, you get them…at peace…loving…kind…warm…and all…
Yes that time of the year is upon us again. Yaay! I love this season. The summer brings the promise of warm weather and the longer days give…
In my previous post, I talked about some ideas for active Christmas gifts. Now that you have your gifts sorted, where are we heading for the holidays? The…
Christmas and Thanksgiving just aren’t the same for most families, unless it involves a great big roast turkey, with all the trimmings. My mouth is watering just thinking…
We’ve all heard the stories and seen the videos of runaway buggies rolling off train platforms or into nearby streams. The frightening thing is that all it takes…
What is Hanukkah, besides lighting the Menorah for eight nights, before or after Christmas, depending on the year? (In 2013, November 27- December 5). Is Hanukkah merely a…
When I announced we were expecting, nearly everyone warned me to, ‘get used to never sleeping again!’ My response to this sleep advice was, ‘I sleep poorly as…
Like you, I’m sure, I’ve been horrified at the emerging story about the ‘roast busters’ here in New Zealand. It seems like every day, there’s a more horrifying…
Hey it’s Vanessa here, I decided to jump on the recycling band wagon and upcycled some used milk formula tins simply by painting them, and planting herbs in…
If you’re reading this, you have the material resources to provide for not only food and shelter, but also a computer with an internet connection. You probably also…
More and more, families are having fun with apps. The wonderful thing about apps is that there are offerings for the whole family. Here are some fun apps…
Our family relocated from the hustle and bustle of suburban Auckland for the laid back lifestyle of rural Taranaki a few months ago. My girls are aged 10…
William is the youngest in our family by quite a long shot. He is still at primary school while his siblings are in their twenties. In fact one…
My family is pretty typical of a lot of modern families these days in that there are never enough hours in the day to spend time with each…
It was the school holidays and the call came from the younger five (6-9yrs) grandchildren who do not live with us. ‘We’re bored can we come to your…
In my life-before-kids, fun and spontaneity were one in the same. When we lived in California, near Disneyland, our idea of a good time was to drop everything,…
As parents we often find ourselves revisiting activities we did as a child. We’re talking about, swingball, scooters, hydroslides, cycling and adventure playgrounds. I am sure you could…
Much is said about the challenges and stress of parenthood. However, there is little emphasis placed on the joy of being a mother, celebrating who you are as…
Combining games night with a family meal is one way to have a lot of fun. You can get dressed up, divide family members into who is responsible…
“You can’t get down from the table unless you eat all your vegetables!” This is often heard from the dining room table at dinner time in most homes…
Can mealtimes be fun? Sometimes when struggling to get children to eat their dinner fun is the last adjective many parents would use to describe mealtimes. It can…
My husband and I fit in the ‘crazy’ parent category. We’re constantly trying to find ways of making our son laugh and literally bending over backwards for one…
The other night my tweenie son came home grumpy and sullen from an overnight with his father. My new boyfriend was over and I was sensitive to how…
I’ve been thinking about ‘family fun’ recently, and asking myself, how can I write about this topic in the context of finances. We don’t really need money to…
With all the stress of modern existence, it’s easy to become bogged down in responsibility and timetables and find there just isn’t much time left for fun.
Do you remember when you first heard your baby giggle? Or when a game of chase or peekaboo or tickle-the-toes turned your toddler into a bubbling heap of…
The modern world offers an endless array of available choices and possibilities for fun, excitement and adventure. In the pursuit of a life less ordinary we can be…
As parents, our focus is on looking after our kids – giving them lots of learning and growing experiences, and opportunities to shine. Trampolines offer families a great…
Hi Diane, I have a very strong willed 4 year old girl. We seem to bang heads at just about every request I give her. I have tried…
I constantly hear protests from Mums who say they don’t have time to exercise – that they’re exhausted by the time the kids are in bed and don’t…
This year will be my fourth Father’s Day as a dad and my fortieth as a son. My son, affectionately named “Noodle” in my public writings, is only…
Feel like your family is stuck in an exercise rut and need some ideas other than a visit to your local school playground or park? We rarely think…
Natures Sway founding director, Kate Hornblow, created the original New Zealand made baby hammock back in 1993, for her first born child, Madelynn. The business has gone on…
Often there are not enough hours in day to get everything we have to do for others completed, let alone even contemplating having some time for ourselves for…
What are you putting up with in your life right now? Is your ‘to do list’ so overwhelming you don’t know where to begin or so intimidating that…
The following is an illustration as to how I came to realise that maintaining my fitness is important as I grow older, both in terms of wellbeing and…
Since I’ve become a mum, a few things have changed. I used to be a bit creative with my clothes and try them on in different ways -…
If Huck Finn could float down the Mississippi on a couple of logs lashed together to resemble a raft, then I reckon two adults and a preschooler can…
Having a newborn really puts a lot of different things in perspective. Upon the arrival of Tom, my husband and I began to think more seriously about our…
It’s probably fair to say that family is where most people lay down the foundations for all later interactions in their lives – one of those interactions being…
This post looks at how to make family fitness fun and why it’s a worthwhile investment. We all know that physical activity is good for our bodies, inside…
Single parent-families may find they can sometimes become active by default, but the wrong kind of active. The active that is rushing around from A to B, trying…
It’s winter again – cold, dark, and occasionally wet and/or snowing, depending which bit of New Zealand you live in. So how can you keep the family active…
A vegetable garden is a fabulous way for a family to work together to achieve something amazing. As luck would have it, the time is right to get…
Travelling with kids can be fab but it can also be challenging. We've got four great apps that will help you when you're on the road... Barefoot World Atlas Barefoot World Atlas is a magical interactive 3D globe that invites children to explore the regions and countries of the world, discovering hundreds of fascinating features
When you’re thinking about getting active, apps are probably not the first thing that come to mind. However, there are loads of really useful apps that can help…
“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” I read this and I can relate. No,…
When we age we cast off the care and responsibilities of raising our children – as they move on with their lives, so do we. Freedom comes, to…
Changes in our family situation can occur at any time and for any number of reasons, and they may require some quite major changes in how we run…
We often think of change as something scary; something to be avoided at all costs in some cases! Whether you are adjusting your child’s daily routine, testing a…
Becoming a mother can be like being on a roller-coaster, with many ups, downs and bumps along the way. Parenting provides little respite. New mums often discover time…
I was contacted recently by a parent who is concerned about how his 4 children access the internet. He told me that his kids are growing up and…
Although we are parents, we are also children. The change in our parents often begins quite slowly with the odd bit of help here and there. For me, with…
Getting consistent and effective results from your fitness schedule is the key to maintaining a good level of fitness over the long term. You may need to make…
It is often said that ‘change is the only constant’, ‘that nothing lasts forever’ and that can be a bittersweet sentiment when it comes to family life.
Sometimes we know when sudden changes will occur in our family – for example, you’re pregnant and your due date is past – your change is not far…
It’s the weekend between two long weeks of school holidays. It might be time for dad to take the kids for a day (or part day) if mum…
It’s easy for us to forget that events in our (fairly recent) past – things that we were involved in or might be able to remember – count…
Monitoring software is available for mobile devices, just like it’s been available for laptops and desktops for some time. The software is simple. Parents create an online account…
We all know that eating healthy food and getting regular exercise helps us maintain good health, prolonged life expectancy, gives us more energy, and makes us feel happier. …
I keep hearing how it’s difficult to get everyone from a family in one spot at mealtime. But we all know it’s important to connect together as a…
Cupcakes: what better way to get all the kids involved in not only creating a masterpiece using their imaginations but also learning about baking, measuring, decorating and so…
I love to cook. Coming from a family of die-hard foodies, I’ve never had any problem finding people to cook for, but lately the issue has become: “what…
For as long as I can remember, “food” has been a huge part of our family. Childhood memories of porridge on winter mornings with a pool of fresh…
Gluten is a protein and is found in foods made from wheat, barley and rye. It is what makes food such as pasta and bread elastic and chewy in texture. A…
The occasional drought notwithstanding, New Zealand is a pretty good place for a backyard garden; for growing a few fruit and vege plants that you can feel proud…
Do we have the Easter Bunny to thank for a couple of days off each autumn? Does the New Zealand government have such sympathy with chocolate lovers that…
After the sad death of Margaret Mahy last year, the title of greatest living children’s author in New Zealand must go to Joy Cowley, author of literally hundreds…
Baby boomers had Superman and Batman; kids today have Spiderman and Harry Potter, fictional characters who have been inspiring children through comics and film for years. And they’re…
I often get questions about helping children through their parents’ separation and I recently received this question: Even when the parents are on the same page and are…
Get out of the Rut Putting your kid’s lunchbox together can be boring. It involves ticking off a mundane checklist as you quickly fling items in: sandwich -…
My big fear in 2012 was procrastination. I went back to University after a 30 year break with a sneaking suspicion that I would spend the year cleaning…
So you survived Christmas, you’ve seen in another new year and now you’re gearing up for the onslaught of spending more money to get your kids ready to…
Wow! Its 2013 already! We got through 2012 unscathed and the world did not end, again, as predicted. 2012 was a busy year in the technology space. The…
I saw this on a craft blog and LOVED it so I had to share it! This would be great for in mum’s handbag, in the car or…
How often in separation do children end up changing schools? How do you go about finding the right school? What do you do when you have very little…
Combining exercise with family activities has many benefits, and not just to our waistlines and fitness levels. Active kids eat better, sleep better and think better and so…
What’s really important to you? Could someone tell by looking in your diary or on your household calendar? Do you spend time on what you think is most…
I thought I would share how I manage our meals in our house. It’s not really that special or unique but I find it creates much less stress…
A reader recently wrote asking help with getting children out of bed in the morning… here’s how to do it!
Kids are often itching to get out and about in the school holidays, and sometimes they have a list of places they want to go before the school term…
As Christmas comes closer, I’ve been thinking about things that I can do with my children to celebrate the Christmas season. Here are three easy ideas that you can…
Have you ever bought a gift and then realised it was better suited for a younger child or it was too ‘old’ for the child? Perhaps you bought…
Albert Einstein said “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a…
Welcome to our new series, investigating the latest fitness trends and giving you the inside information on how they suit you. At the moment there are outdoor group…
I’m sure there will be lots of us with a Mobile product on our Christmas lists this year and as the uptake increases, the prices come down.
During this busy time of year, many of us forget the importance of maintaining our health and well-being. At a time when it’s essential to take care of…
I love Christmas – although I do still find it strange to celebrate it at the height of summer! Being Swedish, I am used to a white Christmas…
A timely article inspired by my daughter who turns 6 tomorrow. The years are going by fast, but very early on I started thinking about traditions and celebrations…
“When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses” – Joyce Brothers. So you’re thinking of going on a family holiday – what a great…
Routine is a key part of our lives. We all follow some sort of schedule so day-to-day functions are taken care of. But maintaining some sort of routine…
For people who suffer from Hay Fever or Allergic Rhinitis, summer can turn into a nightmare. If you suffer from a pollen allergy you’ll know all about what a…
For me, the idea of family celebrations brings forward warm feelings of fun and love as I have two wonderful families to enjoy our differences with. I that…
My article is late this time. Rochelle sent me an email last week and wondered if I was going to be able to get something to her. I…
How well do you know stories of your ancestors? I go back five generations in this land, on each side of my family, but what came before that…
One of my favourite memories of getting to know my now-husband’s family is the way they would have frequent picnics. They had a host of spots that they…
This month’s blog is on “Creative Families”. Right on cue once again the universe provides 🙂 I open up my email and I found this sitting in my…
Public Libraries provide weekly sessions full of fun for young children. They have action songs, stories and fun activities for you and your child. There is no cost…
My girls are quite creative, I guess they take after their mum in that respect. They both love to colour, but my youngest has recently taken a real…