My young grand-daughter had to make up a story using as much creative ability as possible. She hummed and bounced many ideas of us, and finally presented this:
Retirement is going to be your single largest milestone in your life, one that without proper planning could well become a millstone.
A writer’s son is doomed to tell stories. In the the mornings it’s his dreams and at night it’s his days. He falls asleep to tales of seafaring…
The word ‘creativity’ scares a lot of people, often because they don’t think they are creative people. The term has been stolen by the media and features heavily…
I don’t know about you, but when I think about Easter, I think about eggs. Mostly often, it’s chocolate eggs but don’t forget traditional eggs, too! This recipe…
Fitting exercise into your working day couldn’t be easier, that is if you explore the possibilities. From start of your day to the end there are so many…
We all have these ideals about our lives. Maybe how we hope to raise our children, what our families will be like and what our homes might look…
Kids specialise in concrete thinking. The idea of praying and concepts like gratitude and forgiveness can be pretty hard to grasp – even for adults! You can help everyone…
Are you rushed off your feet? Tired, exhausted and overwhelmed from the demands of everyday life? Lacking in confidence and motivation to overcome procrastination, other people’s opinions, negative…
We’re really excited about this new series of posts where we’ll talk to some inspiring mums and dads about their great kiwi families! This week’s mama is Becky…
As a Former Green MP I spend a lot of time thinking about sustainability. My job involved advocating for a smart, green, sustainable future for all New Zealanders,…
Angela Mollard is a national columnist in Australia’s News Corp publications each Sunday. She writes about lifestyle, relationships, parenting, politics, society and news-based issues and appears regularly as…
Many families place security right at the top of their priority list – they want to know that money will be there to pay their bills and that…
Plunket has been a big part of my life for more than 30 years. Ever since I had my boys all those years ago, getting involved and becoming…
Ready or not, the blissful chaos and flexible routines of summer have come to an end. And with the kids back at school, now is the perfect time…
Here I was thinking all this time that I needed to take dance lessons when it seems that I am actually rather acquainted with the Cha Cha, and…
In the interests of my sustainability in keeping up with modern trends whilst raising teen grandchildren, I agreed to let my 17 year old grand-daughter take me shopping…
It feels good to have and make family traditions, even more so in a Single Parent family. It gives my daughter (Miss 13) a greater sense of family…
When I see the words ‘sustainable families’, I think of families that last the distance. What is the secret ingredient that helps some families last the distance? My…
Do you know where your food comes from? Do you know what has been done to it in order to get it to your table? Is it even…
Let’s get S.M.A.R.T with goal setting this year. A reliable way to help you achieve your fitness goals is by using the S.M.A.R.T model.
Sustainable family living means different things to different families. What I’ve discovered is that our family lives fairly sustainably, but it’s certainly not be design. I like to…
One definition of sustainability is when all parts of a system are in a balanced state, allowing natural development. In a family system, this means each person’s needs for food,…
Our first Au Pair joined us from Germany when Tom was 6 months. As the founders of Au Pair Link, we’d given some thought to the type of…
According to the Oxford dictionary the first definition of diet is: “The kinds of food that a person, animal or community habitually eats.” The second definition is: “A…
The word ‘sustainable’ comes with a lot of fish hooks attached. It seems simple enough – the dictionary definition is “able to be continued.” It’s when you start…
With the school holiday already becoming a distant memory, and the school term getting into full swing, it’s an ideal time to establish some routines and expectations in…
Another year is almost over… Christmas has been and we’ve all breathed a sigh of relief. And then there’s New Year! I’ve never been a particularly boisterous celebrator…
Since 1999, young people in New Zealand have been able to buy alcohol from the age of 18. And as we all know, loads of under 18s get…
Christmas is just around the corner. I’ve always loved Christmas and after becoming a mum last year I think I love it even more! I love everything about…
I don’t know about you, but I always like things to look pretty at Christmas. However, costs mount up and it’s easy to get carried away! This simple…
From Rudolf and Santa to Slinki Malinki and the proverbial Pukeko in a Punga Tree, there’s a Christmas-themed picture book for everyone. In most bookshops, though, Baby Jesus…
I have never purchased a Christmas tree – well, not a chopped down pine one, as such. At the same time, we never miss a Christmas morning with…
What am I on about I hear you say? Think about this: imagine a family member being diagnosed with say, cancer. Of course this is not conducive to…
Somehow, it’s almost Christmas and it’s time to start thinking about long summer days, celebrations and relaxing for a little while.
With the Christmas holidays just around the corner – that old familiar feeling is coming back… I think they call it madness. Not only do we need to…
I was once told by a wise friend that we should take every opportunity that comes our way to celebrate. It could be taking pride in our local…
Summer is my favourite time of the year for food. There are so many different types of fruits and vegetables available. Combine that with warmer weather and longer…
A Jewish friend refers to Christmas as the loneliest day of the year for Jews. As a fellow Jew, I heartily agree . And as a solo parent,…
Coming from a family of five born from the 40s through to the 60s, we all raised our family within easy distance of each other. Now fast forward to…
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…
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…
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…
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…