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…
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…
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…
“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…
How often do you take time out of your busy life to think about and plan for the future? When we become parents, our personal and family goals…
I’ve always been amazed by how much free software is available online that is very useful. It’s common to find free products with limited functionality to give the…
If you or your children are spending lots of time sitting, you are all at risk of becoming a “couch potato”. Nearly one in three kiwis is overweight…
Reflecting on what makes a family fun after your precious son has created a blood bath attempting to knock out his front teeth can be chalked down as…
To use the old adage “Spring has Sprung”…well almost….it still feels a tad wintery around here in the Hutt Valley, but the Tui are out and the Kowhai…
It’s where we start isn’t it? “Mmmm, I think I’ll start getting fit, I know I’ll go for a walk, it’s free, relatively easy…” Great Idea!!! Walking allows…
Humans are physical creatures. Our bodies matter to us, and they matter to God – we’re not just pure spirit. This month, if you’re looking for ways to…
Well, creativity coupled with sustainability is one of my favourite subjects as when we learn to awaken our family’s creativity, wonderful things will happen: you’ll make meaningful connections…
This is my first blog post as a new mum and I can honestly say that it has changed my life! I expected my day-to-day routines to change…
Put a basket of books in every room. Books are easily put away if a basket is nearby. Make the reading corner cosy by using a comfortable chair…
Who doesn’t love a decent cup of tea? Tea purists would likely say loose-leaf is the best variety for flavour. I couldn’t claim to be a tea purist…
While we’ve long known about the health properties contained in omega-3s – which can help remedy an exhaustive list of conditions, from improving blood circulation and balancing mood,…
It’s never too early to read aloud to your baby. Babies love colour and the sound of Mummy’s or Daddy’s voice. They love faces too. Cloth or card…
Reading aloud is the most important thing you can do to switch your child on to reading. Read the book and love it before you read it to…
It’s difficult these days to really know what’s in the food we buy. Packaging is overloaded with information, most of which means nothing to the average shopper. Going organic…
It’s an interesting thing this ‘Poverty Cycle’ phenomenon. I thought it was just something we speak to our clients about how to get out of – Until I…
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain”. This could so apply to parenting couldn’t it? Parenting is a…
Birthdays can be expensive and overwhelming but they don’t have to be! Here are some simple ways to ‘make your own’ birthday party. Party food can cost you…
Kids don’t belong everywhere. They’re not an orchestra’s target audience and the tense whispers of snooker commentators suggest that toddlers wouldn’t be welcome at tournament finals. But what…
One of the best ways to grow a strong, happy, connected family is to take care of your health and well-being.
With my husband and I due to have our first child in approximately three weeks, the topic of growing a great family has become a key focus for…
Looking back to my early childhood I couldn’t tell you how many times a week my Mum vacuumed or cleaned the shower, I don’t know if I went…
For our children, just the same as it is for us, there are times when they have their big difficult feelings that really need loving attention. No matter…
Every day there’s a new report of yet another study telling us what we should or shouldn’t eat. With so many conflicting ideas working out the optimum nutrition…
The last few weeks I’ve been working and playing a lot with families who have young children. Often the parent’s ask me questions along the lines of, “how…
Almost every day parents write to FamilyLab and say: “My children never listen to what I say!” What they sometimes mean is that the children do not obey…
As a break from tradition, and in line with this month’s topic Growing Great Families, I’ve decided to talk about one activity that the whole family enjoys.
Food is something that can really bring the family together. Mealtimes are important to reconnect, share and enjoy each other. They are also great opportunities to get to…
Last night we had our book launch at the Massey University Centre of Psychology. We had a great night and a more than a few giggles over the…
Imagine this. Put a child on a moving mat suspended a metre off the ground. The mat’s job is to throw the child in the air. Surround it…
Over 2000 years ago, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said ‘All disease begins in the gut’. This is as true today as it was then. When our digestion…
Getting your career back on track after having a baby can be very exciting… but also surprisingly difficult for a variety of reasons. To help you out, here’s our…
Pregnancy brings exciting times and whether you are creating a family or having an addition, it comes with lots of joy and sleepless nights! Just like sleep, time becomes…
Pregnancy is a major life event, and therefore a great time to reflect on your health and what you eat! Now is the time to consider incorporating the…
The First semester of University is nearly over and I can’t believe it! It has been a great experience being a student again and I have loved learning new…
When I was pregnant with my first daughter I was subscribed to a few parenting magazines. I always waited with anticipation when I knew they were due in…
We always have a choice, but as we all experience at some time or another, often the choice to make isn’t that clear or comes at a difficult…
Once I started looking pregnant, strangers started treating me differently. My own policy is never to assume someone with a little roundness in the abdominal region is pregnant…
Visa Inc. and Marvel Comics have teamed up to promote financial literacy in New Zealand and around the world through a new action-packed comic book Avengers: Saving the…
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…
The autumn sun is still caressing us with its warming rays but the chill in the early mornings and the nights lets us know that winter is on…
Here’s a great event at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival- just for kids (big and small ;):
Every parent wants their child to do well at school, so and finding out your child is gifted should be a positive and rewarding experience. However, being gifted…
This year Immunisation Week from April 23-29 is all about protecting your child by getting them immunised on time.
Kiwi author Nicola Galloway is a chef who is passionate about the benefits of healthy and flavoursome food. She’s also a mum and knows lots about feeding families… I…
Mother’s Day is a great opportunity to celebrate how important mothers are. We all know that we should do it all year long but it’s nice to take…
Here is an idea for an easy Mother’s Day craft for younger children. They will probably need a bit of help but there are fewer steps than with…
These are a great idea to make for Mother’s Day but may be suited for the older children or will need some assistance from a parent. They look…
Now here’s one of the best ideas we’ve seen for a while- the brand new Kids by Farmers store in Christchurch. Based on the results of extensive research,…
Do you get stressed or worried about money? Have there been arguments in your household about money and bills? Are you losing sleep over your debts? If you answer yes to…
Cloth Nappy Week 2012 is upon us and I am about to embark on a journey, pink cape and all, around the country to promote the use of…
The story goes that in the 1920’s, Amish women would bake a special dessert to put in the farmers lunch boxes. The men lucky enough to discover one…
So, we all know that it’s important to wear good bras when you’re pregnant and feeding… but honestly… there’s only so long a girl can take wearing what…
Staying healthy is something that is really important to me. However I am not a big fan of dieting. In fact I think I have never lasted longer…
If you tend to have constant back/shoulder pain and need some heat packs on hand without having to shell out a good amount of money to buy some,…
School holidays are over but there are still those days where it seems that nothing is going to go your way. These stress balls will have you chilled…
Rosehip is the most AMAZING product for your skin. Lots of you will know that it’s great for stretch marks and scars and here’s a great new product from Trilogy. Certified…
I’m sure that this is not news to you, but health comes in all kinds of ways including environmental, social and physical … all aspects of our lives…
My Grandma was a big part of my childhood. When I was little, I used to get on the bus and go and stay with her in Eketahuna…
Every day we see articles and reports on the growing impact of obesity on our nation’s children, it’s scary stuff. Overweight kids often lead to obese adults, at…