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…
Making meal times easy for kids shouldn’t be so hard! This easy meals for kids article is packed full of tips for introducing kids to new foods, without…
There are some alarming reports on childhood obesity and the long-term impact it’s going to have on our kids’ lifespan, health and the nation’s wallet. It’s easy to…
Ever wonder what to do for your child’s birthday party? Do you feel pressured to keep up with the latest party trend? Maybe your children expect bigger and…
Dear Diane, Help! We have been trying to potty train our daughter. We have put her in undies and have told her where to go wees etc and…
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…
I get lots of questions about toilet training children and with some children, it can be a really challenging business. Recently, I received this email from a desperate…
The years leading up to school strongly influence your child’s attitudes and abilities towards reading. A home where stories are treasured and shared and where books are at…
All babies have their own unique and precious personality determined both by genetics and the environment they are born into. Because of this, children react differently to separation…
A reader recently wrote asking help with getting children out of bed in the morning… here’s how to do it!
We love getting creative in our family and I believe it is extremely important for children to be able to use their minds and imagination to explore different…
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…
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…
A new rule increasing the age of mandatory child restraint use is a positive step in the safety of kiwi kids, says Kelly Good, car safety technician based…
Parents often want to know about the positives and negatives of TV viewing so they can make well informed decisions for their children. So how much is too much?…
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…
I love being creative and crafty in all aspects and know how much children crave the stimulation and challenges that especially arts and crafts can create. My two…
Most of us think a child’s tendency to be creative is predetermined at birth by genetics but it can also be strongly influenced, both positively and negatively by…
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 and where your child is cared for might just be one of the most important decisions you make in their early years. We all want our children…
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…
I don’t know about you, but we’re in the middle of Games fever here at the moment! If your kids are keen on the Games too, here are some…
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…
In my opinion growing great families comes down to communication and giving the small people space. From that comes trust, respect, a sense of being heard, being important…
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…
Capital E National Theatre for Children presents: The Dominion Post season of MAGNOLIA STREET On this street you’ll discover that magnolia trees have hearts, unexpected friendships are the best…
“Score a goal and I will give you 5 dollars” – I recently heard these words shouted out by a parent on the sideline of a 5 year-olds soccer game.…
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.
As a nutritionist who is passionate about food, I believe the joy of food, and a healthy relationship with food, is something all children should experience. Teaching kids…
It’s almost Easter and the smell of chocolate is in the air! I thought it would be good to have some Easter crafts for kids that you can…
Angelina Ballerina, the star of some twenty popular children’s books and an animated TV series, will soon be appearing in towns throughout the country in Royal New Zealand…
The weather is getting cooler and even on sunny days you know that winter is not far away. I’ve been thinking about fun craft ideas for my girls…
The All New Coca-Cola Easter Show is just around the corner – taking place in Auckland from Thursday April 5th to Monday April 9th at Auckland’s ASB Showgrounds.
There’s nothing nicer than cuddling up with your kids and a book and sharing a great story together. I’m sure that all of you have had the experience…
In my last blog, we discovered why books are important for children and how you can inspire a love of reading for your child. In this blog, I…
It’s likely that your own attitude to reading was formed in childhood, influenced by opportunities to read books and the encouragement of the people around you. The early…
So the kids are heading back to school- what about the under fives? The “right” childcare option would have to be one of the most difficult choices for…
“Ding ding ding” School’s in. Sigh. Back to grind for many of us. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas holiday with loads of fun, laughter, food and…
I saw a version of these rainbow biscuits in Pinterest and I couldn’t resist having a go at some myself… they looked so pretty! But my three year…
Are you a parent or a caregiver of a child, interested in his or her health and wellbeing? If our children are to enjoy optimal health, they must…
Making a packed lunch for children every day can be quite a test of parents’ ingenuity. It’s all too easy to fall into a boring routine or a…
Summer is almost upon us, and that means holidays and Christmas too… I do take a little comfort here in New Zealand that we don’t break out the…
One of the most important factors in preventing learning difficulties from developing in children is to ensure that from the moment of birth each child is free when…
I was teaching a parenting seminar a few weeks ago and showing parents how to insist that their children do as they are told. A parent asked, “But isn’t…
I started my cake decorating career back with Bananas in Pyjamas for a little guy called Tom for his first birthday. Tom has now just celebrated his 15th…
Potty training can be a straightforward affair, or a tricky and complicated part of your child’s life – filling you with fear and dread.
The importance of family traditions. Family rituals and traditions bring us together; they connect us and become part of each family’s identity. Birthday celebrations are amongst the most…
If colouring books and pencils aren’t enough to keep the kids busy during the holidays, then these website ideas might do the trick. We’ve pulled together the top 10 educational…
A vegetarian diet can be very healthy, but care needs to be taken to achieve a well balanced diet to ensure an adequate intake of nutrients. In a…
Many studies have supported the evidence that vegetarians have a lower risk for developing health issues such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and diet related cancers. Overall vegetarians…
In a recent workshop for RTLBs I discussed all of the different diagnosis which are given to children today with learning or behaviours difficulties. We now have ADHD,…
BALANCE is a Key to Successful Learning Vision and hearing, good fuel and hydration are obvious to most of us. However, many parents and teachers do not realise…
How bad has this winter been for colds and flus? I have seen countless cases of families suffering with the nasty viruses that have been circulating around the…
Often, the first sign that you have osteoporosis is that you break a bone. Osteoporosis has no symptoms and the disease offers its victims no warning until it is…
The Christchurch mosque shootings have shaken most of us to the core. There is just a general disbelief that anything like this could have happened in New Zealand……
Thank you to all the lovely people who have sent me “real” questions about their daily lives as parents. I will answer them in the order they arrived.
These days, when we take on the role of motherhood, the majority of us sacrifice ‘fulfilling our own full potential’ in almost every other avenue of our lives.…
Last month I talked about the idea that, to quote Margaret Nelson-Agee, “Until you have two competing ethics, you don’t have an ethical dilemma.” As parents, we often…
Happy New Year! Once again the media abounds with articles about sun and safety. A recent one began: “Parents warned about sun’s danger.” It began with a reminder…
Recently I attended yet another parenting seminar, in the ongoing quest, I suppose, for anything that may assist with the challenging role we face as parents. This seminar…
Vernon and I have had a special privilege these holidays. It is to spend a length of time in our one-roomed beach-house in sometimes less-than-summer weather with our…
Today I am going to sound like a “Grumpy Grandma.” I am going to tell you all about 4 common labels that disempower parents. These really annoy me because…
Are you seeking effective parenting methods for raising your kids? Family therapist and renowned author Diane Levy provides 5 key strategies to improve child attitude and behaviour —…
It never ceases to amaze me how often a certain wisdom has been known for a long time and then, Hey Presto!, along comes a scientific discovery that…
With our growing obesity problem in New Zealand we have seen the introduction of a number of food guidelines being issued to schools. This has included advising parents…
Much has been said lately about wrapping your kids up in cotton wool. I have been as guilty as most about being over protective, however the more kids…
People often ask can toddlers help in the kitchen and the answer is a resounding Yes! As we know toddlers and preschoolers often want to be with you…
It appears that the topic of the moment is the ever increasing “cost of living “ particularly the basic necessities such as food. You can imagine that with…
I think my 14 year old son is very lucky. Lucky because he has just spent the first week of his school holidays with his Grandparents. Now, I…
We’ve been a lucky family when it comes to grief and dealing with death in the family. My children have both sets of grandparents to provide all the…
The school term is about to get under way, and we are about to get back into the school lunch box routine. It is a well known fact that what…
Every so often the age range of our children creates little dilemmas – and Christmas is one of those times! Remember we’re the ones with a teenager, a…
So what does a Super Dad write about for his first parenting article? Having just assumed this mantle I find that the pressure is now on. Out of…
If you worry about whether your child is eating enough and whether the amount they eat is normal, you are not alone. Many parents feel uncertain about what…
Life with children is always busy and planning meals, preparing food, and then getting the little darlings to eat it can take up big chunks of your precious…
The issues of chores and pocket money and whether there should be linkage between the two have always vexed parents. Vernon and I tried many and varied ways…
I am interested in your knowing that, if the law continues to inform you that you may not smack your child (or, at the very least, ought not to…
Super Granny Diane Levy talks to Kerry Burridge about her books and her work with families.
It’s been an adventurous couple of months in the Leishman household as we reached the culmination of a number of years of planning to take off on a…
Sometimes, when I give a seminar that involves teaching our children to do as they are told, a question comes up early on. I have just got as far…
Mark Leishman’s had a long and varied career as a New Zealand radio and TV broadcaster. Here’s his ten top tips for developing respect and assertiveness in our…
Dietary iron is something we all need but women, children and teenagers commonly eat less iron than they need. In New Zealand it is estimated that about 42%…
Unfortunately, when it comes to our teeth, we’re not like sharks – we don’t have 3 rows of teeth and we can’t grow a new one if we lose…
I was deeply disturbed when I heard that another child had been abused and was in a serious condition in Starship hospital. I can’t bear to think of…
About seventeen years ago, I read a book which impressed me greatly and turned upside down my thinking about how to raise children. The book was called “The…
One of our many important roles as a parent or caregiver is to help our children foster and develop good eating habits and attitudes to food from a…
I often get calls from parents worried about their children’s self-esteem. They may have seen their teen drop out of situations, which they can usually cope with, or heard…
Barbara Coloroso in her delightful and insightful book, “Kids are Worth It” talks about three styles of parenting: Jellyfish parenting, Brick-wall parenting and Backbone parenting. Another version of…
When I had my first baby, thirty-five years ago, there were two questions that about-to-be mothers were asking themselves and each other. (Yes. I know that I said…
The nightly ritual when I get home from work is probably mirrored by many Dads around the country. In the door, take a breath and then it’s the…
Do you frequently look for new recipes or do you stick with the same recipes you always use? Could some of your favourite recipes do with a makeover?…
I sense my 8 and 10 year old sons are struggling to believe that Santa Claus is really real. This year there have been no requests for Santa’s…
I am not a perfect parent and as much as I adore my four sons they aren’t perfect either; come to think of it neither is my husband…
Childhood obesity is becoming a big problem in New Zealand, as it is in most Western countries. The National Children’s Nutrition Survey, carried out in 2002, showed that…
Many of us hark back to a distant memory. It may be of our family, it may be of someone else’s family, it may be of a mythical…
The return to the school term routine presents a good time to reflect on how meal times in your household work. Here’s some of my key tips to…