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…
Imagine this: you open a fresh journal, ready to spill your thoughts, dreams, and wildest ideas onto the blank page. But suddenly… writer’s block hits. Don’t worry; we’ve got…
Let me paint a picture for you: It’s the school holidays. You’re feeling hopeful, thinking of all the creative activities you’re going to do with the kids—baking, crafts,…
Just the other evening, I found myself in the middle of yet another classic showdown between my two teenage daughters, Lucy and Hannah. Lucy, who’s sixteen, had borrowed…
Period Parties are all about celebrating this important milestone into womanhood. Commonly celebrated in many cultures around the world, it seems the Western culture is only just now…
It can be scary for some parents when their teen decides to go vegan. For many parents a vegan diet is quite foreign, and lots of parents worry…
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…
13 year old Molly Redican recently presented at Facebook Headquarters in Melbourne, and wrote about her experience exclusively for Kiwi Families.
We have thrown some cracker birthday parties over my teen’s 15 year existence and hosting them is a lot of fun albeit kinda chaotic and exhausting!
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…
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…
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,…
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…
I have been thinking about traditions, and family, and how to make the effort lately. It’s easier not to make the effort. You feel the desire not to…
School lunches… I can hear you groaning from here. They are one of those chores that causes a lot of worry and stress.
Our young teens often ‘feel’ like adults, but as parents, we habitually still treat them like kids. The fact is, they are still ‘kids’ in some respects, but they…
Do you want a change from Disney princesses and superheroes? I know as a Mum of two young kids (6 and 9) that what my children see on…
The Spirit of Adventure Trust provides one of the best and most unique youth development programmes in New Zealand.
How does your family move together? Is family time also TV/couch time? Did you know that there is an epidemic in our society that is causing sickness and…
David Stendl-Rast is a very wise man. He gave a TED talk all about happiness. It was a simple exploration of a question that dogs modern thinking. How…
Do you remember as a 7-year-old being mesmerised watching someone shoot the goal, singing in front of 1000s, or drawing a doodle on a page that looked like…
When our teens are going through a rough time it really is hard to think about anything else. Sometimes nothing is actually said but their misery or silence tells you…
Kids content on our television is in a precarious position. We just have to look at the demise of John Campbell’s programme on TV3 to see how stories…
Our home grows frequently with over energetic teenagers! They blaze into our house brimming with smiles, flailing hair, bags of clothes, giant oversized art folders, the crinkly sound of…
It’s a well known principle that including 5+ vegetable and fruit servings a day is a great foundation for your daily eating habits. 5 would be an absolute…
Children’s Day – Te Rā O Te Tamariki – provides New Zealanders with an opportunity to give time to children. It is a fun day for activities that start…
It’s hard making that decision as a parent to let your young teenager go out certain places in the first place, right! If you read my previous post…
Technology is part of our lives and it is not going away. How much you want to let it into your life and for what purpose are questions…
In an age where we literally have an array of technological devices at our fingertips, there are a high number of articles, blogs and opinion pieces espousing the…
The first mention of ‘education and technology’ tends to bring people out in a rash of raising funds for computers in classrooms, and making sure every child has…
On Friday I gave a presentation to learning support staff and some educational psychologists around transitioning young people between schools. The process of thinking about what it means…
“Mom, can I pleeeeaaase go to Regina’s* Birthday party/Sleepover on Saturday?” pleads Miss 14. “Which one is Regina again?” I reply. “Remember, she’s that new girl I met at School last…
It’s Money Week in New Zealand, and the word on the street is that we’ll need $4,000 in retirement just to spend on eggs! Time to get some…
This week I’ve seen a lot of students struggling with homework. Perhaps it’s the grey cold weather that’s making it extra hard to get the books out when…
Facebook is a huge part of many young people’s lives and it can be mystifying and quite frightening for some parents. If you’re not on Facebook, you might not…
Mothers and daughters who run together – have fun together… Well … mostly 🙂
It’s Allergy Awareness Week soon and we talk to a family where allergies are part of everyday life. Kiwi mum, Amanda, talks about living with allergies for 6 year old Amelia.
Making your own pizza with kids is easy! Too often we perceive making things by scratch to be difficult and end up spending way too much money to buy a…
What do you want to be when you grow up? An astronaut, doctor or maybe an All Black? Perhaps like me, you’ve yet to decide…..
Teen car crashes have decreased dramatically since New Zealand implemented the graduated driver’s license system in 1987. Unfortunately, car crashes are still the number one cause of death for…
Here are two lovely and simple Valentine’s crafts to brighten someone’s 14th of February. These little boxes hold a Hershey’s chocolate kiss… it’s quick to make them in…
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…
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…
Exam time can be a stressful time of year for the whole family. Mum and Dad may be working flat-out preparing for the closedown of business over the…
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…
This time of year typically means rather changeable weather and often clear windy days where I live, so what better thing to make than a kite? And what…
Prying older kids away from television, phone and computer screens can be a difficult task at times; especially when you’re trying to do it so they will participate…
What better reason could there be to celebrate the wonderful dads in our families than Father’s Day? Dads come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes it’s someone…
As I am writing this, outside my window it is a beautiful crisp clear Wellington morning – the perfect day for an outdoor adventure with the family. If…
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…
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…
‘Sport’, says Spencer Willis, in his recent study for SPARC (now Sport NZ) ‘should not be viewed as an activity that is only about winning’.
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…
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…
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…
Children are constantly grappling with increasingly new amounts of information, environments, activities, expectations, people and so much more. Helping children to adapt to change, and to become more…
Combining craft with making lasting, visual memories is a fantastic way to bond together with your children. If you’ve never tried scrapbooking before, it doesn’t have to be…
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…
Awesome treasure hunts do not have to be difficult to organise or especially time consuming… but they can be if you want them to be!
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 parents can feel consumed by our role to care for our children, and feeding is a big part of that responsibility. Try these 9 ways to avoid picky…
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…
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…
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…
At times most of us have seen our teens become overwhelmed by what ‘s happening in their lives – at school , with their friends , their teachers…
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…
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…
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…
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…
I don’t know about you, but I find it really tricky to think of great gifts the kids can give their Dad. I don’t want to spend a…
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…
It’s every parent’s nightmare to have a worried teenager with a huge assignment due in the next day. We’ve certainly there, and hopefully we learnt something along the way. Below are some…
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…
“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…
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…
Holidays can become stressful times of the year very quickly. Work stress can flow over into holiday stress, and mess up a good holiday. But taking holidays with your teen doesn’t…
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…
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…
Just why are whole grains so beneficial to growing teens? Well, breads and cereals provide teens with carbohydrates, the body’s preferred energy source, as well as fibre and…
Parent often ask me what they can do at home to help their children with learning difficulties. Because we are engaged in a process of remediating the underlying…
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…
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…
Getting ready to go back to school holds excitement and anticipation for some students and pure dread for others. Those children who have all of their “learning equipment”…
As a parent your first steps are to ensure that your child’s most obvious learning equipment is in good order and functioning well. Parents should submit their children…
Every parent who has ever delivered their child to school on their very first day at the tender age of 5 years will recall the myriad of emotions…
School lunches may be something that we all hate having to prepare each morning. However school holidays can often bring different challenges.
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……