• Nathan Wallis: Dealing with disappointing NCEA grades
    Jan 17 2026

    NCEA results are officially out.

    Most kids would have genuinely worked as hard as they could to get the grades they hoped for - even the kids who act like they don't really care.

    And for many it won't have turned out as hey had planned - whether that meant not quite meeting the dizzying heights of their ambition or an actual fail grade. But it's unavoidable - at some stage through their school career - and life for that matter, most of us have to deal with the disappointment of failure.

    They need to learn how to deal with that disappointment - but it will of course still be there, so how are parents supposed to help their children through it?

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    37 Min.
  • Sara Chatwin: Raise your kids to be grateful for their Christmas gifts
    Dec 20 2025

    We've all seen the videos - we may have even seen it in our own living rooms on Christmas morning...

    A child, even teenager, opens a gift their loved one has especially picked out for them, and they proceed to complain about how it's not the one they wanted.

    The wrong colour bicycle, wrong model phone, it could be anything.

    So how do we teach our children to be grateful for anything they're given this Christmas?

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    37 Min.
  • Dr Jacqui Maguire: Parents need to prepare their kids for the real world
    Dec 13 2025

    What are the essential life skills our kids truly need to know before they head out into the real world?

    How often to wash their sheets, how to cook a basic meal, managing bills and payments, doing laundry without turning their white shirts pink - these are things that most of us learnt well before we moved out, but they don't seem to be as common today.

    Only 21% of parents of children aged 5-17 years say their kids are often involved with cooking. That's 79% of kids that will likely leave home not knowing how to cook much more than a toasted cheese.

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    41 Min.
  • Dougal Sutherland: Does NZ need a social media ban?
    Dec 6 2025

    In just a few days, a law banning the use of social media for under 16s will take effect in Australia.

    For many parents, social media has been a daily part of family life for years - allowing kids to stay connected with their friends and family, sharing life updates with people they may not get a chance to speak with very often.

    Generations before have been relatively ignorant to just how seriously harmful it can be - figuring if they just keep open communication with their kids then they should be fine.

    But younger millennial and gen Z parents seem to be recognising the dangers, and most often opting to keep their kids offline.

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    36 Min.
  • Kathryn Berkett: Do we need to change the way we do prize givings?
    Nov 29 2025

    The school year is drawing to an end and soon enough, families will be filling school halls and gymnasiums for the end-of-year prizegiving.

    For the star students or athletes, it's a moment of pride to walk across the stage and receive a well-earned award. For others, the whole thing can feel demoralising.

    Never mind the awards themselves - there are clear differences between some, like the dean's award and the most improved.

    But on the other hand, do we really want to be handing out participation awards? Are they inclusive or are they encouraging mediocrity?

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    40 Min.
  • Nathan Wallis: Family vs friends for the summer holidays
    Nov 22 2025

    Summer holidays is just around the corner and kids will be rushing out the door to spend as much time as they can with their friends.

    But this time of year is often the longest period that parents will be able to spend time at home with the family.

    We don't want to pull our children away from their friends, but we also want to instil the value of family time.

    So where do we draw the line between family time and friend time for our children this summer?

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    37 Min.
  • John Cowan: Pocket money in a cashless society
    Nov 15 2025

    We live in a near cashless world these days. Hardly anyone has anything further than a couple cards, or even just Apple Pay.

    We all remember a time we'd get a gold coin for washing mum's car, or a couple notes for chopping wood, but those days seem to be gone.

    How are parents going about pocket money without cash? Are we really giving our kids bank cards, and how young is too young?

    And if money's not the right reward, are things a better deal for our children? Is it acceptable to fill up their gas tank in return for chores?

    And going a bit deeper into this - what counts as a chore that should be compensated for, and what are the jobs they should be doing simply for being a part of the household?

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    36 Min.
  • Sara Chatwin: Helping your kids through exam stress
    Nov 8 2025

    We're on the brink of exam season and a lot of families are feeling the pressure.

    As parents we can prepare our kids to study as much as we want, but there are other areas they will need support in.

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    36 Min.