It Takes A Village

A new study has found that parents who turn off the audible notifications on their mobile phones have the best chance of expanding their child's vocabulary.University of Auckland Doctoral candidate , Maria Corkin led study which observed parents interacting with their children aged just under two.

Neuroplasticity educator and parenting expert, Nathan Wallis talks to Kathryn about Covid lockdowns and getting children back to a normal routine and dealing with the anxiety of going back to school after the holidays.

New research from Massey University and New Zealand Council for Educational Research on learning from home shows children are experiencing some rich learning, while the Educational Review Office’s latest report suggests on-going issues for students include anxiety around returning to school, missing out on learning and attendance. For how parents and teachers can support children at this time Kathryn is joined by Mohamed Alansari, Senior Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

Wellington speech and language therapist Christian Wright explains childhood apraxia of speech, where some children have difficulty putting sounds and syllables together.

Being a grandparent is a wonderful role. All care and no responsibility, as the saying goes. But these days many grandparents are involved in helping raise their grandchildren, to support working parents. Dr Tessa Grigg is the co-author of a new book for grandparents - a guide to helping bring up well rounded, emotionally balanced grandchildren - even if you only look after them a few hours a week. It's called Grandparenting Grandchildren: new knowledge and know-how for grandparenting the under 5s.

Clinical Psychologist Sarb Johal talks about why rates of anxiety in children have gone up so much recently. He answers listeners' questions about children and anxiety during lockdown.

How much screen time should you let your children have? How and when do you talk about sex? What can you do when your kid throws a tantrum? Why should you let your children just play? Maggie Dent is the mother of four boys, a former teacher and counsellor who is one of Australia's foremost parenting experts, known as the "Queen of Commonsense". Her latest book is called Parental As Anything: Toddlers to Tweens, and she is also the host of the ABC podcast Parental as Anything.

Parenting tweens and teens can be difficult territory to navigate, even more so in a pandemic when a life lived online is accentuated. Clinical psychologist Jo Lamble and Family GP Ginni Mansberg are riding out Covid restrictions in New South Wales. They have combined their years of experience working with families to write a practical parenting guide - The New Teen Age - how to support today's tweens and teens to become healthy happy adults. It is specifically designed for parents, step-parents and carers.

As any parent of a new baby knows, sleep can be elusive and the abundance of advice about it can be overwhelming. Sleep specialist Dr Bronwyn Sweeney shares some insight.

Imaginary friends - why do kids have them and what do they mean? We're still not quite sure, psychologist Sarb Johal tells Kathryn Ryan, but it's very common and usually nothing parents should worry about.

All kids have angry reactions, and most parents can largely accept these when they can see the cause. But some kids seem to explode for no apparent reason. What's going on? And how can parents and caregivers respond? Such kids are often feeling a painful ambivalence about love and attachment, says parenting coach and educator Joseph Driessen. Parents of these kids need to upskill on how to help them heal, he tells Kathryn Ryan.

It's a trend on the rise around the world - in the UK research into the "boomerang" phenomenon found two thirds of childless single adults aged 20 - 34 had either never left or moved back into the family home due to a precarious job market and sky high rents. A Victoria University study last year into what happened during the main lockdown in New Zealand found 38 per cent of 18 - 24 year olds moved back in with one or both of their parents. So what happens when your kids have flown the nest - only to return? Or if they end up staying on while they undertake tertiary study or training? What are the house rules? Kathryn is joined by Jenny Hale, a Senior Family Coach at Parenting Place.

Closed borders in the last year or so have forced many people to have enforced long periods away from loved ones living overseas. Researcher, writer and anthropologist Helen Ellis knows all about having geographically scattered relatives. Three of her four children, and five of her six grandchildren, live in America, England and Scotland. In non-Covid restricted times it would be a 16 to 30 hour flight to visit them. Drawing on her personal whanau situation and research - her book Being a Distance Grandparent addresses some of the issues and struggles when family life is so spread out. This includes attending an international wedding via zoom.

Research has underlined the importance of parents and teachers working together to help their children do well at school. The partnership is increasingly being emphasised in education policy, and by Māori, Pacific peoples, and parents of children who need learning support. Recent reports also show teachers want to connect more with parents, but lack the time and resources. Senior Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Mohamed Alansari joins Kathryn to discuss.

Stuttering is a normal part of learning to speak, particularly when a pre-schooler's language abilities can't keep up with what they want to say. Most children outgrow this phase but for some, the struggle to get words out continues. Wellington Speech and Language Therapist Christian Wright has advice for parents and teachers.

How and when do children become left handers or right handers? Christchurch based educator, speaker, author and founder of Moving Smart, Gill Connell, says coordination in learning is vital to how the brain develops, determining how children think, feel, behave and learn. She talks to Kathryn about the physical activities that can help with coordination.

When Jo Hayes came to New Zealand from the United Kingdom 18 years ago, she didn't intend to stay. But fast-forward a few years and she found herself living north of Auckland with two pre-schoolers and missing her family back home desperately. By chance she met Susan at her daughter's daycare - she was there picking up her grandson. The pair became friends, and Susan became "Granny Susan" to Jo's children. From that grew the idea for Grandfriends an organisation linking up families with no support around them, and older people wanting to lend a hand.

Katie Fitzpatrick is an associate professor of education at the University of Auckland and the lead writer of relationship and sexuality education curriculum policy. She says more emphasis and time needs to be devoted to the mental health, sexuality and wellbeing of students from primary to high school. Dr Fitzpatrick talks to Kathryn about why health education is the poor cousin of numeracy and literacy.

Kathryn checks in on a parenting programme pilot in Nelson set up to help new fathers. The free 10 week course is available to all new dads, step dads and also includes men awaiting the birth of their first child. It is part of a Ministry of Social Development WhÄnau Resilience programme and is run by family violence specialists SVS - Living Safe in partnership with Perinatal Support Nelson. Aaron Agnew is the course facilitator.

Kathryn speaks with Dr Maysoon Salama, whose storybook for children Aya and the Butterfly is a new picture book to help young children come to terms with grief, cope with change, and build resilience. Dr Salama lost her son Atta Elayyan in the Al Noor mosque attack in Christchurch a little over two years ago. 

Parenting coach and educator Joseph Driessen with guidance on how to build a secure attachment relationship with your child. He says a well functioning trusting bond between a primary caregiver and child is essential to healthy development.

Sue Blair has been working with families for nearly 20 years as a family coach and parenting skills educator and she is also the author of The Personality Puzzles. Her particular specialisation is understanding the personality dynamics within a family. This includes how siblings with the same upbringing can be vastly different to each other and react differently to situations. Lack of understanding can lead to a break down in communication with children of any age, but Sue Blair says teenage years are usually the most challenging. So how can you harmoniously parent within a diverse household?

Parents of teenagers often wonder what has happened to their child's brain. They may be moody, not understanding or appearing to care about consequences, they may struggle to maintain focus, and may be very self-absorbed! Neuroscience educator and parenting expert, Nathan Wallis says during adolescence, parts of the teenage brain are "shut for renovations". He says understanding the changes that are taking place for the adolescent will help parents successfully navigate these important and formative years.

The best way to empower young people is to give them tools to manage their own emotions says clinical psychologist Jacqui Maguire. She's written a children's book When the Wind Blew, which introduces a series of home-based, practical psychological tools designed to "turn down the dial on the fight or flight response".

Senior Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research Mohamed Alansari tells Lynn Freeman about a survey and research to support rainbow students and communities.

As a society, we expect any meal served to automatically be eaten. But that's not logical to a child with any sort of sensory discomfort around food, says nutritional therapist Judith Yeabsley.

Parenting coach and educator Joseph Driessen with tips for helping children manage themselves and control their impulsivity.

After eighteen years of parenting, for some parents at least it might be hard to let go. So when your now young adult leaves home for tertiary education and an independent life how do you adjust and how can you support your young person during the first part of their first time living away from home?

Kathryn talks with educator, speaker and author Gill Connell about the importance of movement in getting young children ready for the classroom and learning. She says kids are born to move, and in the early years it is the body actually teaching the brain how to accept, assimilate, process, and use information. Gill's books include A Moving Child Is a Learning Child and Move Play and Learn with Smart Steps.

Separation is often a process of pain and grief, particularly when children are involved. Writer Katrina Smithson found out about New Zealand's Family Court system the hard way - via a four-year custody case. She's written The New Zealand Family Court Survival Guide to give other people the insights she wishes she'd had about making the process more efficient and less costly.

Maggie Dent talks with Kathryn about how to "unstick" unmotivated sons. She is the mother of four boys, a former teacher and counsellor who has become one of Australia's foremost parenting experts - and self described "boy champion". Her latest book is called From Boys to Men, and she is also the host of the ABC podcast Parental as Anything. She is about to run a webinar series based on her book From Boys to Men.

In our parenting slot today, Kathryn talks to Australian Clinical Psychologist, Georgie Fleming about how online observations of families dealing with challenging behaviour can help diffuse situations. Dr Fleming is a lecturer at UNSW School of Psychology and a Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Therapist. She led a trial involving families in regional and rural NSW, They were given virtual parenting support through a live zoom trial led by researchers at UNSW Sydney.

What can families and schools do to help children and young people overcome fear and anxiety about climate change? New work from the New Zealand Council for Educational Research looks at how to give young people the knowledge, values, skills and opportunities to help ensure a more sustainable future. Kathryn speaks with Rachel Bolstad, senior researcher on the project.

Adventurer and educator Sash Nukada believes saying 'be careful' to children at play is counter-productive and can induce fear and make them risk averse. He says it's more beneficial to explain what to look out for and how to avoid hazards Sash works for Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoors Education,Tongariro Centre, as the Tertiary Programme Manager.

Author of the My Big Moments series of personalised books for young children Hannah Davison talks to Kathryn Ryan about her picture book Ready For School which doubles as a guide for parents to help tamariki prepare for starting school or change schools.

A new report into the way many girls and young women regard their bodies paints a sobering picture, with 72% of young people surveyed reporting feeling negatively about their appearance at some point in the day - and for quarter of them, it’s an all-day feeling.

Neuroscience educator and parenting expert, Nathan Wallis talks to Kathryn about how the brain heals from trauma, and the latest research around neuroplasticity.

Hannah Davison  is the co-founder and author of the My Big Moments series of personalised books for children aged two and up. She talks to Phillipa Tolley about Baby on the Way, a picture book for children which doubles as a guide for parents to help prepare siblings-to-be for a new addition to the whānau.

Father of three, and Federated Mountain Clubs executive member Jamie Stewart shares ways for families to get out into the wilderness this summer.

Speech and language therapist Christian Wright talks about the cornerstone of language development: imitation.

A nationwide survey of New Zealand parents explores how families coped with Covid lockdown. Our regular parenting commentator Nathan Wallis was an advisor on the survey, conducted by health insurer nib. He discusses the findings, including the impact of lockdown on children's behavior, parents' stress levels and relationships.

For the first time, 6000 children taking part in the country's largest longitudinal study have been able to give their own thoughts and insights into their lives. The latest report from the University of Auckland's Growing Up in New Zealand study focuses on life for the children born in 2009 and 2010 at the age of eight. Many of the children reported a firm sense of cultural and gender identity, increasing freedom and high levels of participation in sports and music. The cohort at eight had moved around a lot - three quarters had moved at least once - and almost half had moved two or more times since birth. Growing Up in New Zealand principal investigator, Professor Susan Morton, joins Kathryn to further unpick the results of the Now We Are Eight report.

Education consultant and parenting coach Joseph Driessen talks with Kathryn about helping children identify and manage their feelings. He says it's important to create a family culture where children (and adults) accept and validate the feelings of others.

Maggie Dent talks with Kathryn about the art of effective communication with teenage boys. She is the mother of four sons, a former teacher and counsellor who has become one of Australia's foremost parenting experts - and self described "boy champion". Her latest book is called From Boys to Men, and she is also the host of the ABC podcast Parental as Anything.

How can parents help children to develop self-control – a key indicator of their future wellbeing as adults?  Psychologist Sarb Johal discusses what's been revealed by new research findings from the Growing Up in New Zealand study.

Advocate of outdoor nature education, Wendy Pirie says there are so many benefit of children running around outside and exploring their environment. She is the founder of an Early Learning Centre in Taradale, Hawkes Bay where children have 2 acres of natural play space.

What's behind a rise in childhood allergies, and can anything be done to prevent it? Sydney-based gastroenterologist Dr Vincent Ho, has written a new book called The Healthy Baby Gut Guide which looks at what parents can do to help babies develop strong immune responses in their first 1000 days.

Senior Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Mohamed Alansari with what the learnings about learning at home during lockdown have been to date.

Speech and language therapist Christian Wright talks about two speech sound errors commonly heard in children's speech that can persist through adolescence and into adulthood - the R and Th sounds.

A Northland iwi is putting its own spin on the international Incredible Years parenting programme, localising it with input from kaumatua and kapa haka.

New research on the prevalence of bullying, and tips not just to help parents prevent it but to help them cope with it . Dr Cara Swit, from the University of Canterbury's School of Health Sciences, is one of a few researchers in New Zealand focusing on how we can react if a child is a bully, or is being bullied. Dr Swit is spending time with parents and teachers as part of a new three-year longitudinal study, gathering evidence on how young children's behaviour impacts on their health and wellbeing. Dr Swit tells Kathryn Ryan her work has been sparked by some worrying trends she has observed both in the classroom and pre-school.