It Takes A Village

How to love children while giving them independence 16.07.2026 16min

Many devoted parents instinctively step in to protect and guide their children yet struggle to know when to step back. For 35 years, Dr Jenny Brown has researched child and adolescent mental health and parent's involvement. She says while "helicopter parenting" is widely discouraged, parents are often left without clear, practical alternatives. This is explored in her new book, The Parenting Paradox, and says to truly love our children, we must also give them the space to grow.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

When should you be worried about speech and language delays in children? 09.07.2026 17min

Speech delays or difficulties can be concerning but there are a number of myths surrounding speech and language, so when should we be worried? Speech and language therapist Christian Wright.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Unpacking a child's changing brain 02.07.2026 18min

"What were you thinking!?" - the exclamation many parents, caregivers or teachers can make, when trying to decipher what and why kids do what they do.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

What can be done about fussy eaters for parents? 18.06.2026 20min

Getting children to eat their veggies, try new foods, and generally get a balanced diet are age-old parenting challenges. From the earliest introduction of solids, to picky toddlers, and growing teenagers, the trials are endless. So how do you deal with a fussy eater, and when does it become a more serious health issue? Registered dietitian Anna Richards has some tips.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The two wildly different sides of a child's brain (and how to parent both) 11.06.2026 22min

Why modern childhood's putting parenting to the test, and why a radical parenting approach is needed to help free kids from constantly responding to their defence system.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Who rules the roost in your household? 04.06.2026 20min

Who rules the roost in your household? And when can these accommodations become a problem? Jenny Hale is a senior parenting coach at the Parenting Place.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How to help kids adjust to changes to the education system 28.05.2026 14min

How do all the education changes affect students and what support might they need? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Co-parenting arrangements fall through cracks - researcher 26.05.2026 17min

A leading researcher says New Zealand's official data systems fail to track the realities of co-parenting and shared care arrangements. Often unseen because they are not counted in the Census, these shared care arrangements are happening in one-in-five households, according to Motu Research's senior fellow Kate Prickett. Parents getting less informal support from the other parent for things like clothing, food and transport among others had higher rates of anxiety and depression. Kate Prickett says the research shows families with shared care exist in a middle ground between the sole parents, and the two parent home. And policy frameworks are often not flexible to their complexity. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Parenting: sharing the mental load 21.05.2026 20min

The long-standing friction in parenting - who does the unpaid, administrative, load? The scheduling and the logistics of the kids' lives. Who signs the form for a school trip, who chooses and buys the birthday presents and then organises the party, who's in the group chat for after school activities? For the parent doing too much how can they step away, and do less? And for the parent not doing enough how can they get up to speed and be better part of the system? Kristin Ward leads the parent coaching team at the Parenting Place. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The value in kids stepping up to stop peers being bullied 19.05.2026 23min

Research by the Mental Health Foundation NZ suggests that half of bullying scenarios stop if a peer intervenes. But how can we teach our kids to be UPstanders - someone who intervenes when someone is being bullied - as opposed to BYstanders? Kylie Ryan has a clinical background in social work.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How grandparents are vital for the wellbeing of our mokopuna 07.05.2026 21min

André Ngapo is learning designer and national coach at Brainwave Trust Aotearoa which focuses giving tamariki the best start in life.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Does the rise of FAFO signal the demise of gentle parenting? 30.04.2026 17min

FAFO parenting is all the hype online but what is it and is it the answer for exhausted parents moving on from gentle parenting? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How to talk about social media pressures and the manosphere 23.04.2026 23min

The so-called 'manosphere' has been in the headlines following Louis Theroux's documentary into the network of influencers promoting hyper masculine viewpoints and spreading misogyny. These influencers, who were once fringe, are now very much in mainstream. And while Theroux's documentary focused on the personalities of these people themselves, others are interested in the real life impact on our young boys and girls. Dr Marcelle Nader-Turner is a counsellor and neuropsychotherapist based at St Hilda's Collegiate School in Dunedin and sees first-hand how “manosphere” is pressuring how our rangatahi behave with unhelpful stereotypes. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Calls for tighter restrictions for online pornography 16.04.2026 19min

In New Zealand, there is no age-verification system to prevent of young people viewing online pornography. Often, this content can be graphic, sometimes violent - including coercive or non-consensual behaviour. Therapist, educator and researcher Jo Robertson has called for better safeguards. She joins Kathryn to discuss what other countries are doing - and how parents and caregivers can navigate the issue.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Critical thinking for teens to manage the online world 09.04.2026 23min

Repeating mental pathways, giving time to emotions and being a good debater are all key parts of learning to think critically, says an expert in teaching the important skill.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How to cut through the noise as a new parent 02.04.2026 20min

how do you know what information to trust, where to turn, and how to cut through the noise. Dr Natalie Flynn is a registered clinical psychologist, the author of Smart Mothering - where she dubbed this - "bombardment syndrome", and the co-founder of Parentland, alongside her late husband Nigel Latta.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

How to teach teenagers about investing and the value of money 26.03.2026 20min

Social media is brimming with advice about how to get make money in a hurry - and that can be very attractive to young people. So how best to get teens interested in their money - and how to manage it wisely?Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

What did you do at school today? 18.03.2026 18min

Speech and language therapist Christian Wright discusses the difficulty of asking children what they did at school that day and why often they'll simply say "nothing". Christian and Kathryn explore why this question is so hard for children to answer and how can parents turn it into a back-and-forth interaction, all while building a child's language and conversation skillsGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Ensuring good dental care into adulthood 11.03.2026 24min

As children get older and take more responsibility for their teeth, what can parents and caregivers do to ensure good habits through to adulthood? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Helen Ellis on being a grandchild or grandparent living geographically apart 05.03.2026 19min

Do you have to video call grandchildren living overseas? Or perhaps you email your grandparents who are abroad? In the modern world it's common for families to be split over countries and continents.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details