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…
One of my favourite memories of getting to know my now-husband’s family is the way they would have frequent picnics. They had a host of spots that they…
This month’s blog is on “Creative Families”. Right on cue once again the universe provides 🙂 I open up my email and I found this sitting in my…
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…
My girls are quite creative, I guess they take after their mum in that respect. They both love to colour, but my youngest has recently taken a real…
How often do you take time out of your busy life to think about and plan for the future? When we become parents, our personal and family goals…
I’ve always been amazed by how much free software is available online that is very useful. It’s common to find free products with limited functionality to give the…
If you or your children are spending lots of time sitting, you are all at risk of becoming a “couch potato”. Nearly one in three kiwis is overweight…
Reflecting on what makes a family fun after your precious son has created a blood bath attempting to knock out his front teeth can be chalked down as…
To use the old adage “Spring has Sprung”…well almost….it still feels a tad wintery around here in the Hutt Valley, but the Tui are out and the Kowhai…
It’s where we start isn’t it? “Mmmm, I think I’ll start getting fit, I know I’ll go for a walk, it’s free, relatively easy…” Great Idea!!! Walking allows…
Humans are physical creatures. Our bodies matter to us, and they matter to God – we’re not just pure spirit. This month, if you’re looking for ways to…
Well, creativity coupled with sustainability is one of my favourite subjects as when we learn to awaken our family’s creativity, wonderful things will happen: you’ll make meaningful connections…
This is my first blog post as a new mum and I can honestly say that it has changed my life! I expected my day-to-day routines to change…
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 doesn’t love a decent cup of tea? Tea purists would likely say loose-leaf is the best variety for flavour. I couldn’t claim to be a tea purist…
While we’ve long known about the health properties contained in omega-3s – which can help remedy an exhaustive list of conditions, from improving blood circulation and balancing mood,…
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…
It’s difficult these days to really know what’s in the food we buy. Packaging is overloaded with information, most of which means nothing to the average shopper. Going organic…
It’s an interesting thing this ‘Poverty Cycle’ phenomenon. I thought it was just something we speak to our clients about how to get out of – Until I…
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass but learning to dance in the rain”. This could so apply to parenting couldn’t it? Parenting is a…
Birthdays can be expensive and overwhelming but they don’t have to be! Here are some simple ways to ‘make your own’ birthday party. Party food can cost you…
Kids don’t belong everywhere. They’re not an orchestra’s target audience and the tense whispers of snooker commentators suggest that toddlers wouldn’t be welcome at tournament finals. But what…
One of the best ways to grow a strong, happy, connected family is to take care of your health and well-being.
With my husband and I due to have our first child in approximately three weeks, the topic of growing a great family has become a key focus for…
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…
For our children, just the same as it is for us, there are times when they have their big difficult feelings that really need loving attention. No matter…
Every day there’s a new report of yet another study telling us what we should or shouldn’t eat. With so many conflicting ideas working out the optimum nutrition…
The last few weeks I’ve been working and playing a lot with families who have young children. Often the parent’s ask me questions along the lines of, “how…
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…
As a break from tradition, and in line with this month’s topic Growing Great Families, I’ve decided to talk about one activity that the whole family enjoys.
Food is something that can really bring the family together. Mealtimes are important to reconnect, share and enjoy each other. They are also great opportunities to get to…
Last night we had our book launch at the Massey University Centre of Psychology. We had a great night and a more than a few giggles over the…
Imagine this. Put a child on a moving mat suspended a metre off the ground. The mat’s job is to throw the child in the air. Surround it…
Over 2000 years ago, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said ‘All disease begins in the gut’. This is as true today as it was then. When our digestion…
Getting your career back on track after having a baby can be very exciting… but also surprisingly difficult for a variety of reasons. To help you out, here’s our…
Pregnancy brings exciting times and whether you are creating a family or having an addition, it comes with lots of joy and sleepless nights! Just like sleep, time becomes…
Pregnancy is a major life event, and therefore a great time to reflect on your health and what you eat! Now is the time to consider incorporating the…
The First semester of University is nearly over and I can’t believe it! It has been a great experience being a student again and I have loved learning new…
When I was pregnant with my first daughter I was subscribed to a few parenting magazines. I always waited with anticipation when I knew they were due in…
We always have a choice, but as we all experience at some time or another, often the choice to make isn’t that clear or comes at a difficult…
Once I started looking pregnant, strangers started treating me differently. My own policy is never to assume someone with a little roundness in the abdominal region is pregnant…
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…
Much is said about the challenges and stress of parenthood. However, there is little emphasis placed on the joy of being a mother, celebrating who you are as…
The autumn sun is still caressing us with its warming rays but the chill in the early mornings and the nights lets us know that winter is on…
Here’s a great event at the Auckland Writers and Readers Festival- just for kids (big and small ;):
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.
Kiwi author Nicola Galloway is a chef who is passionate about the benefits of healthy and flavoursome food. She’s also a mum and knows lots about feeding families… I…
Mother’s Day is a great opportunity to celebrate how important mothers are. We all know that we should do it all year long but it’s nice to take…
Here is an idea for an easy Mother’s Day craft for younger children. They will probably need a bit of help but there are fewer steps than with…
These are a great idea to make for Mother’s Day but may be suited for the older children or will need some assistance from a parent. They look…
Now here’s one of the best ideas we’ve seen for a while- the brand new Kids by Farmers store in Christchurch. Based on the results of extensive research,…
Do you get stressed or worried about money? Have there been arguments in your household about money and bills? Are you losing sleep over your debts? If you answer yes to…
Cloth Nappy Week 2012 is upon us and I am about to embark on a journey, pink cape and all, around the country to promote the use of…
The story goes that in the 1920’s, Amish women would bake a special dessert to put in the farmers lunch boxes. The men lucky enough to discover one…
So, we all know that it’s important to wear good bras when you’re pregnant and feeding… but honestly… there’s only so long a girl can take wearing what…
Staying healthy is something that is really important to me. However I am not a big fan of dieting. In fact I think I have never lasted longer…
If you tend to have constant back/shoulder pain and need some heat packs on hand without having to shell out a good amount of money to buy some,…
School holidays are over but there are still those days where it seems that nothing is going to go your way. These stress balls will have you chilled…
Rosehip is the most AMAZING product for your skin. Lots of you will know that it’s great for stretch marks and scars and here’s a great new product from Trilogy. Certified…
I’m sure that this is not news to you, but health comes in all kinds of ways including environmental, social and physical … all aspects of our lives…
My Grandma was a big part of my childhood. When I was little, I used to get on the bus and go and stay with her in Eketahuna…
Every day we see articles and reports on the growing impact of obesity on our nation’s children, it’s scary stuff. Overweight kids often lead to obese adults, at…
A note given to me by my beautiful daughter recently. A reminder of what is really important to her as a 5 year old. We are parents. Solo…
Parents are often bombarded with negative stories and imagery about the internet and it’s no wonder they are confused about how they should manage it in the home,…
Cloth nappies are fabulous. They look super cute, come in amazing designs and are soooo much better for the environment. I’ve used them with both of my girls…
What I really recall most about my early parenting years with four young boys, is that I wanted to be the very best parent to my kids. Maybe…
How did I get here? My journey to physical health transformed me from a firm believer that the only way for babies was the rigid way of the…
Healthy families have a warm emotional tone, where there is affection between family members and parents are role models for their children by being positive, handling upsets in…
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…
Auckland Natural Fertility Associates (ANFA) is the conceptual umbrella of two great natural fertility names – Naturally Fertile (www.naturallyfertile.co.nz) and Soul Fertility (www.soulfertility.co.nz).
Hooray! Kiwi Families, together with Citywrigglers and the Southern Cross Garden Bar bring you Family Forum at the Southern Cross. We have a fantastic line-up of forums once…
As the first day of February dawned, I realised with horror that my youngest daughter Emily turned 9 in less than a month and I had done absolutely…
Homemade is certainly the new black and there’s nothing better than a custom-made piece, designed and made just by you. Whether it’s jewellery, clothing, homeware, art or quilts…
My congregation got smaller last year.
Hi Everyone So first of all – a big congratulations to Kiwi Families (and Rochelle in particular) for the launch of the new website. The site has really…
Things always seem to pick up pace this time of year. It’s back to school; back into routine; and back into our usual habits. As the kids head…
The New Year is well and truely upon us and the kids have trundled off to the school-yard. Curricular-a-plenty will be firing up, to fill your kid’s brains with who-knows-what.…
It goes a little something like this: Start with a great breakfast, chase kids ’til lunch, grab something quick to eat, kids again through til 4 when hunger…
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…
Money, routine, lunches, childcare and peace are the words at the forefront for the solo parents I spoke to.
Back to school is a busy time of year and there are always thousands of pieces of paper! I got this idea from a craft website and not only…
Do you know what your children want to be when they grow up? Maybe a doctor? A pop star? Or perhaps captain of the All Blacks? ChildFund, through…
A large part of my role as an Authorised Financial Adviser is actually meeting people in the community. As we take a holistic approach to our client’s financial…
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…
A common complaint we hear in the naturopathic clinic is hair loss. Do you think that hair loss is a condition that only affects older men or a…
Hotels and restaurants, and education lead the field in burn-out. One in ten workers suffer from burn-out. In the hotel and restaurant sector the proportion of people suffering…
Many people are desperate to lose weight to look “hot”, and some actually even want to become healthier! It is unfortunate that we live in an age where…
If you know that you are overweight, there are some great reasons to consider losing weight.
Much more likely – remember what we said about the insulin sensitivity and inflammation. But, carbs are not the main reason you get fat, they are a large…
People often ask me the same questions: “How do I lose weight ?”, “Should I be on a high or low protein diet to lose and maintain my weight…
It is surprising how common ulcerative colitis is today, I used to see a case every two to three months in the late 1980’s, but now I see…
Have you ever noticed how some people have an inner calm about them? They appear serene like a calm pond whilst others seem more turbulent like Cook Strait…