Parenting & advice | Stuff.co.nz

parenting

I’m happy with just one child – and it’s no one else’s business

So often, when you tell someone you “only” have one child, you are spoken to as if you have somehow failed at parenthood.

The ultimate mum guilt: daycare drop-offs

Three times this week my son's hands have had to be pried off me as I tried to walk out the door of his preschool.

Eight ways to wean your child off their smartphone

Screens aren’t the enemy, but digital detoxes are known to reduce stress, improve sleep habits and encourage a more positive outlook on life.

A letter to new mamas everywhere - you got this

Dear new mama, having a baby is a shock to the entire system, and sometimes you need a pep talk. So let me pep you right up.

Disability advocate and influencer Jess Quinn welcomes her first baby

“I’ll be continuing to take time off but I wanted to introduce you all to her. I’ve never cried so much, had so little sleep but felt such a full heart.”

Why are my kids good around other people, but badly behaved with me?

It's a scenario many parents may be familiar with: a child is well-behaved at school and polite to their teachers, but has a meltdown at home in the afternoon.

Why parents are throwing 'period parties' for their daughters

Parents are investing in decorations, desserts and more to celebrate the milestone, but is it what girls really want?

Boy's struggle to communicate sign of common disorder

If Jet had been Katrina Lacey's first child, she may not have picked up on it.

I thought I'd put my breastfeeding trauma to bed it reared up again

It’s 9.10am on a Thursday and a new email just popped up in my inbox. “Why do so many women give up breastfeeding?”

I have two wombs and I'm pregnant in both

Doctors are calling Kelsey Hatcher's situation an astounding and rare pregnancy.

Do I want to freeze my eggs? Or does Instagram want me to?

Women should be free to make choices about their own bodies. But how free are we really when social media is influencing our decisions?

Megan Fox experienced a 'very difficult' miscarriage with Machine Gun Kelly

Megan Fox's upcoming poetry collection, Pretty Boys Are Poisonous, details an emotional ultrasound at 10 weeks old.

This year’s top 10 toys

Toys from The Warehouse are a bargain, but the real bargain is making little wishes come true.

The power of intensive youth intervention

Living in a memory: How I hope my kids remember their mum

It’s hard to know the lasting impact your parenting and decision-making will have on your children and what they will remember. There are some things I hope they remember more than others though.

Does a midnight sleep routine for baby make any sense?

A baby bedtime routine where your infant isn’t in bed until after midnight may seem like madness to some – but a US-based TikTok mumfluencer swears by it.

No-one showed up for a 3-year-old's birthday, so the family put out a call

William Buck's friends didn't show up to his birthday bash at the beach. His dad, with tears in his eyes, made a plea to social media, and the community rallied.

Please don't judge me for the horrific state of my car

This morning’s toast crusts scatter the floor of my white Honda CRV. Or maybe they’re yesterday’s. I’m not entirely sure.

Mums influence how kids feel about their bodies - Here’s how to make it positive

New research has found mothers have a unique influence on body image, particularly when it comes to their daughters.

Original yellow Wiggle on leaving the group: 'I struggled with it a lot'

“There’s a big void there, so you’ve got to find a way to fill that, to feel like you've got a purpose and a life.”

Silver Ferns legend wanted six kids - but she would never give up the bib

Silver Ferns legend opens up about how she deals with parents on the netball sidelines.

Entertaining, enlightening look at one of Australia's biggest exports

REVIEW: This mixes fascinating, sometimes extremely funny archival footage, with frank and insightful modern-day interviews with all of the key players.

Worried about your kid's teeth? Here are 3 things you should do

More than 40% of New Zealand children experience tooth decay by the time they start school. Although it seems impossible, it is preventable.

Diary of a working mum

OPINION: Mothers in paid employment are expected to parent like they don’t work and work like they’re not a parent, writes Stephanie Ockhuysen.

Kiwi pregnancy skincare brand ads pulled in Melbourne following complaint

Pure Mama founder Lara Christie said the brand is trying to normalise the ups and downs of pregnancy. Instead, the ad was pulled after a single complaint.

Shock find during routine ultrasound: 'Are you serious?'

A woman in the US has recalled her shock when she discovered she was experiencing a rare superfetation pregnancy – when you conceive while already pregnant.

The power of mentorship for boys

Big Buddy matches boys, who don't have a father in their lives, with positive male role models from the community.

If you're pregnant, when should you stop flying?

As with all things pregnancy and parenting, the internet is saturated with advice – contradictory, unsubstantiated and otherwise.

Dad calls out NZ for being behind the times of paid parental leave

Zane Tito says New Zealanders seem to be a bit behind Australia when it came to attitudes towards men staying home with the baby.

The Canadian helping mums hit the Taranaki trails with their tots

At just one-and-a-half, Maggie Julian looks like a wet-weather hiking connoisseur. Mum Jenn has been taking her out on trails since she was a baby and started Trails and Tots to connect other Taranaki parents to nature.

Neighbourly Stuff Coupons WildClean Family Notices Stuff Events Advertising Careers Privacy Policy Cookies Policy Terms & Conditions Editorial Code Contact Us Desktop Site

Breaking news?

Send your photos, videos and tip-offs to

newstips@stuff.co.nz, or call us on 0800 697 8833