Jacquelyn CollinsJacquelyn Collins

Jacquelyn Collins is an Auckland-based mother of twins who will start school in a few weeks' time. She combines motherhood with life as a full time Urban Planning student at the University of Auckland and will soon start her final year of study. She also campaigns for safer playgrounds at Kiwi Play Safe and starts new blogs on regular basis - the most recent one being Kiwi Café Kids. She can only keep track of everything because she has a legend of a husband, and a very helpful au pair.

Parents aren’t soft for not letting their kids walk to school

by

Mike Hosking’s latest ‘modern parenting’ whinge is about children not walking to school. Jacquelyn Collins explains exactly why he’s wrong, and why parents are right to be concerned for the safety of their children on the school run. Mike Hosking is a keen and frequent participant in the popular modern pastime of reminding parents that … Read more

A rant about playgrounds, sun protection, and parent-shaming

by

Playgrounds without shade are a problem. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. Here Jacquelyn Collins lays waste to jerks who have no reason to attack mothers fighting for better playgrounds.  Recently a group of Otago University researchers revealed what most parents already know: most playgrounds lack adequate shade. The researchers recommended planting trees with … Read more

No, there’s no such thing as testosterone surges in young children

by

Celebrated children’s author Joy Cowley this week repeated the tired and debunked myth that eight year old boys have ‘as much testosterone as an adult’. Jacquelyn Collins explains why such claims harm both parents and children, and why they need to stop. Update, Jan 11: Read a response from Steve Biddulph at the foot of this … Read more