Sleep. We all need it. We all want it. Spinoff Parents scientist Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw explains the science behind infant sleep, and what works and what doesn’t. Content warning: This post talks about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy. When our first baby was about eight weeks old I … Read more
Childhood is when your inner voice develops into your best friend – or worst enemy. Life coach Charlotte Hinksman shares the lessons she’s learned about positive communication, and how it has changed the way she talks to her child. My two-year-old has been doing something rather unpleasant lately: she’s started telling people off. It’s mostly me … Read more
Messages exhorting the importance of mastering self-control come loaded with cultural assumptions and overlook the hidden costs, writes anthropologist Catherine Trundle. We have finally unlocked the secrets of self-control. According to one recent article, it takes only 14 simple steps to master your willpower and reach your goals. Visualise. Prepare a plan. Hide temptations. Surround yourself with disciplined people. … Read more
When this mother gave birth, her daughter was unable to breathe on her own – for 11 long, agonising minutes. These days she has a different attitude to the developmental milestones that many parents take for granted. The author of this piece asked to be anonymous for her daughter’s privacy. I’ve always found the concept … Read more
Jessie Moss has written for The Spinoff Parents before about her daughter’s syndrome and her quest for a diagnosis. Here she writes about a new stage in their lives – how she and her partner will tell their precious child about her differences. When we received our girl’s diagnosis last year, we didn’t tell her. … Read more
When a Tokoroa mum queried McDonald’s gendered Happy Meal toys, the Facebook response was huge – and vitriolic. Depressing enough, but do kids really need different toys based on their gender? All signs point to no, says Thalia Kehoe Rowden. When Tokoroa mum Imogene Louise last went to McDonald’s, the server asked if the Happy … Read more
Mum of three and clinical psychologist Holly Coombes has some tips for all parents about supporting children through anxiety. One of the hardest things as a parent can be to see your child struggling, and not know what to do. Parenting a child with anxiety can take this to the next level. You want to … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has a message for parents whose kids don’t sleep: don’t fall into the same traps she did. There’s heaps of advice out there, and she took all of it. But did any of it work? Let me start by saying I’ve tried every single thing possible to get my children … Read more
How important is a diagnosis? Jessie Moss is a mother who knows all to well how much a diagnosis can change a life – in fact, it saved her daughter’s. The day had arrived and we were eager to get on with it. As four adults sat awkwardly around a child size table for sick … Read more
Mum of three Juliet Speedy writes of the worry and eventual acceptance of having babies who move in their own time. My third child was one year and one week old when he started crawling. I rang my Mum. “Mum! I have an early mover. A baby that moves! What do I do with him?!” … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes exchanges emails with a paediatrician and asks all of your hard questions – and some inappropriate ones. Being a paediatrician is serious business. And as such they’re not really interested in answering questions a hypothetical editor of a hypothetical parenting section might ask about Hot Paediatricians being lusted after by thirsty mums. … Read more
For good or ill, the first three years of a child’s existence have an outsized impact on the rest of their life, according to findings taken from the world renowned Dunedin Study. The study’s director talks to Toby Manhire about what it all means. Give me a child at seven, and I will show you … Read more
Eloise Gibson talks to child development specialist and mum of two Claire Lerner about flying with kids. What should we, and others, expect from children on long flights? And what can we do to make a trip easier? I’m going to be honest. I’m a parent, and I still fear sitting next to babies and … Read more