The job is always hard enough. Here are some ways to think about how to handle it changing. As I write this my son is a donut. His best friend Billie is a foot. They are chatting to each other on Facebook video, trying out different filters. They’re cackling away to each other and my … Read more
Every week on The Primer we ask a local business or product to introduce themselves in eight simple takes. This week we talk to Georgia Meek, founder of The Babysitters Club, an online agency connecting families with babysitters. ONE: How did The Babysitters Club start and what was the inspiration behind it? The idea for The … Read more
There’s been a lot of talk about the state of early childhood education in New Zealand over the last few days. Most of it has been shit. Here’s Dr Jess Berentson-Shaw doing what she does best – cutting through the crap so we can have a rational conversation. I imagine a world where childcare is … Read more
Spinoff Parents columnist Angela Cuming writes about what her children’s early childhood education centre means to her and her whānau. From the outside, there’s not much to give it away. An old two-storey villa, black asphalt driveway, a faded wooden fence just tall enough to peep over. But push open the heavy front door and … Read more
On Friday 20 April the doors to the Karori Plunket Creche will close to the last child, the last family, for the very last time. Angela Cuming spoke to Liz Taylor whose son Allan attends the creche. In March, Plunket announced Karori Plunket Creche’s closure, and took the $50,000 the community had fundraised and earmarked for renovations. … Read more
Book an Uber, an Airbnb and a stranger to look after your child? Maria Slade looks into the potentially risky business of online parenting services. Coverage of Balmoral mum Jane Haagh’s new childcare venture, Sitterzen, sent Facebook into a frenzy this week. Dubbed the ‘Uber of babysitting’, the aspect of her web-based service which most … Read more
Making judgemental comments about other parents’ choices doesn’t do anything to help improve early childhood education, says Emily Writes. It just makes you an asshole. Oh look! There’s a new article about how parents are evil for putting their children in childcare. And the commenters aren’t happy. Every parent apparently has the same choices according … Read more