With two young children the nights can be long, so very, very long. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes writes about one marathon night among many. The night shift started with an attempt to write something and ignore the pitter patter of feet on the stairs. I knew they belonged to my four-year-old. He knew he … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes interviews a midwife and unwittingly reveals plenty of baggage from her own labour – mainly focused on how much she pooped. This is the fourth in a series of posts in which I ask health professionals questions about child health, crowd-sourced from you. Today’s interviewee is a lovely midwife who is remaining … Read more
There are plenty of things that children love and parents hate: Barney the Dinosaur, mud puddles, getting up at the crack of dawn. But that’s nothing compared to the loathing Emily Writes has for those ride-on toy cars for children. Hate is a strong word. But I really feel strong feelings – feelings that are … Read more
Every day, all around the world, babies are born and people become parents. It’s a beautiful thing. Emily Writes has a message for all of the new mothers who are welcoming their new babies. When a baby is born we say welcome. Here is this world for you precious baby. Here are the people who … Read more
Just like adults, kids have the right to voice their anger, fears and hopes for the future. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes explains why her children accompany her to protest marches and hikoi. As it is after most news-making protests, in the last couple of days I’ve seen the usual online arguments about whether children should … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has not slept for a long time, but suddenly her son who hates sleep has started to sleep through the night. She explains how it happened. For the last almost two years my son has been exceptionally committed to never sleeping. It wasn’t just that he woke many, many times … Read more
Earlier this week we published a post by Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes detailing her sexual attraction for actor Idris Elba. Following a critical response published today on The Pantograph Punch, Emily made the decision to take her post down. She explains her decision here. There are a lot of lessons I try to teach … Read more
It seems many mothers get smacked with a label no matter how hard they try to avoid them. Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes talks about some of the labels she’s been given and how much she hates them. The first time I was called a Slummy Mummy I had to look up the term. I figured … Read more
Is Christmas Day the best or worst day of the year? Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes has crowd-sourced a list of the characters you’ll break bread with this Christmas. Tis the night before Christmas, and your house is a mess. The kids have gone feral, and you’re not feeling #blessed. You’re starting to sweat about lunch the … Read more
Christmas is a time for togetherness and giving, with one golden rule: don’t be a dickhead. Emily Writes shares her guide to not being a dickhead, making Christmas Day fun for kids, and being kind at Christmas time. Whether you have wee ones or not, Christmas can be a stressful time. Or a magical time. … 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
This month on our parenting podcast: a brutally honest and funny discussion of the repercussions – both physical and mental – of pregnancy, birth and parenting. This is The Spinoff Parents podcast, Dear Mamas, a straight-talking parenting podcast with Holly Walker and Emily Writes. Our brilliant and talented sponsors are Little Big Crate. Little Big … Read more
The effortlessly stylish Spinoff Parents editor walks us through the decorating ideas that transformed a suburban Wellington family home into a magical Christmas wonderland. How does she do it? Welcome to this week’s issue of Parents Who Are Very Tired Monthly. It’s the very special Christmas issue! It’s jam packed with wonderful Christmas WHAT ARE … Read more
Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes sits down with a General Practitioner and asks all of the hard questions, from colic to reflux to tongue ties to bloody amber beads. This is the second in a series of posts in which I ask health professionals questions about child health, crowd-sourced from you. Today’s interviewee is a lovely … 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
What’s your parenting style? Are you an attachment parent? A helicopter parent? A free-range parent? An authoritative parent? An evolutionary parent? A paleo parent? A tiger parent? Having a parenting style is a great way to find your people and/or feel smug at the kindy gate – and luckily, there are new ones popping up … Read more
‘A good mother would do this. A good mother would get her child sleeping through the night.’ Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes shares a wrenching account of life inside a chronically sleep-deprived household. At night my home is a horror film. Screams reverberate off the ceilings. There is no peace. My son came into the … Read more
It gives The Spinoff much pleasure to welcome Dear Mamas to our suite of podcasts. Dear Mamas is a “no bullshit, no judgement” look at being a parent, hosted by Holly Walker and Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes. This is Dear Mamas, The Spinoff’s straight-talking parenting podcast with Holly Walker and Emily Writes, brought to … Read more
Emily Writes loves indoor playgrounds. Chipmunks, Junglerama, Jumparama, Laughalots – she’s never met a soft-play establishment she didn’t like. There’s just one problem: too many of her fellow parents don’t seem to understand the (unwritten) rules. So listen, she’ll say this only once… Oh Chipmunks, how I love thee. You are my office. You are … Read more
Halloween isn’t just for your kids. Emily Writes shares her list of costumes that would be great for you – an exhausted parent who doesn’t give two shits about Halloween. Want to be scary? But also sexy? But also you honestly don’t give a fuck at all because it’s just another night of no sleep? … Read more
Hang on, the poster in the gym that claims ‘first you feel like dying then you feel reborn’ isn’t about getting your child to sleep? That’s news to Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes. Saturdays begin with gymnastics class. One of the perks of my baby turning four (what the hell? He was just born) is … Read more
Baby not sleeping? Feeling like you’re gradually going insane yourself through lack of shut-eye? Never fear, Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes is here to help. Getting your baby to go to sleep is quite simple. All you need to do is change your diet, their diet, your environment, your lifestyle, and be prepared to rid … Read more
From antique moa-hair baby blankets to NASA-designed ergonomic shoes, Spinoff Parents editor Emily Writes takes a look at the must-have items for your precious child. Having a baby is a wonderful time to spend all of the money you have. Once baby has arrived, they basically take care of themselves if you have all of … Read more
Today we launch The Spinoff Parents, our new parenting blog made possible by Flick Electric Co. Our first post is by editor Emily Writes, and it’s a celebration – of her son Eddie’s birthday, and the amazing things people (even four year olds) can do. A wee while ago my three year old son told … Read more
In October we launch The Spinoff Parents, edited by the incomparable Emily Writes and made possible by Flick Electric Co. Here Emily explains her vision for the section as a place for parents on the internet that won’t make you feel like a miserable failure. Parenting. It’s beautiful and incredible and joyous, glorious and so rewarding. It’s such … Read more
Emily Writes is a blogger whose incredibly frank and deeply funny writing on parenting has made her a hero to many mothers. Unfortunately, it’s also made her the target of thousands of unaccountably angry men – especially after a recent review of Tarzan went viral. Alex Casey called her up to talk about it. New … Read more