While the level two announcement brought a sigh of relief for many across Auckland, South Aucklanders are still concerned about what the latest Covid outbreak may mean for the region. Another South Auckland outbreak of Covid has community support workers concerned about the impact it’s having on the mental health of its young people. Maria … Read more
Summer reissue: It’s the third most streamed game in the world, but what the hell is it? Sam Brooks dives into the world and the many, many memes of Among Us. First published November 9, 2020. So what the hell is Among Us? The party game Mafia, but with aliens, basically. Among Us is a … Read more
Summer reissue: A tape recording in a brown paper bag recently landed in Emily Writes’ letterbox. After thoroughly disinfecting it she was shocked to discover what it contained. First published April 10, 2020. Today was a normal day, day 8,271 of the lockdown, and I saw there was a parcel in the letterbox. Knowing a … Read more
‘I know you don’t need me any more and I’m happy with that. It’s the way it should be.’ Before you were born, I took a photo of the beach where we lived – this is a long time ago, more than a lifetime for you of course, and buying a first home near the … Read more
The final in this season of Frame documentaries introduces 11-year-old Inez. Her story is one that will resonate with a lot of families, writes mum Sonia Gray. Inez is part of Frame, a series of short documentaries produced by Wrestler for The Spinoff. This film is about my daughter Inez. She’s 11 years old and is … Read more
It’s the third most streamed game in the world, but what the hell is it? Sam Brooks dives into the world and the many, many memes of Among Us. So what the hell is Among Us? The party game Mafia, but with aliens, basically. Among Us is a multiplayer game for four to 10 players, … Read more
Halloween is just around the corner. If you’re a parent looking for spooky activities to entertain your beastly offspring, Emily Writes has got your back. What to do for Halloween during a global pandemic? It’s a question few parents care about or are asking, but I’m on deadline and so here we are. If you’ve … Read more
An extract from The Nature Activity Book, which we strongly urge you to invest in for the school holidays. Books editor Catherine Woulfe writes: Written by teacher, scientist and head of the National Aquarium Rachel Haydon and gorgeously illustrated by Pippa Keel, our review copy of The Nature Activity Book landed just before Auckland’s latest … Read more
Jean M Allen, a New Zealand-born Tongan/Pālangi health educator, reflects on how she negotiates discussions about sex and pornography with her children. The recent Keep it Real Online campaign ads feature two porn stars knocking on the door of a Pākehā family’s home to talk to a mother about what her son has been up … Read more
Two deeply religious men are standing for Labour in South Auckland. But Justin Latif reports that their views on the abortion law reforms are very different. On a bitterly cold Friday morning, the Māngere electorate candidates’ debate heated up when the topic of abortion was raised. Following a question related to whether candidates supported the recent … Read more
Simon Day shares some lessons from his first three months as a dad. When my twin boys were born on Boxing Day 2019, Corona was still just a beer. The first 12 weeks with our boys felt like a lifetime, and after seven weeks of lockdown, those first 12 weeks now feel like a lifetime … Read more
Separated from her nine year old daughter in Hungary, Daisy Coles is finding solace in video calling – and Disney gifs. Two months after I last saw her, I’m still finding my daughter’s drawings around the house. Precise line drawings of squirrels, lions, foxes in her signature style: thoughtfully considered, executed with an exquisitely sharp … Read more
This week, as a treat for tired parents, we’re sharing a small sample of the Emily Writes Weekly newsletter free. Emily Writes Weekly comes out every Thursday at 7pm. This week’s edition included – along with tips about Quibi and Emily’s fan mail of the week segment – ideas for home learning for parents. It … Read more
A tape recording in a brown paper bag recently landed in Emily Writes’ letterbox. After thoroughly disinfecting it she was shocked to discover what it contained. Today was a normal day, day 8,271 of the lockdown, and I saw there was a parcel in the letterbox. Knowing a trip to the letterbox would be the … Read more
Emily Writes talks to teenagers about how the level four restrictions are affecting them, and asks how they can be better supported. There are unfortunately so many terrible stereotypes about teenagers, but Gen Z might just be our most resilient generation yet. Struggling through feelings of helplessness around climate change, they started a movement to make … Read more
Emily Writes speaks to children throughout the country about how they’re feeling right now and what advice they might have for grown-ups. The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is funded by The Spinoff Members. To support this work, join The Spinoff Members here. About one third of New Zealand households have children. And today those … Read more
The world has suddenly shifted into disruption and uncertainty, and children’s lives are shifting with it. What does Covid-19 mean for children? I study children’s experiences of health and illness, and for my doctoral research I spent a year in an Auckland school listening to children about the rheumatic fever (RF) epidemic. Here’s what their … Read more
We’re excited to announce the launch of Emily Writes Weekly, a new paid newsletter by The Spinoff in collaboration with Emily Writes, landing in subscribers’ inboxes every Thursday evening. Below she explains what it is – and why it costs money. It has been five years since I wrote my first blog post. It’s easy … Read more
Jai Breitnauer on what happens when male role models start disappearing from a child’s life. Recently, we saw a ghost from the past. Once a regular visitor to our home, there just after the birth of our first child and a constant presence for more than a decade, this individual disappeared from our lives a … Read more
A landmark study has shown the true value of tikanga Māori-based early-intervention childcare using research from a parenting programme in West Auckland. Corrine grew up in a wonderful household; her parents never so much as swore in front of her. In her own words, they were “amazing role models,” but when she became a teenager … Read more
‘Kids’ board games are bad. Pretending to be pirates or whatever is bad. Crafts are bad.’ Emily Writes finds a kindred spirit in the parenting memoir of Slate editor Dan Kois. I knew I wanted to read Dan Kois’ book about family life before it had even been written. I’d met him in Wellington. He’d … Read more
In the second part of our parenting series What They Don’t Tell You, Catherine Woulfe welcomes the daughter she fought for. The extremely strange thing about a planned c-section is that you get a text from the hospital booking in the birth, like it’s a dentist appointment. Text YES to confirm. Then you sit in … Read more
Acclaimed New Zealand-born poet Amy Brown on how the first months of motherhood blasted her writing life – and, eventually, inspired her radically honest new verse journal. The night after birth, when the milk came in, a midwife gave me her pen. I was supposed to use it to write the times of feeds, their … Read more
In the first part of a three-part series “What They Don’t Tell You”, Emily Writes looks back at the early days of her children’s lives and wishes she knew that no parent knows what they’re doing. I’m on the very cusp of leaving babyhood far behind me. My youngest child – my baby – turns … Read more
Parents editor Emily Writes on everything wrong with Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig’s latest work on motherhood. Two of the most beautiful and profound friendships I have had in motherhood were conceived in similar ways. When my son would not stop crying, I developed a habit of walking up and down our steep street. I was … Read more
At school camp, the children are banned from having phones, laptops, lollies, chocolate, money, cotton clothing or independent thoughts. They, are, however, allowed home baking – but it’s gotta be hearty. How hearty are you? We are packing for a school camp. If you’re thinking that the middle of winter is not the best time … Read more
New work by Island Bay poet James Brown. Cruelty to Animals We got you so the children could learn about looking after something more vulnerable than themselves – aged 4 and 6 as they were – learn how to feed you and keep your water topped up, and to let you in and out when … Read more
Public health campaigns constantly encourage parents to have their children walk to school. Yet when the unthinkable happened, a coroner pointed the finger at the parents. Dion and Fiona Neems have been through every parent’s worst nightmare. Their precious child Carla was killed by a rubbish truck outside her home. A tragic accident like this … Read more
ART-TASTIC is a big heavy beauty of an activity book, written by Sarah Pepperle and produced by the Christchurch Art Gallery. We think it’s marvellous and so do the judges of the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Keen to try it out? Here are four ART-TASTIC spreads guaranteed to keep … Read more