The Parent Squad

New analysis from financial wellbeing platform Crayon shows that raising children from pregnancy to the first day of school can cost New Zealand couples almost $180,000 after government support. That's almost a third of the average take-home pay, and obviously doesn't include the physical and mental strain of having to look after a whole new person. So when do you know if you can afford to have a kid? What's the bare minimum to give them the best shot in life? Crayon founder Stephanie Pow joins Tim Beveridge to break down the analysis, and discuss how much money it costs to have a child. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's exam season and our kids are probably studying hard. And with that comes stress, anxiety and the potential to get disappointing results. So what's the best way to get your kids through this? Psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Tim Beveridge on Parent Squad to discuss. LISTSEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent New Zealand research found ultra-processed foods account for almost 65% of the daily energy intake of the adolescents studied. So what nutrients do we need to make sure our kids are getting? If they're picking up some summer sports, should we be putting them on the protein powder? Or is three square meals a day enough? And how can you tell when your kids are overworked from their sports, or just naturally tired? Paediatrician Maneesh Deva joins Tim Beveridge to discuss what you should be feeding your kids. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It takes a lot of work to be a parent, and sometimes it really puts the pressure on. So how should you manage that stress? And how do you know if you're holding yourself to a standard that isn't reachable? Senior Parent Coach Jenny Hale joins Tim Beveridge to talk about the basics of parenting, and how to make sure you're keeping your kid on track. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder of Crayon Stephanie Pow joins Tim Beveridge on Parent Squad to discuss how you should go about setting up a savings or investment fund for your child. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the middle weekend of the school holidays and cries of "I'm bored" can be heard from Kaitaia to Bluff. Mindworks Psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Tim Beveridge to discuss why letting kids be bored is good for them, and for you as their parent. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is mentoring your children? Can you, as a parent, sway that in any way? Umbrella Wellbeing CEO and clinical psychologist Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Tim Beveridge to chat about mentors and about the ongoing discussion around banning social media for teenagers. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some stresses in life you can't save your kids from. Maybe they didn't get picked for a sports team, they're behind on homework, or had a falling out with someone close, it's going to happen. So how do you help your child through difficult emotions like stress? Paediatrician Maneesh Deva joins Tim Beveridge to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When your children are young, how much money mum and dad have probably isn't on their mind. But as kids get older, they understand what's "expensive" and what's cheap, and with that brings questions. "Mum, so-and-so's parents take them to Rarotonga every year, why don't we do that?" So how do you navigate these conversations? Founder of Crayon Stephanie Pow joins Tim Beveridge on Parent Squad to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often think of being engaged in our children's education as pitching in with after school activities, or making sure you turn up to the parent-teacher days. But if your kid comes home every day complaining about a teacher, or the way a course is taught, who do you talk to? What warrants a conversation with the school? Auckland Boys' Grammar School Headmaster Tim O'Connor joins Tim Beveridge to discuss how parents can make sure they're staying on top of their children's educaion. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Road rage is something we are all guilty of indulging in. But if you lose your cool in front of your kids, it can cause some unwanted side effects. Mindworks Psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Tim Beveridge to discuss when to show your emotions in front of your kids, and when to keep yourself in check. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all need to have that talk with our kids, but it's probably the one you want to have least. The Sex talk. Everyone remembers when their parents told them about the birds and the bees, and now it's time to pass your wisdom on to your own kids. So how can you go about it without making them - or yourself - too uncomfortable? Dr. Miriam McCaleb joins Tim Beveridge to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parents can now know where their child is, read school portals, monitor screen time, track devices, and see bank transactions. We are the first generation of parents capable of knowing almost everything our teenagers are doing. But just because we can track our kids, should we be doing it? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Extracurricular activities are important for our children's development - but there's a balance that needs to be found. So how do you encourage your kids to try everything, without it being too much? And parents want to get on with their kids. Be invested in their interests, help them follow what they want to do - but are other key aspects of parenting being sacrificed as parents try to be friends with their kids? Parenting Coach Sheridan Eketone from Parenting Place joins Tim Beveridge to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10,000 Kiwi kids left school without any qualifications last year. No parent wants their kid to end up in that situation, so how do you guide them towards picking a successful career? And when is the time to get your kids to start thinking about their future career? Mindworks psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Tim Beveridge on The Parent Squad to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parenting styles naturally evolve through the decades but in the 21st century it seems social media is accelerating these changes. 'Gentle Parenting' has been a huge topic of discussion in online parenting circles, but have we gone too far and lost the ability to create and enforce boundaries? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACT's David Seymour has floated the idea of a smartphone ban for under-16s to replace a social media ban, allowing teenagers to only use good old brick phones. Could this be a good alternative to the social media ban, or should this not be government decision? John Cowan joins Tim Beveridge for The Parenting Squad to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens if my child starts befriending or dating someone I'm really not a fan of. How do I protect them from getting played or getting into a toxic relationship? When should we interfere with our children's personal lives? When and how do we put our foot-down and say "no, you can't hang out with this person" How do we do that with respectful authority, that strikes a balance between making sure you're not ruling with an iron fist, and that our kids understand where we're coming from? Mindworks' Registered Psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Tim Beveridge to unpack what can be done. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founder of Crayon Stephanie Pow joins Tim Beviredge on Parent Squad to discuss how you should monitor your kids' pocket money. When's the right time to get them started? And how much control should parents have to veto kids' purchases? But is it all up to parents to teach kids about cash? Or do schools have a responsibility to help out. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paediatrician Maneesh Deva joins Tim Beviredge on Parent Squad to discuss the social media ban for kids under 16. One girl in the UK said she would simply stare at a wall without social media, but is that such a bad thing? And what do teens need for positive brain development? And what should be dodged? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Author and host of Real Life John Cowan joined Tim Beveridge to chat about whether you should teach your kids to drive or leave it to the professionals. And tips and tricks for if you decide to self-instruct your teens. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever considered why we tell our kids to 'be themselves' when sticking out from the crowd can make you the subject of bullying? Umbrella Wellbeing CEO and psychologist Dr Dougal Sutherland joined Tim Beveridge to chat about the balances of supporting our children and allowing them to stand on their own. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parents are acting up on the sidelines of their children's games in the mighty Waikato leading to youth rugby league games cancelled last Sunday after reports of physical and verbal abuse in Hopuhopu. Sport Waikato CEO Matthew Cooper said the problem is felt worldwide, with parents wanting to achieve through their children. What behaviour is okay at your children's sports games? When does support cross into abuse? MindWorks psychologist Sara Chatwin joined Tim Beveridge to discuss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cost of having or raising a child is often the most considered issue among couples planning to start or grow their family. It's not just the shopping trips for prams and cots and nappies - it's the income loss over the months of parental leave and the endless sick days once daycare starts up. Plunket estimates a medium-budget cost for raising a child for the first year comes to just under $16,000. That works out to a whole lot of sacrifice. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a new trend sweeping through social media - when your child is lost in a tantrum or a pre-teen spiral, you call out for your imaginary helper named Jessica, and more often than not it will confuse them enough to stop them in their tracks. Distraction methods like this one have been used for years and years, but why do they work? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doctors are seeing an increasing number of young people coming in with unexplained symptoms. The prominent ones parents are probably seeing most frequently are the random headaches, stomach aches, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much. Parents will often treat their children with panadol and electrolytes, take their devices away before bed to avoid blue light, and hope the problem resolves itself. But these are all common signs something more could be going on - different ways mental health problems present physically. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You always hear stories about the different ways a person's childhood has had an ongoing impact throughout their life. There are some horrible stories out there, but it could even just be the way your parents would cook growing up, or how the way they would react to you relaxing results in habits that follow you into adulthood. So at the end of the day, are we all doomed to mess up our children in one way or another? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's school holidays, and boredom is setting in... While it can send parents into a bit of a spiral hearing their children complain about how bored they are all day long - being bored is one of those skills we all need to learn at some point. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our children are becoming increasingly involved in politics and current events, and they're getting involved younger and younger. We want to support their interests, but the news can get pretty dark, and these kinds of events or protests always come with a risk of danger. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Social media giants Meta and YouTube have been found liable for deliberately designing their platforms to be addictive. We don't need to look too far into the details of this specific trial, because parents everywhere will have stories of their own to some extent, but how much of the blame falls on the parents? There are countless things in the modern world that young people risk becoming addicted to - they don't even have to appear sinister. Food, sugar, video games, any number of apps - social media or otherwise. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most kids will take part in some kind of sport throughout their childhood. It's a great opportunity to keep them moving and allow them to burn off some energy, but how early should we be getting our children into these teams? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids push limits - it's just what they do. From as early as the toddler years, it's completely developmentally normal for children to figure out just how for they can push their parents before a very clear line is drawn - but what about those times where behaviour you never would have imagined doing yourself as a child rears its head? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early childhood education is darn expensive. You want your kids to socialise, make friends, learn some basics - but it costs an arm and a leg. So how long can you put it off? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it's a friend, your own parents, or you may be going through it yourself - we've all heard the question of whether a couple should 'stay together for the kids'. Realistically, a divorce does have a significant impact on children, even if they're prioritised and not put in the middle of it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Child safety reform in the world of big tech is sweeping the globe at the moment. Australia's leading the charge in the social media ban for under 16s, and California has expanded the Coogan Law to cover child influencers, to name a few. Although we haven't seen any change here in New Zealand, the conversation has truly started and we may see moves being made soon. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many parents will be starting to feel the exhaustion from getting back into school and extracurriculars. We often go into the new year with high expectations of ourselves - like completely homemade school lunches, no takeout, keeping on top of house work - but quickly realise there was a reason we weren't accomplishing all that last year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new report this week found nearly 90% of Auckland primary school say there's an increasing number of new entrants starting school without bare basic skills like being toilet trained and talking properly. These are 5 year olds who are otherwise capable, but some stage of their early childhood seems to have been neglected - they can't even identify the letters of their name or hold a pencil. As harsh as it may be, the blame does have to land somewhere. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Schools have started back up and we all, obviously, want our children to do well. Parents will be doing drop off and pick up, making sure the homework is done and forms are signed, keeping an eye on grades and reports. But how involved should parents really be in their children's education? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the hottest topics of the modern era is kids and smartphones. As we've seen more of the what the internet can do (for better or worse) they seem like an essential part of life. Wallet, Keys, Phone, that's what you always keep on you. A first phone is typically only for texting mum and dad, so why do you need a device that has the capability for so much more? Child Psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Tim Beveridge to give her advice on when to let kids get their own devices and how to manage them. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NCEA results are officially out. Most kids would have genuinely worked as hard as they could to get the grades they hoped for - even the kids who act like they don't really care. And for many it won't have turned out as hey had planned - whether that meant not quite meeting the dizzying heights of their ambition or an actual fail grade. But it's unavoidable - at some stage through their school career - and life for that matter, most of us have to deal with the disappointment of failure. They need to learn how to deal with that disappointment - but it will of course still be there, so how are parents supposed to help their children through it? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all seen the videos - we may have even seen it in our own living rooms on Christmas morning... A child, even teenager, opens a gift their loved one has especially picked out for them, and they proceed to complain about how it's not the one they wanted. The wrong colour bicycle, wrong model phone, it could be anything. So how do we teach our children to be grateful for anything they're given this Christmas? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the essential life skills our kids truly need to know before they head out into the real world? How often to wash their sheets, how to cook a basic meal, managing bills and payments, doing laundry without turning their white shirts pink - these are things that most of us learnt well before we moved out, but they don't seem to be as common today. Only 21% of parents of children aged 5-17 years say their kids are often involved with cooking. That's 79% of kids that will likely leave home not knowing how to cook much more than a toasted cheese. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In just a few days, a law banning the use of social media for under 16s will take effect in Australia. For many parents, social media has been a daily part of family life for years - allowing kids to stay connected with their friends and family, sharing life updates with people they may not get a chance to speak with very often. Generations before have been relatively ignorant to just how seriously harmful it can be - figuring if they just keep open communication with their kids then they should be fine. But younger millennial and gen Z parents seem to be recognising the dangers, and most often opting to keep their kids offline. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The school year is drawing to an end and soon enough, families will be filling school halls and gymnasiums for the end-of-year prizegiving. For the star students or athletes, it's a moment of pride to walk across the stage and receive a well-earned award. For others, the whole thing can feel demoralising. Never mind the awards themselves - there are clear differences between some, like the dean's award and the most improved. But on the other hand, do we really want to be handing out participation awards? Are they inclusive or are they encouraging mediocrity? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer holidays is just around the corner and kids will be rushing out the door to spend as much time as they can with their friends. But this time of year is often the longest period that parents will be able to spend time at home with the family. We don't want to pull our children away from their friends, but we also want to instil the value of family time. So where do we draw the line between family time and friend time for our children this summer? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We live in a near cashless world these days. Hardly anyone has anything further than a couple cards, or even just Apple Pay. We all remember a time we'd get a gold coin for washing mum's car, or a couple notes for chopping wood, but those days seem to be gone. How are parents going about pocket money without cash? Are we really giving our kids bank cards, and how young is too young? And if money's not the right reward, are things a better deal for our children? Is it acceptable to fill up their gas tank in return for chores? And going a bit deeper into this - what counts as a chore that should be compensated for, and what are the jobs they should be doing simply for being a part of the household? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're on the brink of exam season and a lot of families are feeling the pressure. As parents we can prepare our kids to study as much as we want, but there are other areas they will need support in. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all know the dangers of tech these days, but it's unavoidable. Our kids need a laptop for school, an iPad to pass the time, and a phone for parents to reach them on. There are positives to technology, we just need to teach our children to take advantage of the good things their devices have to offer. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should you stay together for the kids? A lot of the time it does more harm than good - and countless adults will tell you they wished their parent had split when they were children. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many parents wrestle with the balance of keeping their kids involved with extracurriculars, while also teaching them the value of rest in a world that prioritises the daily hustle. We're signing them up to every opportunity possible to help them develop as people, but are our kids just too busy? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.