Is the role of godparent archaic, pointless, essential, a lottery, fabulous, or just what you make it? Our baby, SBJ, has four godparents: two in New Zealand and two in the United Kingdom. Lucky boy! I didn’t grow up in a tradition that appointed godparents, and though my husband did, it’s not very common in […]
You probably need this book, either for yourself, or for a dear friend. The hilarious, empathetic and sweary Emily Writes has followed up her first essay collection Rants in the Dark with a second collection, Is It Bedtime Yet? This time, with typical generosity, and an eye to telling more people’s stories than just […]
Have you ever noticed that all the animals in the popular children’s lift-the-flap book Dear Zoo are male? Every single one. It’s not an isolated example. Looking at almost 6,000 children’s books published between 1900 and 2000, the study, led by Janice McCabe, a professor of sociology at Florida State University, found that males are central characters […]
How do you want your kids to turn out? I mean, to the extent that anything we do has or should have influence, what do you really care about? What do you really hope will stay with them? What if you could know that, say, three things you teach your kids will actually stick in their lives? […]
I love a good list. Here are the top ten posts of 2015, in terms of how many times they’ve been read. There were some surprises, even for an avid stats-page-watcher like me. The oldest one is from three years ago, but eight of the ten are from this year. I like to think I’m […]
We are a week away from relocating to Thailand for the foreseeable future. WOAH. I have so many posts I want to write! Here are a few things that are on the boil right now. Someday when I’m not packing will end up here: We held a dedication ceremony at home yesterday for our daughter. I’d […]
Have you gasped or shaken your head or cried over refugees this week? Was it when you saw a picture of Aylan Kurdi, a little boy wearing sneakers just like my son’s, lying dead on a beach? Was it when you saw a picture of him and his brother, smiling on a sofa, before their […]
Bill English announced in yesterday’s Budget that ‘work readiness’ obligations would increase for parents who receive welfare benefits and have young children. Currently, most parents are obliged to actively seek 15 hours of paid work – and accept any ‘suitable’ job – when their youngest child turns five years old (despite the legal age of […]
Rest like an All Black: take a sabbatical Richie McCaw, the All Black captain some call the best rugby player ever, has a plan for winning the next World Cup. It has included a long holiday from rugby. What a wise and counter-cultural choice. In a society that is not only getting busier, but feeling prouder of […]
From Rudolf and Santa to Slinky Malinki and the proverbial Pukeko in a Punga Tree, there’s a Christmas picture book for everyone. In most bookshops, though, Baby Jesus is hidden behind Grinches, trains and elves. If you’re in the market for Christmas books for kids that tell the story of God coming into the world as […]