Family

Who doesn’t enjoy a break, and this June (the 24th to be exact), we’ll be celebrating a new one! It’s Matariki, a lively public holiday which centres on the rising of the Matariki star cluster in the night sky.

Secondary attachment is when when a baby or toddler has a sense of strong connectedness to a grown-up who is not a biological parent. This can include grandparents, nannies or early childhood educators.

In recent years there has been an upsurge of the circumstances where more than one generation of a family has a financial stake in the same property.

One set of grandparents I asked made it their mission to instil a love of reading with their grandson. Every time they went around to his house, they made sure they read his books.

A Mother’s Day family get together is the perfect opportunity to create a lasting memory with a special photo.

I was ten years old when I first fell in love with books, and I remember the excitement of reading a novel I couldn't put down before discovering other authors and worlds of escape.

As a grandparent, you have you own life to lead. That’s why, when it comes to grandparenting, you want the gestures you do have time to make, be memorable and appreciated.

This Easter, if you’re skipping sugar, or just wanting to mix it up a little, embrace the Mexican tradition of cascarones, otherwise known as confetti Easter eggs.

Becoming a grandparent is one of the joys of life. Relying on a grandparent for the odd bit of child care, or simply handing over junior for a grandparent to enjoy for a time, should also be a joy for parents. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the way, and sadly, it’s sometimes we, as grandparents, who are at the root of the problem.

If you’re a grandparent of children who are currently experiencing a parental breakup, you may not be in a position to control the foundering relationship, however, you can make a difference in your grandchildren’s lives at a time when they most need you.