Family

Here's something odd from my own experience. We discovered having just one child was an immense amount of work.

Ten years ago I got to meet and interview some of the members of the von Trapp family.

Over Christmas, many children will have been given mobile phone. As they get older and more independent, mobiles become incredibly useful to maintain contact.

Some of the greatest lessons we can teach our kids can be done over a game of beach cricket according to one of New Zealand's leading psychologists.

As parents and grandparents, it is our job to teach our little darlings the ways of the world.

Tragically every year, families across New Zealand lose loved ones to drowning in pools, lakes rivers and the ocean.

The older your children become, the more time you may find yourself on taxi duty,

Ah summer. The perfect time to pack the car, cancel the paper, ask the neighbours to collect the mail, book a bach, check the dog into a kennel, drive in lines of traffic for hours, cook for large groups in small unfamiliar kitchens and then race home in

I don't know what it's looking like where you live but I've just scanned through the weather forecast and it predicts lousy weather right up until Christmas.

We are deeply into December and you can either fight the masses and grump about the traffic, expense and hassle associated with Christmas or thaw your hearts a bit and embrace some of the fun and joy!