It Takes A Village

Christmas and the holiday season can be a stressful time for many people. For some, it is as simple as fatigue after a busy year, while for others bigger emotional issues rise to the surface. Wellington psychologist Karen Nimmo has some coping strategies to share.

Brain researcher, educator and parenting commentator and educator Nathan Wallis talks to Kathryn about teenagers and drinking. He says the science is clear that alcohol damages the young brain, and he shares tips for parents guiding young people through these years.

Education consultant and parenting coach Joseph Driessen talks about the parental attitudes and skills that help children cope with a separation or divorce.

Speech and language therapist Christian Wright discusses the impact on speech development in children of glue ear. Glue ear is the build up of sticky fluid in the middle ear which can cause hearing loss. It's estimated 80 per cent of children will have had one episode of glue ear by the time they're 10 years old. Thousands of children each year have surgery, where ventilation tubes or grommets are inserted.

Educator and author Lance King has worked with tens of thousands of students, both here and overseas, and has seen a lot of children who are struggling to achieve at school or are lacking in self-confidence. His book, The Importance of Failing Well, aims to provide practical information for parents wanting to support their kids through their challenges.

Recent research from the University of Otago has found moving house is linked with increases in emotional and behavioural difficulties in four-year-olds. Psychologist Sarb Johal talks to Kathryn about the impact of moving home, and how parents can help.

Education consultant and parenting coach Joseph Driessen talks about children who lack motivation and drive - what's behind this, and how can parents help them regain direction?

The number-one driver of mental illness is isolation, says parenting commentator and educator Nathan Wallis, therefore it's especially important for children to form healthy attachments in the first three years of life. Humans are interdependent by nature, and being socially connected gives our brain the peptides and positive hormones that it needs to stay well, Wallis says.

Teaching young people how to manage money, budget and save. Auckland commerce teacher John Duston's dream is for every New Zealand teenager to be financially capable before they leave school. He's written a book - Financial Capability - which can be used as a text book, or a work book in the classroom, but it can also encourages people of all ages to think about money management. John Duston is a teacher at St Cuthbert's College in Auckland.

Youth Development lecturer Pat Bullen from the University of Auckland says all too often young people are stereotyped, stigmitised and discriminated against. Her ongoing research debunks the myth that adolescents are rude, lazy, self-entitled risk-takers who need fixing.

What is tongue tie surgery and is it needed? Wellington Speech and Language Therapist Christian Wright thinks it is being recommended in cases where it isn't needed.

With university and secondary school students heading towards end of year exams, what are some key reading tips for study success?

Parenting commentator and educator Nathan Wallis with advice for parents worried that their kids are not making developmental milestones? When to be worried and seek help, and when to relax and let kids find their way.

Dr Mohamed Alansari speaks with Kathryn Ryan about how devices have changed the way children relate to each other at school. He says while technology is expanding children's horizons in the classroom, it has changed the dynamics of human connection, learning and teaching. A research fellow at the University of Auckland's Faculty of Education and Social Work, with a doctoral degree in educational psychology, Dr Mohamed Alansari's teaching and research focuses on classroom practices and relationships, and how they impact on how well children at primary and tertiary level socialise and learn. He's also involved in the I Have a Dream project, which looks at the impact of significant others on kids' lives. Dr Alansari is speaking at a free Raising the Bar event in Auckland next Tuesday.