Rnz: It Takes A Village

Upside Youth Mentoring has been operating for 16 years predominantly in the Auckland region. It runs programmes for at risk children aged 9 to 13 and matches them up with volunteer mentors. Jenny Horst is the CEO of Upside Youth Mentoring Aotearoa and she says the mentors help young people to navigate life's difficulties.

Dr Jean Annan is an educational psychologist and has worked as a university lecturer, researcher and a teacher. Her new book is '7 Dimensions: Children's Emotional Well-being' which is a simple framework for adults to make sense of the abundance of information about young people's thoughts and feelings.

Tired parents hoping to train newborns to sleep through the night need to adjust their expectations, parenting expert and neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis says.

Wellbeing and emotions facilitator Cat Levine talks to Kathryn about recognising and dealing with children with back to school anxiety . Also the impact the Auckland flooding has had on thousands of pupils and students.

Perfectionism can prevent children from taking risks but parents can help relieve the pressure, says Australian parenting expert Justin Coulson.

US psychologist, Dr Becky Kennedy and author of Good Inside trouble shoots a range of scenarios facing parents, including sibling rivalry, separation anxiety and tantrums. She has 1.6 million followers on Instagram @drbeckyatgoodinside

The National Survey of Schools' latest findings show teachers are happiest working in schools that support their growth and development. It also highlights the importance of continuing to improve digital resources and facilities in schools. It's all part of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research's Te Pae Tawhiti programme of research. Kathryn is joined by senior researcher Mohamed Alansari.

Kathryn talks with parenting coach and education consultant Joseph Driessen about how to protect teenagers from the dangers of using drugs and excess alcohol.

How do children develop social skills and how best can parents support this? Wellington speech and language therapist Christian Wright has some strategies and he'll take your questions

Neuroplasticity educator and parenting expert Nathan Wallis talks with Susie about different parenting styles. Are you a brick wall, jellyfish or a backbone parent? And what is best for children, according to the research.

Counsellor Cat Levine talks about the risk factors that predispose children to anxiety - and what parents can do to help.

For many new parents, getting out of the house can be a mission with nappies, change of clothes, food, buggy or front pack. Ceana Priest says - don't be daunted by that. She's mum to six year old Finn, and she's been taking him on adventures since he was a baby.

According to the World Health Organisation, children under 5 need 180 minutes of physical activity every day. To help early childhood teachers give pre-schoolers the physical activity they need to succeed, health science researcher Wendy Pirie has developed a programme called MAPP - Movement Active Physical Play.

The teenage years are difficult enough, without adding the challenges of social media and the impact it has on growing brains. We put a fence children when they're toddlers, so do we need to put a virtual fence around teens' social media use? Kathryn is joined by Kathryn Gray, Head of Middle School at St Margaret's College.

Registered nutritionist and specialist in infant, child and maternal nourishment, Vanessa A Clarkson's new book Motherfood has over 40 recipes to help expectant and new mums rise to the task. They're plant-based, wholefood recipes for drinks, meals, breakfasts, snacks, and desserts (all low in refined sugars). Vanessa is an advocate for healthier food systems. She has worked with Australian supermarket Coles to remove food additives, salt and sugars from everyday foods as part of Australia's Health Star Rating system, and is studying towards a PhD in food system transitions at the University of Melbourne.

Teacher, author, public speaker and CEO of Spectrum Education Karen Boyes says study skills can also teach life skills. She shares tips for students and parents.

New research reveals ways teachers are challenging students to be the best they can be. For what the Teaching, School and Principal Leadership Practices Survey reveals about strengths and needs in our schools, and also where teacher morale is at, Kathryn is joined by New Zealand Council for Educational Research Senior Researcher Mohamed Alansari.

Kathryn discusses developmental language disorder with speech and language therapist Christian Wright. He says in every primary school classroom there will be around two children affected by the condition.

School avoidance that stems from anxiety is very different to truancy and requires careful management, says psychologist Dr Emma Woodward.

Kathryn talks with parenting coach and education consultant Joseph Driessen about helping children overcome the effects of the Covid epidemic, at home, at school, and with their friends.