When it comes to doing homework at the end of a long day, it can be a bit of a mission to motivate your kids to be enthusiastic about what has to be done. They have already spent hours in class with pens, pencils and paper and now they must do more of the same.

I often talk about being a source of magic, wonder and surprise for your children — not every day, but from time-to-time, and when you are wearing your homework motivator hat, this is the time to pull a cat out of that hat. Now here is the trick to keep up your sleeve for those desperate moments — change the medium!


Life will bring all of our children a dose of interference from time-to-time. This might make them angry, anxious, depressed or upset. These feelings are normal, as long as they are short- lived and appropriately managed for the lessons they can teach and the growth they bring, albeit uncomfortable or even painful at the time. 


In all the rush and hurry of going back to school, public holidays and settling into new schedules and routines, there is a lot than needs to be done, but in amongst it all, don't forget to be emotionally present. Ensure you are not just micro-managing and 'doing' your child like a project, but enjoy moments of 'being' with your child too. 

As a parent it is sometimes difficult to know when your child is struggling and needs extra help They are often embarrassed and feel insecure, and would rather not mention that they are struggling. How are you to decipher that their turbulent teenage tantrums could be stemming from something other than those horrific hormones? Do you come to the full realization only when you are faced with the drop in their report card? Or do you determine now whether your child requires an extra boost to not only lift their marks, but their self esteem too? Carla van Staden tells us how.

It’s been a long day, you’re tired and yet again the living room is filled with outbursts of “Stop telling me how it’s done!” or “I don’t need your help!” from your child as you vow to say calm not thwack them over the head. Does this sound familiar? Expert tutor Carla van Staden shares her top tips on how to help your child study without it ending in tears.

If you want to survive High School you actually have to pass. That's a sound tip from Carla van Staden from Gutsy Tutoring. Carla knows all about High School and how to cruise through it. Here's her advice to students.

Harry Potter was rejected, several times. If author J.K. Rowling hadn't kept trying publisher after publisher, we'd all have missed out on some great adventures. She didn’t take it personally and give up. She believed enough in herself and her abilities to try yet another publisher. Dr Tracey Stewart is a developmental psychologist working with children. She gives us tips on how to handle it if your child is rejected. 

Think your child may be gifted? Many people have the wrong impression of gifted children, expecting them to excel at school, be model students with perfect social skills and become rocket scientists or brain surgeons. The reality is often very different to this (though of course some do indeed fit the stereotype) and many are bored at school and can demonstrate acting out behaviours with some becoming so frustrated that they may underachievement and behave in oppositional ways. Their brains race and often their hands cannot keep up so handwriting tends to be untidy, with details missed out and ideas not arranged logically. Melanie Hartgill finds out what it means to be gifted.

Although commonly spoken of as simply “autism” or “autistic,” it is important to note that this occurs on a continuum as is better described as “autistic spectrum disorder” (ASD). This is a multifaceted lifelong developmental disability affecting how a person communicates and relates to people around them. The continuum or spectrum is defined by deficiencies in social interaction, social communication and social imagination and involves a constricted, repetitive series of activities.

The current working definition of dyslexia proposes that it is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. There are noted difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. It occurs across the range of intellectual abilities and is a continuum, not a distinct category, with no clear cut-off points. Additional difficulties may be identified in aspects of language, motor co-ordination, concentration and personal organisation.

This diagnosis refers to a condition in which a person (child or adult) displays extreme levels of inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. It is important to note that these symptoms can occur in varying combinations and form part of a multi-dimensional condition with the symptoms occurring on a continuum. There is no clear cut-off point between normal and abnormal, making diagnosis difficult. Research indicates that boys are more affected than girls and studies show that the incidence of AD/HD in school going children is around 6% - a number that is consistent between different countries, cultures and ethnic groups and has been steady for many years.

Without a doubt, your involvement with your child's school will most certainly benefit you, your child and the school! You are the most influential factor in your child's life and they will take their cues from you when dealing with school and the community they're part of. Knowing what is happening and helping out at the school will make you a valuable resource for your school and will also enable you to observe and participate in the changes and policies the school will have.  

Did you know that children learn is three different ways? Experts say there are three main learning styles, although there may be some variations and people may use different combinations of these styles at different times or for different subjects. Find out what they are here.

When one New Zealand school tossed its playground rules and let students risk injury, the results were surprising AUCKLAND, New Zealand — It was a meeting Principal Bruce McLachlan awaited with dread.

One of the 500 students at Swanson School in a northwest borough of Auckland had just broken his arm on the playground, and surely the boy’s parent, who had requested this face-to-face chat with its headmaster, was out for blood.