Practical parenting advice

• ages and stages - a guide to the different stages of development between birth and age five
• tantrums - information about tantrums, why they happen and tips on how to avoid them
• supermarket survival - information about ways to make the weekly shop less stressful
• managing behaviour in under fives - provides information on guidance and discipline for under fives
• children with special needs - information about parenting a child with special needs including help with areas such as mobility, learning or sensory input
• keeping kids safe - a guide to helping keep kids safe as they explore their world
• temperament - information to help you understand why your child might be behaving in a certain way
• jealousy and fighting - information to help you help children to learn to handle these feelings
• tips on stress
• take time to be a dad - it's life changing

• what does my child need?
• how can I help my child behave well?
• how can I deal with difficult behaviour?
• how does time out work?
• how can I stop my family fighting?
• how can I keep my family safe?
• how do I choose good childcare?
• how do I recognise neglect and abuse?
• what if I’m about to lose my cool?
• family/whanau agreements

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What do children need?

The Child Youth and Family website has a pamphlet - The ten things children need most. The pamphlet elaborates on the following needs:

• the basics for health and happiness
• to feel safe and secure
• good touching
• praise and encouragement
• smiling
• talking
• listening
• new experiences
• taking care of their feelings
• rewards and special treats

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Caring for babies and children under five

You and your child, at the Plunket website, is full of valuable information for parents, families and caregivers about caring for babies and children up to five years old:

• family and whanau
• up to six weeks 
• up to six months 
• up to one year 
• one to two years 
• two to five years

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How can I be more involved in my young child's learning?

The Team-Up Ministry of Education website provides a wealth of information about how you can be involved in your young child's learning. The Team-Up early childhood booklet is designed to be kept and used as a guide throughout your young child's early years. The following are examples of the booklet's content. You can also order a  free booklet by phoning 0800 TeamUp (0800 832 687).

 

For more information, see:

• early childhood education on this website
• the Team-Up (Ministry of Education) website

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Where to go for more information and support

On this website

Babysitters and others who might care for your children

Early childhood education - information about choosing an early childhood service for your child

Learning, activity, play and development in under fives
Receiving a diagnosis: parenting a child with special needs

 

PAFT (Parents as First Teachers)

PAFT is based on the philosophy that parents are their children's first and most important teachers. The aim of the PAFT programme is to help parents to participate more effectively in their children's early development and learning. PAFT provides free, practical support and guidance to families with young children. This support lasts from before birth to three years. Funding is available for a limited number of families only and enrolment criteria may apply. Contact Family and Community Services for more information or to find out if there is a programme near you. The PAFT National Centre is part of Family and Community Services at the Ministry of Social Development.

Website: http://www.familyservices.govt.nz/our-work/strong-families/paft/index.html

 

Plunket
Plunket offers parenting education and support. Plunket Karitane Family Centres provide extra help and support on parenting matters such as breast feeding, sleeping, child behaviour, parent / family needs, and other child health concerns. Call the Family Centre in your area to find out what services they offer. For your local Plunket office or Plunket Karitane Family Centre, check the Plunket website or look under Plunket in your phone book. Plunket also offers a specialist early childhood health telephone help service. It is available to all families, whanau and caregivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call PlunketLine free on 0800 933 922.

Postal address: PO Box 5474, Wellington 6145

National office phone: 64 4 471 0177

National office fax: 64 4 471 0190

Email: plunket@plunket.org.nz

Website: http://www.plunket.org.nz/

 

Strengthening Families

Strengthening Families is administered by the FACS (Family and Community Services) unit within the Ministry of Social Development. It's a way of providing better co-ordinated support for families / whanau with children under 17, who are working with two or more government or community agencies. The agencies work together with the family to provide support and develop joint solutions to issues, rather than each agency dealing with one part of the problem and never seeing the bigger picture.

 

More information is available on the Strengthening Families website which also provides access to the following brochures:

• Strengthening Familes: A guide for families
• Strengthening Familes: A guide for young people

Website: http://www.strengtheningfamilies.govt.nz/

 

Telephone advice - Healthline and PlunketLine

• ring PlunketLine on 0800 933 922 if you have child health and parenting questions or queries. For example, if you have questions about such issues as parenting, crying, sleeping, your child's growth, development, behaviour, immunisation, breastfeeding, nutrition, oral health, safety or want to know more about the Well Child / Tamariki Ora programme
• call Healthline on 0800 611 116 if you need advice about a child of any age who is unwell or hurt, or has any symptoms of sickness. Healthline provides a full range of telephone triage and health advice for children (and adults)
• both services are available 24 hours and are free to callers throughout New Zealand, including from a mobile phone

Australian websites

 

Raising Children Network: The Australian parenting website

Sponsored by the Australian Government, this parenting website provides information on topics such as behaviour, connecting and communicating, development, health and daily care, nutrition, play and learning, safety and sleep for the following age groups:

• newborns (0-3 months)
• babies (3-12 months)
• toddlers (1-3 years)
• preschoolers (3-5 years)
• school age (5-8 years)

Website: http://raisingchildren.net.au/

 

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Your notes

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Endorsement

This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 07/10/2008

Copyright

Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2010

The Paediatric Society of New Zealand http://www.paediatrics.org.nz

Starship Foundation http://www.starship.org.nz