Writing

When I grow up,  I want to be an old lady.  Also, a writer.

Sometimes, I get the opportunity to write a little something, and here is a smattering of those somethings.

202110 Reasons Play is Essential for Children OHbaby! Issue 56, Summer 2021
2021 Joyful Rituals OHbaby! Issue 55, Spring 2021
2021 Too Much of a Good Thing OHbaby! Issue 54, Winter 2021
2021 Use it Wisely OHbaby! Issue 53, Autumn 2021 
2020 Bath, Jamies, Bed OHbaby! issue 52, Summer 2020
2020 Feeling the Feels OHbaby! issue 50, Winter 2020
2020 Growing Great Flatmates OHbaby! issue 49, Autumn 2020
2019 Tired of Tech? KiwiParent Mag issue 292, October/November 2019
2019 The Power of Love OHbaby! issue 48, Summer 2019
2019 Rethinking Screentime OHbaby! issue 47, Spring 2019
2019 The Comparison Trap OHbaby! issue 45, Autumn 2019
2018 Mind Over Matter OHbaby! issue 43, Spring 2018
2018 R.E.S.P.E.C.T OHbaby! issue 42, Winter 2018
2018 Toddler Soul OHbaby! issue 42, Winter 2018
2018 “Singin’ in the Ruins” Proceedings of the 2nd International Neurosequential Model Symposium: Banff, Canada 2016
2018 Sensing Baby Family Times Magazine, April 2018
2017 Poor Connection (on Technoference) OHbaby! issue 39 Spring 2017
2017 He’s not naughty, he’s just tall! Tots to Teens June/July/August 2017
2017 Rethinking the Nappy republished by The Natural Parent magazine
2017 Four Year Old Play OHbaby! Winter 2017
2017 Expert Advice OHbaby! Winter 2017
2016 Wonderland (The Benefits of Wonder) Tots to Teens September/October 2016
2016 The Art of Quitting OHbaby! Autumn 2016
2015 The Power of Play Little Treasures December/January 2016
2015 Redefining School Readiness OHbaby! Summer 2015
2015 Embracing Imperfection Newsletter of the Brainwave Trust, Aotearoa, August 2015
2015 See What Love Can Do OHbaby! Winter 2015
2015 Play at Home OHbaby! Autumn 2015
2014 Bringing Playful Back OHbaby! Summer 2014
2014 Weathering the Storm OHbaby! Spring 2014
2014 Angry Mamas OHbaby! Winter 2014
2014 Mummy Guilt Tots to Teens, June 2014
2014 Crying it Out Tots to Teens, April 2014
2014 Sharing OHbaby! Autumn 2014
2013 Babymoon Tots to Teens, December 2013
2013 Why Good Dads are Sexy OHbaby! Spring 2013
2013 Raising With Respect Tots to Teens, October Issue
2013 Love, Limits, and Limitless Love.  OHbaby! Winter 2013
2013 Alternative Milestones Tots to Teens
2012 NEW Baby_Beware of the vampires-1.pdfTots To Teens, December/January Issue
2012 Good Enough Parenting OHbaby! Issue 19 Spring
2012  Who Are You Calling Terrible? OHbaby! Issue 17 Autumn 2012.pdf
2012 Unmapped Territory Tots to Teens Magazine, February/March Issue
2011 The Science Behind the Strategies OHbaby!-Science-Strategies-Issue 15-Spring 2011.pdf
2011 Brain Development – Make the Connection.  OHbaby! Magazine, Winter Issue
2011 Love Connection – interview with Little Treasures Magazine, February issue
2010 Rethinking the Nappy.pdf – Orig. in Newsletter of the Brainwave Trust: thanks Pennie
2009 Guest Blog for The Yes Vote campaign
2009 Take A Deep Breath” aka calm.pdf – Newsletter of the Brainwave Trust
2008 Brains and Behaviour – Newsletter of the Brainwave Trust
2008 There’s Nothing Terrible About Two’s: In Defence of Toddlers – Newsletter of the Brainwave Trust
2007 A Few Words About Play – Newsletter of the Brainwave Trust
2007 Obituary for Magda Gerber .pdf – Dimensions of Early Childhood, Journal of SECA, USA
2006 “Lessons from a duck pond.pdf” – Nga Tau Tuatahi/The First Years
2005 “Relationship-shaping.pdf”, written with Nathan Mikaere-Wallis, – Nga Tau Tuatahi/The First Years
2004 New Born Story – Nga Tau Tuatahi/The First Years, New Zealand Journal of Infant & Toddler Education
2003 Interviewing for a New Director: Advice for Boards – Child Care Information Exchange, USA
2002 To the Child Care Providers of New York City on September 11, 2001 – Tennessee’s Children
2002 How to Keep Children at the Center of your Program – Early Childhood News, USA

Recent Posts

on self-forgiveness and sass

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Kia ora friends

Here we go, 2024.

So I’ve employed my dad’s excellent life advice to wait till you’ve had two sleeps after a difficult situation, in order to decide whether to succumb to despair, or not.

Two days ago I attended a fraught public meeting in my community, surrounded by neighbours and facing off against a villainous bunch of corporate bad guys. I was reminded of Mr Burns from the Simpsons (in vibe, not in looks). I feel like I am living inside a Disney movie. The health of our river is under threat, and I cannot be dispassionate about it.

here’s me by the river in question, a couple of years ago before I let all my silver tinsel hair grow in 😉

So yeah, I got a little sassy at the meeting. My best, highest self found it difficult to engage, and with the hindsight of two sleeps and my knowledge of neurobiology and homeostasis, I say “no wonder” – it was really hot in the sun without shade, it was rolling on to dinner time and my blood sugar was dangerously low, and the neurosequential model will remind you that the effective functioning of our prefrontal cortex is at risk when our limbic systems are raging. Which they’ll do when our homes and happiness are under threat!

All this to say, I have forgiven myself for my public display of imperfection and I acknowledge that I would not be the person I am if I was unwilling to call out nonsense when I see it and hear it. It’s one of my best qualities, I think, so I stand by it. In fact, I call on that trait right now as I share links with y’all

First up, here is a link to a write up about a great piece of qualitative research out of Auckland, it is based on interviews with parents of adolescents and YUP it’s about phone use. I emailed the lead author and congratulated her, told her I’d be quoting the following passage in my thesis:

“The narrative in the media now is tending to be all about how tech can be good and bad, implying a balance. However, the evidence—whether from our study or the US Surgeon General’s review [9]—increasingly supports the idea that the harms seem to outweigh the positives.”

Yup. Consider the Ledger of Harms from our friends at the Center for Humane Tech, consider the untrustworthiness of social media platforms, consider how liberating it is for our young people to be free from phones at school, and then read this updated version of the excellent “Disrupted Childhood” report from 5rights in the UK.

Then, we gotta finish up by looking for the helpers. Those who are working hard to heal and repair and be positive and create goodness.

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  2. All Hail the Bold and brilliant Special Interest Group in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health of the Psychological Society of Ireland!! Comments Off on All Hail the Bold and brilliant Special Interest Group in Perinatal and Infant Mental Health of the Psychological Society of Ireland!!
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