Rnz: It Takes A Village

If you ever ask a teenager what they're going to do after high school, you may notice them recoil. For many students in their final years of school this is an anxiety-inducing question. Career Coach Tracey Beard says that if we really want to help, we need to re-think 'the career conversation'. Tracey is the CEO, what she calls 'the chief encouragement officer', at Career Matters, a coaching service for students and caregivers.

Bestselling author and psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg talks to Kathryn about creating and fostering the grandparent-grandchild relationship. Throughout time it has been a special relationship, but as lives get busier, retirement age stretches out and technology absorbs children - we're looking at key ways to navigate the complexities of connecting and staying in touch. Dr Carr-Gregg's latest book Grandparents - is a practical guide to navigating being a Nana or Grandad.

Parents often say they never stop worrying about their offspring. But how does parenting change as your children become adults? Are today's adult children more dependent on their elders for longer? What is the roadmap for parents here? Neuroplasticity educator and parenting expert, father and grandfather, Nathan Wallis joins Kathryn.

When a teen lacks confidence in studying for their exams, a "leadership nudge" from a supportive parent becomes essential, says parenting coach Joseph Driessen.

Tweens may pull out "teenager moves" but they are not the new teenagers, says parenting educator Michelle Mitchell. As nine-to-twelve-year-olds learn how to respond to the world, they need strong guidance and supervision, she tells Kathryn Ryan. "They're very much looking to adults to give them practical tangible strategies to get them through the day."

Mohamed Alansari, senior researcher for the New Zealand Council for Educational Research joins Kathryn to talk about how to improve outcomes for growing Te Reo Maori in schools. Which schools are doing it well - and what practices could other schools learn from them? He highlights research from a new report.

Speech and language therapist Christian Wright talks to Kathryn about what parents can do to stimulate pre-schoolers language development. We'll also look at how to identify when there might be delays in development.

Are you struggling with your child's tantrums? Michael Hempseed is encouraging parents to rethink tantrums and anger, and instead of punishing a child for lashing out, he says it's vital to understand the root cause of the behaviour. Michael Hempseed is the director of Frontiers of Hope, a specialist mental health service in Christchurch, and has worked with Dame Sue Bagshaw for many years at Te Tahi Youth, the youth health centre that she founded. Together they have written Calming Your Child: De-escalating Tantrums, Anxiety, Aggression and Other Challenging Behaviours. Kathryn talks to Michael about their tips for de-escalating tantrums, as well as exploring the possible causes behind problem-behaviour, such as anxiety, sensory processing issues, ADHD, and autism

Susie discusses the the thorny issue of limiting screentime for children with Dave Atkinson from the Parenting Place, and how do deal with the fallout from that.

The Japanese bonsai - a "perfect little tree" that thrives only with lots and lots of care - is a good metaphor for children raised to be reliant on high levels of support, says clinical psychologist Judith Locke. Despite their parents' best intentions, 'Bonsai children' learn to expect that it's other people who'll make them happy and successful, she tells Susie Ferguson.

Learning to manage difficult feelings is the biggest job of childhood. says psychologist Angela North, and kids need a parent's help to do this. Along with Dr Steven Mackenzie, Angela has written the new book Mindfulness At Play - a guide to help adults be in the moment with a child's emotional experience.

Kathryn talks with parenting coach and education consultant Joseph Driessen about parents can help their children develop independent learning habits.

Declining regular school attendance has been the focus of a lot of political debate here, and in term one last year only 46 percent of students reached the benchmark for regular attendance. It's also a hot topic across the Tasman where a Senate inquiry is looking into the problem in Australian schools. Michael Hawton is an Australian registered psychologist, a former school teacher and the founder of Parentshop which is a resource hub for parents, educators and child family specialists. He says school leaders report that student anxiety is a most significant concern and it is having an impact on them staying away from school.

There's nothing wrong with dyslexic people, they just need help to navigate a world wired for language processors rather than visual thinkers, says retired psychologist Laughton King. He says parents and teachers need to focus on helping dyslexic kids rather than sabotaging their learning.

Watching your teenager get behind the wheel can be nerve-wracking for any parent, but neuroplasticity educator and parenting expert Nathan Wallis has some suggestions to make it slightly less scary for all concerned.

Māori academic Linda Tuhiwai Smith tells Kathryn Ryan she often cried while writing her new series of therapeutic storybooks for kids.

Parents determined to protect their children from life's everyday challenges can inadvertently stifle their emotional development, says clinical psychologist and mother of two Jacqui Maguire.

The newly developed Common Practice Model is going to inform how literacy and maths is taught in primary and secondary schools in the coming years. But what does that mean, and what are the teaching principles behind it? Work carried out by the New Zealand Council for Educational Research was used by the Ministry of Education to develop the common-practice model. Kathryn speaks to Mohamed Alansari, a senior researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

As the school holidays near an end and term 2 is about to begin, many children have their friend groups sorted, others are still finding their feet. Today we're talking about loneliness at school and how to survive lunchtime. Ellie Gwilliam is a content editor and presenter for Parenting Place and the mother of three daughters. Parenting Place is a charity sharing resources for parents, and offering family coaching and courses.

Author and parenting coach Maggie Dent shares advice for parents who are wondering what to do when their child only wants them or your co-parent to do things for them.