Avoiding the Trap: A Guide for Parents of Children with Learning Difficulties to Spot and Avoid Scams
When your child struggles with learning, it's natural to want answers — and fast. As parents, you can be pushed into the unfamiliar world of educational support, assessments, and interventions. It's...
Parenting teens part 2: Some ideas about what works when you are parenting teens.
Teens and preteens are challenging, changing, fascinating and tremendously fun to parent. Their views on the world are often very different from their parents and they often see situations differently...
Teenagers, what’s with them? Part 1
You are all the proud parents of either pre-teens or teenagers and as you will all be aware this is a time of tremendous developmental change. As a psychologist I’m fascinated by this period of change...
Encouraging kids to stick with sports
Wayne Goldsmith is a well known coach and in this Radio NZ podcast he talks about how to encourage kids to continue playing sports and to keep them from dropping out of playing sports after age 13. Wayne...
Can I see you for just a chat?
Just a short post today answering a frequently asked question. Can I see you for just a chat?Yes, absolutely. I am happy to talk about situations occurring at home or school and take a problem-solving...
What happens during an educational psychology assessment?
One or both parents usually accompany children/young people to the appointment. We spend the first 15 minutes chatting and getting to know each other. Sometimes I have follow up questions from the written...
You’ve made an appointment to meet with a psychologist, what happens now?
Over the past year since I began seeing clients privately, I have been asked a range of questions by parents about what to expect on the day that they bring their child to see me. Today I thought I’d...
Back to school
Welcome back to the 2019 school year. Hopefully everyone has had a chance to have a break and some down time from the busy school schedule during term time. Many schools will be starting back in the...
Let’s talk about being a good enough parent.
Thoughts from a psychologist about parenting