How to get rid of head lice and what to do when you can’t afford treatment

Photo: RNZ As parents, teachers and children start getting ready for term one, families will be on the lookout for itchy scalps caused by head lice. iSpyNits founder Kate Ricketts. Photo: Supplied iSpyNits founder Kate Rickett, who created a world-first lice detection powder, says the six-legged insects thrive in the warmer weather and often spread […]

How to prepare your child for a big move

By Kellie Scott, ABC Lifestyle Parents who promote a sense of adventure around a relocation can reinforce it as an opportunity for their children, experts say. (file image) Photo: 123RF / Igor Mojzes A big move can be an adjustment for everyone in the family, particularly children, who may struggle to express how they are […]

How to talk to your teen if their NCEA results aren’t what they wanted

Photo: 123RF The nerve-racking wait is over, for better or worse. Thousands of teenagers will be signing on the New Zealand Qualification Authority’s website to check their NCEA exam results today. As a mother of four, including a 16-year-old receiving her results today, Parenting Place coach Sheridan Eketone is keen for parents and teens to […]

How to bounce back after losing your job

Photo: 123RF Last year was a big 12 months of job losses on a big scale. An estimated 9500 public servants were made redundant, with job listings staying low throughout the year. Listings rose by one percent in November on Seek, but the number of applications per job increased by three percent at the same […]

How to responsibly recycle a real Christmas tree

A Christmas tree dumped outside a store in central Auckland, waiting for Mr Nobody to pick it up. Photo: Christine Rush / RNZ If you cut or bought your real Christmas tree in the first flush of festive spirits, chances are it’ll be looking past its use-by date by early January. In many parts of […]

How to pay $1.2m for a Christmas tree

The Te Manaaki tree in central Auckland is 18 metres tall, with more than 10,000 LED lights and 200 giant baubles. Photo: Supplied / Echo Shan About a third of the $1.2 million spent on Auckland’s downtown Christmas tree are costs associated with the installation of the tree for the first two years, new information […]

How to spot an accidental frenemy

Photo: Luz Fuertes Do you have so-called friends who lash out, relish your pain or minimise your struggles? These are usually people struggling with emotional regulation or replicating toxic dynamics modelled in their first family, says science writer David Robson. To not take their behaviour so personally, it’s good to remember it’s mostly unintentional and […]

How to make your tech devices’ batteries last longer

How far you are from a cell tower site could affect your battery too. (file image) Photo: 123rf Travelling from Auckland to Wellington, you may notice your phone battery going flat despite fully charging it before you set off – this is just one of the ways the power is being drained without you realising. […]

How to drive safely when hitting the highways this holiday season

Photo: 123RF The New Zealand transport agency is urging people to drive carefully and check their cars are in good condition before hitting the road this holiday season. The official road death toll does not begin until 4pm on Christmas Eve, but people are already travelling to their summer destinations and there were four deaths […]

Have you lost it? Here’s how to find it again

Whether it’s car keys or your wallet, it’s far easier to lose something than find it again. Photo: Caitlin Regan/Flickr Malaka Gharib lost her passport at a crucial moment. She was due to take her new husband to Egypt to meet her family there, and without a passport, she would not have been able to […]