I live not far from some pretty wild rivers. Not the tame kind you see in postcards – narrow, obedient streams that trundle on, knowing their place. The rivers I paddle on are braided. Many different channels within a wide basin, restless, constantly shifting. From above, they look like aquamarine threads pulled through silver sand, ...
On Thursday, 12 March Dr Kris Taylor will be presenting ‘Talking Masculinities: Why toxic masculinity is a concern, how it can impact your child/teen, and what you can do about it.’ Over the last few years, a wave of grown men has built big online businesses ‘coaching‘ boys and young men, from ‘dating and fitness’ to ...
Path Wānaka, in collaboration with Upper Clutha Community Link, is delighted to host internationally respected resilience expert Dr Lucy Hone for two powerful events in April. On Wednesday 22 April (doors open 6.30pm), Dr Hone will present Thriving Through Challenge and Change: Lessons from Science and Life, a community engagement evening sharing practical, research-informed insights ...
Why toxic masculinity is a concern, how it can impact your child, and what you can do about it Teen boys don’t wake up one day and decide, “Ah yes, today I’ll download some misogyny.” It’s usually quieter than that. A clip here. A “self-improvement” reel there. An algorithm that keeps feeding the same flavour ...
Parenting our tamariki can often feel like a private sport – no crowd, no rulebook, and somehow you’re meant to “just know!” What happens at home often stays there. The tough chats, screen battles, worry, and the late night-second-guessing usually stay behind closed doors. But this silence costs us: we lose support, perspective, the power ...
By Dr Lucy Hone “I’m struggling so much with my daughter leaving for college. I never appreciated how awful this would be, and I don’t feel I can talk to others about it without sounding ridiculous.” Over the years, I’ve had many parents write to me with words just like these. One even confessed, “I ...
The Upper Clutha Wānaka Whānau Survey 2026 is about understanding what life is really like for rangatahi and their whānau in our community. This survey will help agency partners, caregivers, and locals better understand what’s going on for our youth, including learning, belonging, and where support networks are already working well. By taking a strengths-based ...
If you’re a caregiver / parent, or working with teens, attending this evening is a must! Path Wānaka Ara Ki Wānaka in collaboration with Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College, and Kāhu Youth Trust is proud to host this presentation by researcher Dr Kris Taylor. Dr Kris Taylor will provide a crash course for ...
The Parent Whānau Support Group is returning for Term 1, 2026, with the first session starting on Tuesday, 24 February at the Community Hub. Also available on the 24th February are private one-to-one coaching sessions with Ali (fees apply – see below). Parenting teens in today’s world can feel like a whole new job, and ...
Anonymous – Parent lived experience Hosting teens in Wānaka over New Year is a mix of magic and mayhem. Following on from last week’s blog, here’s a practical framework sharing one Wānaka family’s lived experience of hosting teens over the New Year period. Communication Start talking early on. This family contacted every parent, agreed to ...
Anonymous – Parent lived experience If you’ve ever had teens staying in Wānaka over New Year, you’ll know it’s a world of its own. Between the crowds, the late nights, and the energy that comes with the season, it can feel both exciting and daunting. One local family hosted groups of boys from Years 11–13 ...
New Year in Wānaka was the highlight of my teens. It was the trip everyone talked about all year, a summer holiday with your closest mates and half your school year in one place. For me, it was also a chance to step away from home and enjoy a bit of freedom: sunny days, boating, ...
People often ask me how to talk to children about death and support them in their grieving. It’s one of the hardest conversations we’ll ever have, and yet avoiding it does more harm than good. At some point I noticed that talking to kids and young people about death and grief bears distinct similarities to ...
As we get closer to the end of the school year, I start to think about the summer ahead and what it will be like for our young people. Many will have a summer job, some might pick up more responsibilities around the home – like looking after younger siblings – while others will be looking forward ...
Are you concerned about alcohol harm in communities and its impact on children’s health and wellbeing? Join University of Otago Wellington researcher Professor Louise Signal to see the latest findings from innovative studies where 12-year-olds used wearable cameras and online screen capture to record their daily exposure to alcohol products and marketing. See what children ...
If you have a teen about to sit exams, share this with them – it’s full of practical, science-based tips to make studying less stressful and more effective. If you’ve ever sat down to study and found yourself reorganising your desk, making snacks, or suddenly very interested in the family cat, you’re not alone. Studying ...
Author: Dr Lucy Hone For over a decade, Monday mornings have meant early alarms, kids yawning into their Weet-Bix, frantic searches for school shoes and ties, a quick peck on the cheek – out the door they go and off to school. They’ve been happy times. Not serene or still – plenty of shouting, squabbling ...
We often think of happiness as the reward we get after everything’s sorted. But science shows that small moments of positive emotion – like joy, amusement or gratitude – help us cope better and perform better. They’re not just a result of wellbeing – they’re a tool to build it. Research shows that dialling up ...
Real Talk with Ali McCormick Parenting teens can feel like navigating a minefield, even on your best day. That’s why Path Wānaka’s Whānau Support Group is designed a little differently. It’s not a lecture or a textbook course. It’s a space for real conversations, real coaching, and real change. At the heart of it all ...
What Parents Took Away from the Night Last Thursday, more than 200 parents, caregivers and teachers filled the Lake Wānaka Centre to hear Rob Cope share the hard truths about keeping our kids safe online. The impact was evident. Parents left with practical strategies, renewed determination, and the relief of knowing they’re not facing this ...
Mount Aspiring College Nicola Jacobsen joined Jack on Radio Wānaka to talk about Our Kids Online – a vital community event that took place on Thursday 11 September 2025. In this short interview, Nicola shares why it’s so important for parents, grandparents, whānau and anyone supporting young people to understand the online risks our kids ...
We all have an inner voice. Sometimes it’s helpful – motivating us through a tough day. Other times, it’s just mean. For teens, that inner critic can get loud. Under pressure, it often turns into a stream of ANTs – Automatic Negative Thoughts – like: “I’m so dumb.” “I can’t do this.” “What’s wrong with ...
Last week on More FM Queenstown, Te Kura o Tititea Mount Aspiring College Principal Nicola Jacobsen joined Joel on air to talk about the social media and online epidemic online epidemic affecting families across our region. Every day at the school gates she sees it first-hand – the challenge of raising teens in a digital ...
Every year, someone asks: “But when’s Straight Pride?” It’s a question that misses the point of what Pride means, and why it still matters, especially in Wānaka, our growing rural district. Pride isn’t a competition. It’s a celebration. It’s about visibility for those questioning or struggling with their identity. It’s about creating safety and belonging ...
