Many parents will be starting to feel the exhaustion from getting back into school and extracurriculars. 

We often go into the new year with high expectations of ourselves - like completely homemade school lunches, no takeout, keeping on top of house work - but quickly realise there was a reason we weren't accomplishing all that last year. 

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A new report this week found nearly 90% of Auckland primary school say there's an increasing number of new entrants starting school without bare basic skills like being toilet trained and talking properly.

These are 5 year olds who are otherwise capable, but some stage of their early childhood seems to have been neglected - they can't even identify the letters of their name or hold a pencil. 

As harsh as it may be, the blame does have to land somewhere. 

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Schools have started back up and we all, obviously, want our children to do well. 

Parents will be doing drop off and pick up, making sure the homework is done and forms are signed, keeping an eye on grades and reports. 

But how involved should parents really be in their children's education?

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One of the hottest topics of the modern era is kids and smartphones. As we've seen more of the what the internet can do (for better or worse) they seem like an essential part of life. Wallet, Keys, Phone, that's what you always keep on you. 

A first phone is typically only for texting mum and dad, so why do you need a device that has the capability for so much more? 

Child Psychologist Sara Chatwin joins Tim Beveridge to give her advice on when to let kids get their own devices and how to manage them.

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NCEA results are officially out.

Most kids would have genuinely worked as hard as they could to get the grades they hoped for - even the kids who act like they don't really care. 

And for many it won't have turned out as hey had planned - whether that meant not quite meeting the dizzying heights of their ambition or an actual fail grade. But it's unavoidable - at some stage through their school career - and life for that matter, most of us have to deal with the disappointment of failure.

They need to learn how to deal with that disappointment - but it will of course still be there, so how are parents supposed to help their children through it?

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We've all seen the videos - we may have even seen it in our own living rooms on Christmas morning... 

A child, even teenager, opens a gift their loved one has especially picked out for them, and they proceed to complain about how it's not the one they wanted. 

The wrong colour bicycle, wrong model phone, it could be anything. 

So how do we teach our children to be grateful for anything they're given this Christmas? 

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What are the essential life skills our kids truly need to know before they head out into the real world? 

How often to wash their sheets, how to cook a basic meal, managing bills and payments, doing laundry without turning their white shirts pink - these are things that most of us learnt well before we moved out, but they don't seem to be as common today. 

Only 21% of parents of children aged 5-17 years say their kids are often involved with cooking. That's 79% of kids that will likely leave home not knowing how to cook much more than a toasted cheese. 

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In just a few days, a law banning the use of social media for under 16s will take effect in Australia. 

For many parents, social media has been a daily part of family life for years - allowing kids to stay connected with their friends and family, sharing life updates with people they may not get a chance to speak with very often. 

Generations before have been relatively ignorant to just how seriously harmful it can be - figuring if they just keep open communication with their kids then they should be fine. 

But younger millennial and gen Z parents seem to be recognising the dangers, and most often opting to keep their kids offline. 

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The school year is drawing to an end and soon enough, families will be filling school halls and gymnasiums for the end-of-year prizegiving. 

For the star students or athletes, it's a moment of pride to walk across the stage and receive a well-earned award. For others, the whole thing can feel demoralising. 

Never mind the awards themselves - there are clear differences between some, like the dean's award and the most improved. 

But on the other hand, do we really want to be handing out participation awards? Are they inclusive or are they encouraging mediocrity? 

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Summer holidays is just around the corner and kids will be rushing out the door to spend as much time as they can with their friends. 

But this time of year is often the longest period that parents will be able to spend time at home with the family. 

We don't want to pull our children away from their friends, but we also want to instil the value of family time. 

So where do we draw the line between family time and friend time for our children this summer?

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