Pre-loved teddies helping children cope with Covid induced anxiety
Happy Wednesday neighbours,
They were once forlorn teddy bear orphans, discarded to a charity shop – until a mother and daughter realised they could be the key to helping children cope with anxiety.
Nicky Buist and daughter Jaz Lotz have been re-purposing pre-loved soft toys by weighting them with sand and lacing them with lavender as a calming strategy for overwhelmed children.
Passionate about helping young people, the pair wanted to help combat what they see as an increasing need to help parents find ways of dealing with their child’s feelings of anxiety and sadness.
A month ago they formed Weighty Warriors after trials with weighted teddy bears proved successful with the children they worked with.
They have since begun selling the soft toys around New Zealand, including to schools in Auckland and Rolleston.
Read the full story by clicking 'Read more' below.
Share your New Zealand music memories...
It's NZ Music Month and New Zealand really has some beautiful songs from artists that we call our own.
Whether it's April Sun in Cuba, Don't Forget your Roots, or How Bizarre or Bic Runga's 'Sway' - songs have a way of unlocking memories and evoking old feelings.
In honour of NZ Music Month, share a New Zealand song or artist that is special to you and explain why.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
Poll: What could the Christchurch City Council fund if it didn't have to pay GST on rates?
Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger says GST on rates, currently taken by central government, would be better spent locally.
The comments follow an Infometrics analysis that found over $1.1 billion of rates revenue nationwide was collected by the Government in 2022 as GST.
According to Infometrics, $88.5m of that came from Christchurch city ratepayers. It would be enough to save the Christ Church Cathedral from ruin; restore the Dux de Lux seven times over; cover both the Art Centre and Orana Wildlife Park’s request for regular public funding for over 26 years; contribute to light rail in Greater Christchurch; or get the South Library rebuild completed.
Read the full story by reporter Sinead Gill here and share your thoughts in the comments below. (Note: Subscription required. You can still read two free stories a month if you're not a ThePress.co.nz subscriber).
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20.8% Light rail
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5.4% South Library
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38.6% Orana Wildlife Park
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13.4% The Arts Centre
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3% Dux de Lux
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12.9% Christ Church Cathedral
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5.9% Something else (share your thoughts in the comments)
The Tova Show
Hello! Are you a …
- A student/young professional renting
- A young family, renting or owning
- An older New Zealander/retiree/pensioner
We’re reaching out from the Tova show, the flagship weekly politics podcast on Stuff, as we prepare for our budget coverage and how it’s affecting Kiwis - we’d love to hear from you.
We need a few people who are available the week before the budget (Wednesday 22nd/Thursday 23rd May) and on the day of the announcement (Thursday 30th May).
Please email tova@stuff.co.nz or comment below if you’d like to share your perspective with us. We give you our commitment to treat your experience with sensitivity and care.
Type NFP if you don't wish your comments to be used.
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