Join hosts Jordan Watson, AKA “How to Dad”, and ZM’s Clint Roberts every week for their podcast The Parenting Hangover, in which the two dads talk about everything involved in raising their respective families in a modern, changing world. From tackling the big topics like the birds and the bees
The Parenting Hangover: Hamish Blake on the difference between Kiwi and Aussie parenting
NZ Herald
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The Parenting Hangover hosts sat down with Hamish Blake to discuss and compare all things parenting - and will tackle the question of whether Aussies or Kiwis are the better parents. Photo / Instagram
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Blake himself is the father of two children — Sonny, 9, and Rudy, 6. And speaking to the hosts, he admits he “loves the Kiwi style of parenting”.
He adds that during his first 10 years of being a father, he noticed that Kiwi kids were the ones he tended to see ”barefoot in winter in the playground, which you just never see” with Australian kids.
Blake puts it down to the relaxed attitude parents in New Zealand have towards their kids getting outside, with tumbles and bumps all being treated as part of a larger learning process.
He goes on to acknowledge the Kiwi style of parenting can sometimes be intimidating when compared to the more protective approach taken by Australian parents, looking back at the time he visited a trampoline park in Queenstown with his family.
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“You realise with the local kids, I’m like, ‘Watch out guys, careful, you know - you can break your neck, so let’s not do that’,” he shares.
But he acknowledges how important it is for kids to have adventurous childhood experiences, adding, “You know the health benefits of free-ranging, like the cuts and scrapes.”
The Aussie media personality is the only one of the three who has a son, but says there’s no difference between boys and girls when it comes to concerns for their safety.
“When you are seeing that, you get your heart in your throat just as much for boys as you do with a little girl.”
Elsewhere during the chat, Blake reflects on the complexities of modern parenthood, acknowledging it’s a challenge to avoid spoiling your kids while wanting to provide them with a great life and everything they need.
He also discusses the importance of teaching kids the value of money and the struggle against societal pressure around pocket money.
One trick he learnt was through Scott Pape, author of The Barefoot Investor, who he hosted on his own parenting podcast. Pape introduced Blake to a system that uses physical money — ideally coins — and three jars for “spending, saving and giving”. It’s designed to help kids practice saving their pocket money.
“It needs to be physical,” Blake says. “Sunday’s payday, and it’s their job to come and go, ‘Hey, we’re here to get paid’.”
“And then you get a dollar per year of your age. But, it’s more to teach that muscle memory,” he says.
- To hear Watson and Roberts talk more to Blake about how he approaches parenting and whether they do it differently across the ditch, listen to this week’s episode of The Parenting Hangover below.
- You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes are out every Thursday.
- Want to get in touch with the podcast? Follow them on Instagram or Facebook.
