Emily Writes

Parents Editor

Emily Writes is editor of The Spinoff Parents. She is a mother of two, the best-selling author of Rants in the Dark - From one tired mama to another, writer and speaker. He second book Is it bedtime yet? is out now in all good bookstores. Email her on emily@thespinoff.co.nz

Society

Aug 12, 2020

Emily Writes: Tackling all the terrible new Covid-19 takes in one go

Within minutes, the online community transmission of dumb takes was going like wildfire.

Society

Apr 10, 2020

A meeting of NZ's children on how to ruin the lives of parents in lockdown

'We must never forget out aim: to break the parents.'

Television

Apr 5, 2020

Emily Writes: Netflix's Unorthodox is the uplifting television we need right now

Emily Writes looks at the lessons we can all learn from Netflix's new miniseries about a woman escaping a Hasidic Jewish community.

Parents

Mar 31, 2020

‘I need people to make sure I’m OK’: Emily Writes on how teens are coping with lockdown

Emily Writes talks to teens about how the level four restrictions are affecting them, and asks how they can be better supported.

Parents

Mar 30, 2020

Emily Writes: Why TV is the answer for working parents turned home-schoolers

Get the TV to watch your kids, when you can't watch them yourself.

Parents

Mar 26, 2020

Children talk to grown-ups about Covid-19

We asked children how they were coping - and what advice they had for adults.

Parents

Mar 21, 2020

Emily Writes: On being a parent in the Covid-19 era

The job is always hard enough. Here are some ways to think about how to handle it changing.

Society

Mar 17, 2020

Emily Writes: Down the rabbit hole with the Covid-19 conspiracy theorists

When people feel like they have no control over their lives – like in the midst of a global pandemic – the comforting certainty of conspiracy theories seems increasingly attractive.

Parents

Mar 12, 2020

Announcing Emily Writes Weekly, coming to an inbox near you

We're very excited to announce the launch of Emily Writes Weekly, a newsletter by Emily Writes, brought to you by The Spinoff.

Society

Mar 10, 2020

If only we saw other diseases the way we see Covid-19

The fear you carry over this virus is the fear those of us who have children with compromised immune systems carry all the time.

Parents

Feb 25, 2020

Emily Writes: Six months on from Ward One

'Over the last six months I've realised there are always more tears.'

Television

Feb 23, 2020

Hannah Tamaki can’t dance away from her past

Emily Writes explains why the religious leader and aspirant politician has no place on the show.

Society

Feb 20, 2020

Emily Writes: The lies we tell ourselves about the sexual abuse of boys

We need to challenge those who minimise the actions of rapists based on the gender or ages of their victims, argues Emily Writes.

Television

Feb 16, 2020

Emily Writes: The Goop Lab’s orgasm episode fails to reach a satisfying climax

Emily Writes reviews the now infamous orgasm episode of the even more infamous Netflix show The GOOP Lab.

Society

Feb 7, 2020

Emily Writes: 10 reasons you should stop complaining about Wellington’s weather

Yes, the capital's having a shithouse summer, but there are plenty of reasons to look on the bright side.

Society

Feb 3, 2020

Taking a dive: The life-threatening crisis in New Zealand kids’ swimming

With school swimming pools continuing to close across the country, it's never been more difficult for a New Zealand child to learn to swim.

Politics

Jan 30, 2020

Canine to five: Why every office should be a dog office

Emily Writes visits Flick Electric Co's HQ to learn why they think having dogs in the office hasn't just made their workplace happier, it's made them more productive too.

Society

Jan 22, 2020

How to afford a holiday if you’re poor? Beryl has some ideas

It can be near impossible for many New Zealanders to afford the most meagre of holidays. But there is an answer, and that answer turns out to be: go foraging berries.

Parents

Jan 19, 2020

Emily Writes and Eddie, 7, review Wellington’s best places for swimming

My name is Eddie and I’m seven and my mum said I have to write about my school holidays and I just want to play Minecraft. I love swimming so these are the best places for swimming by me Eddie.

Television

Jan 15, 2020

Emily Writes: Introducing the boys of The Bachelorette NZ!

Emily Writes got to meet the contestants in the new Bachelorette NZ show, and boy were their teeth shiny.

Society

Jan 10, 2020

Live-blogging the royal scandal

The Spinoff's royal correspondents report live from the thick of the Megxit fallout.

Television

Jan 8, 2020

Emily Writes: Help, I can’t stop watching bonkers new Jason Momoa show See

The new Apple TV+ fantasy series is utterly nonsensical and suffers from a severe lack of sexiness. Still, Emily Writes can't quit it.

Parents

Jan 8, 2020

Emily Writes: How to help kids who are upset about the Australian bush fires

The scale of the horror in Australia right now can be hard for kids to process. Emily Writes explains what she's been doing with her own sons to help them feel a little less afraid.

Society

Jan 2, 2020

An honest living

A column by a 'millennial' pondered why anyone would work in fencing, but it applies to much of manual labour. With her husband's permission, Emily Writes shares his story of what an honest living really is.

Society

Jan 2, 2020

What to do with all your shit that you Marie Kondo’ed

Your house might be tidy but now you're surrounded by garbage bags full of all of your KonMarie'd shit. What do you do? Emily Writes looks for answers.

Science

Dec 17, 2019

Meet Ada the wonder dog

Ada is a dog with a very unusual, life-saving skill: warning her diabetic owner that her blood glucose levels are getting dangerously low or high.

Society

Dec 15, 2019

What to do if you’re sad at Christmas

Emily Writes spoke to two experts about how to deal with Christmas sadness in the face of all that relentless holiday cheer.

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