Treasuring our Tamariki: Children's Day 2015

The annual national Children's Day, Te Rā O Te Tamariki, will take place on Sunday 1 March 2015, with the theme 'Treasure Our Children'.

Children's Day encourages families and communities to come together in honouring children by doing something special for them. The organisers say it is "a perfect day to reach families everywhere with important messages about what it means to treasure our children and why it matters."

Events across the country are planned for the month of March. The Children's Day website features free resources to plan your event, including a communications toolkit, promotional flyers, fun activity books for kids, balloons, magnets and more. There are also tips on things to do to treasure children. You can follow Children's Day on Facebook, or for more information and to register your Children's Day event, visit the website. The Children's Day key messages and media statement includes these messages for parents and caregivers:

• Make sure your kids have the things they need – warmth, shelter, food, love and security. Show them your smile and hold them close. 
• Look after yourself, so you can be strong for them. 
• Ask them what makes them happy or sad – kids are full of wisdom and can tell us lots about the things they need.
• Learn about positive parenting – this job never came with a manual and knowing some tricks of the trade can make life a whole lot easier.
• If you feel like you’re struggling, it’s okay to ask for help. Talk with someone you trust, or call a support agency.

The organisers hope that Children's Day inspires "every family in New Zealand [to do] something to treasure their children, and make a pact that children come first, this day and every day from this one forward."

Media

Children’s Day: treasuring all of our children, UNICEF NZ, 27.02.2015

Image: Happy child finds joy by Hillebrand Steve. Licence: Public Domain