Good life is there for Amelia

Amelia Mackenzie-Fellingham is your average Kiwi kid.

The 4-year-old watches a bit of Netflix on her parents’ iPad, eats a few lollies at birthday parties, loves fruit, does gymnastics and swimming, and rides her bike with trainer wheels up and down the cul-de-sac where she lives.

Mum Philippa Mackenzie says Amelia, who turned 4 in April, isn’t allowed to watch YouTube and her iPad use, about 90 minutes a day stretched over morning and afternoon, is carefully monitored.

Amelia, whose older half-brother and sister visit every second weekend, is into role-playing using her new dolls’ house.

She’s been to the dentist twice and had her B4 school check but Amelia’s GP visits are often a waste of time, according to Mackenzie, who says her daughter refuses medication.

“I’ll only take her if she has sore ears because I know how painful that can be.”

Like many other preschoolers, Amelia refuses a lot of vegetables, but seems happy to eat carrots and corn.

The youngster lives with her mum and dad Darryl Fellingham, and goes to playcentre and kindergarten twice a week each.

She will probably go to St Joseph’s Catholic School in Hamilton when she turns 5 but school isn’t even on her radar yet, Mackenzie, 39, says.

Amelia, tall and lean for her age, goes to bed and is usually fast asleep by 7pm, waking about 6am most days.

One of her favourite pastimes is to visit her nana, poppa and 94-year-old great grandmother, who conveniently live next door.

Mackenzie says her daughter has a “pretty good preschool life”.

“She certainly doesn’t miss out on much.” — Natalie Akoorie