Thinking parenting Blog
Realistic expectations are good for children and parents
Having realistic expectations – of yourself and your children – is key to positive parenting. It builds children’s self-esteem, reduces parenting stress and helps you enjoy your...
When children’s emotions trigger parents’ emotions
“Becoming a parent brings with it a host of overwhelming feelings, both harrowing and beautiful: the surge of pure love when you watch your child sleeping; the tears of joy when they stand on...
The hurtful teenage years
I call them the hurtful teenage years for a reason. When parents think about kids becoming teens, it’s usually teenage behaviour we worry about most. What will my teenager be like? Will they be...
How play helps children’s mental health
Play helps children’s mental health in a huge variety of ways. Yet, it is seldom the first thing we think about when it comes to supporting children’s mental or emotional wellbeing. This...
Positive discipline: warmth plus boundaries
When it comes to parenting styles, research consistently shows that children who are parented with a blend of warmth plus boundaries are most likely to experience positive outcomes in all areas of...
How not to shout at your kids
As parents, we all know that shouting at our kids isn’t a great idea. None of us embarked on parenting with ‘Shouty Mum/Dad’ as our ideal destination. But somewhere along the way,...
Empowering Teens for Successful Careers
This is a guest post from Acuity Training on how parents can support career-readiness in teens and help teenagers make good decisions about future jobs, learning and training. As parents, we hope...
How to motivate an unmotivated teen
So, what am I supposed to do? My teen does zilch. They have no motivation, no get up and go. Trying to get them to switch off their devices and do their homework is like pulling teeth every single...
How to negotiate with your employer to achieve work/life goals
Guest post by Amanda Augustine For many parents, balancing the demands of parenthood and the pressures of the workplace can be an emotionally draining experience. When you’re constantly trying to...
Why diverse and inclusive toys are important
Albert Einstein famously said that play is the highest form of research. Play is how young children learn about the world and make sense of it. The information children collect through play informs...
Best books for teaching children kindness
Books are a fantastic tool for teaching children kindness because they help children see the world through someone else’s eyes. They also provide clear illustrations for younger children on...
Books to help children with anxiety (2-12yrs)
The best books to help children with anxiety are reassuring and approachable and give children ideas and practical strategies for managing their worries. Children who are worried or anxious...
How Are You Feeling Now? Interview with children’s author Molly Potter
Molly Potter is a best-selling children’s author whose books help parents and children talk about feelings and other tricky topics. I’m a huge fan of her books, so I was delighted to have...
12 Family Mindfulness Activities
Daily mindfulness moments are a simple way to reduce stress and anxiety and boost family happiness levels. For parents, mindfulness can help us stop juggling thoughts and step into the present...
In pursuit of work-life balance
Finding work-life balance can be incredibly challenging as a working parent. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Balance looks different for different people, and our sense of balance often...
Resetting work/parenting boundaries post-pandemic
The Covid pandemic led to one of the biggest and most sudden changes we have ever seen when it comes to working practices, most especially for people who were traditionally office-based. The biggest...
Helping children learn to fail positively
Perfectionism is not helpful for children’s learning. Children with perfectionist tendencies will often avoid challenges due to fear of failure, or they may abandon tasks due to frustration and...
Encouraging your child to read books: what works?
We all know how important it is to encourage our child to read books. Reading for pleasure is associated with many benefits in later childhood, including higher attainment scores at school, a broader...
Parents, step away from the emails
If you have recently received an Out of Office from me, I hope it made you smile. It probably said something like ‘Gone Surfing’, or ‘Gone Camping’, or ‘Currently dragging a reluctant...
Top 10 ideas for tempting teens off tech in the school holidays
School holidays can be a nightmare for parents of teenagers. Teens are too old to be parked in childcare but they can’t always be trusted to make great decisions about how they spend their...
How to avoid arguing about parenting
Arguing about parenting is a common problem. Partners and co-parents often find that they have different approaches to parenting. Having different strengths can be valuable in a parenting team but...
“My family are constantly judging my parenting”
I had a really interesting session with one of my one-to-one clients recently about how to manage perceived ‘judginess’ from wider family about your parenting style and decisions. The...
How to be a present and connected parent after a day at work
Being a present and connected parent after a long day at work isn’t easy. Summoning up the energy to listen and engage whilst simultaneously locating lost Sports Kit, making sure the kids have done...
How to have better weekends with children
It might be that you already have fantastic weekends with your family – in which case, do leave a comment below to share your secret! However, I know from personal experience that weekends with...
Gaining career clarity as a working parent
This is a guest post by career coach Ayesha Murray Becoming a parent changes the way we see the world. Our values, beliefs and priorities are all subject to scrutiny as we review what’s now...
The pitfalls of work/family blending
Looking back over the horrors of the pandemic, the one bright spot many working parents remember was the opportunity to spend more time with our children. Yes, as time went on and schools were closed...
“I don’t like my daughter’s friends”
This short video was inspired by an email I received from a parent with the subject heading “I don’t like my daughter’s friends”. There were a lot more details in the email,...
Should I give my teen alcohol?
When my kids were younger, I had a rather tetchy text exchange with a fellow parent about teen alcohol protocols. She and another mum had agreed to give their teens a few cans of lager to take to a...
How to help your child transition to secondary school
The move up from primary to secondary education is a big step. There are lots of changes (for both children and parents) and some children do find the shift challenging. However, there are lots of...
15 ways parents can support children to do well at school
There are so many ways parents can support children to do well at school. It isn’t just about helping children learn spellings or times tables – supporting children’s learning is...