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How to parent smarter not harder.

Photo of woman with hands at her head looking exasperated to illustrate article on when children's emotions trigger parents' emotions

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...

photo of a woman sitting at a laptop looking bored

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...

Photo of Dalya Wittenberg work-life balance blogger and podcast host

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...

Photo of a woman's legs wearing jeans lying on grass to illustrate article urging parents to step away from the emails this summer

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...

Photo of young mum staring out of a window to illustrate how it feels when family are constantly judging my parenting

“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...

Photo of mum hugging young boy to illustrate article on how to be a present and connected parent

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...

photo of two young girls relaxing in a hammock to illustrate article on how to have better weekends with children

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...

photo of positive parenting expert and author Anita Cleare

Have happy family memories (without spending money)

If you want to make a plan for ways to spend time with your kids that don’t cost money, here’s a quick video outlining a simple exercise you can do with the whole family that will help you...

photo of piggy bank to illustrate article on talking to children about money and the cost of living crisis

Talking to children about money and the cost of living

Tips for talking to children about money and the cost of living crisis With the current economic crisis, families are faced with difficult choices about household finances. Parents are having to say...

Learning to be comfortable with our children’s discomfort…

When challenges happen in children’s worlds and they are held in the grip of big feelings, the last thing they need from their parents is a whirlwind. They don’t need us to throw our big...

Photo of young girl mopping kitchen floor to illustrate article on the reasons children should do chores

6 Reasons Your Children Should Do Chores

The main reason parents don’t make their children do chores is because, frankly, it’s just easier and quicker if we do things ourselves. We know that children should do chores but it...

photo of smiling mum, dad and two teenagers sitting on a sofa to illustrate article by Helen Beedham on how to negotiate boundaries to protect family time

When work intrudes into family time

A guest post by Helen Beedham on 5 ways to negotiate work/family boundaries harmoniously at home. Have you ever tried to send a ‘quick’ work email during family time and half an hour later,...

Photo of mum trying to work while holding a toddler to illustrate article on working parent guilt

Working parent guilt: use it or lose it

Most working parents feel like we are running just to stand still. We want to be good parents. We want to get parenting ‘right’. But we have limited time, limited energy and too much to do. And...

photo of stressed working mum to illustrate article on working parent stress

Working parent stress? Try doing more (not less)

I don’t know about you but when I’m stressed, it is usually interactions with my family that make me realise I have a problem. I find myself excessively haranguing my son about his untidy...

woman dancing to illustrate article on wellbeing snacks by parenting expert Anita Cleare

Wellbeing snacks: the answer to parental burnout?

Spoiler alert: wellbeing snacks are nothing to do with food. There are no pastries or packets of crisps in this article. And I won’t be giving you permission to eat chocolate (unless it’s...

photo of woman at her desk with her head in her hands to illustrate article on The Efficiency Trap by Anita Cleare

The efficiency trap

In my book, The Work/Parent Switch, I talk about the problem of ‘efficiency thinking’. The efficiency mindset is a task-oriented approach to time that is incredibly useful for getting...

Photo of child illustrating blog post on what children need most by parenting expert Anita Cleare

What children need most from their parents

Many working parents are conflicted about what children need most from us, and how to prioritise between work and family. We are a generation of parents who are working more and parenting more. We...

Photo of man covered in Post-Its to illustrate article on balancing work and parenting when working from home

Balancing work and parenting when working from home

Working from home has lots of advantages. There’s no commute, you can be much more available for unexpected family circumstances, and the uniform is a lot comfier! But that blending of work and...

photo of steering wheel covered in reminder notes to illustrate article on 'Are you a parent stuck in work-mode?'

Are you a parent stuck in work-mode?

For most working parents, our work-mode involves a big helping of what I call ‘efficiency thinking’. You know the type of thinking I mean? ‘To Do’ list thinking that is always two...

Are you over-parenting? Blog by parenting expert Anita Cleare (photo of supermum)

Are you over-parenting and doing too much for your children?

Working parents often worry that we’re not doing ‘enough’ for our children. That we are working too much and parenting too little. Wracked with guilt that work is getting in the...

Parenting in a time of uncertainty

I didn’t imagine myself writing this blog post. It wasn’t on my planner. I’ve spent the last few months writing about the various parenting challenges of Covid-19 (working from...

how to work from home and look after children at the same time

How to work from home and look after children at the same time

Working from home sounds like a great idea. There’s no commute, no distractions, you can dress down and you’ll never miss the postman. But what if you have to work from home and look...

picture of a teenager

If you want to stay calm, step into your child’s shoes

I found myself crying in the car last night. Truly blubbering. I had just dropped my teenage son off at his girlfriend’s house – well, around the corner from her house. I’d pulled...

photo of two young girls running through a water sprinkler and smiling, to illustrate article on why positive parenting makes you happier

Why positive parenting makes you happier

A key principle of positive parenting is noticing the good stuff and trying to make a bit more of it happen. For children, this can have a truly transformative effect. When parents notice what their...

Self-care ideas for busy parents

I woke up this morning with a hideous cold so today feels like exactly the right day to be writing about self-care ideas for busy parents. When you are a parent (especially a working parent),...

How to help kids become independent: the principle of minimal assistance

If you want to help kids become independent, the principle of minimal assistance is a great motto to parent by. It’s a neat way of ensuring your child gets as little or as much help as they...

Review of storybooks for children about working mums (photo of 'Mummy Goes to Work' cover)

Storybooks for children about working mums

A client recently asked me to recommend books she could read with her little one about going back to work. But I could only think of one book. I can recommend lots of books for helping children cope...