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Positive Parenting Switch
photo of parenting expert Anita Cleare

About Anita Cleare

MA AdvDip

Anita Cleare is a parenting speaker, writer and coach and co-founder of the Positive Parenting Project.

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Resources

Thinking Parenting blog

Being a good parent is not about getting it all right all of the time – fuel for thinking parents

Positive Parenting Switch
Book cover of How to Get Your Teenager Out of Their Bedroom by parenting expert Anita Cleare

How to Get Your Teenager Out of Their Bedroom

by Anita Cleare

Everything you need to know about connecting with your teen and being the parent they really need.

montage of book covers of The Work/Parent Switch by parenting expert Anita Cleare

The Work/Parent Switch

by Anita Cleare

How to be a great parent while juggling work and parenting.

Thinking Parenting Blog

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photo of a hand held up as if to ward off approach to illustrate article on connecting with a teen who wants nothing to do with you

Connecting with a teen who wants nothing to do with you

Connecting with a teen in withdrawal mode is not easy. Relationships thrive on communication, goodwill, and spending time together – all of which can be in short supply between teens and their...

Montage of book covers showing storybooks for children about working mums

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...

Photo of mum loking at her phone sitting at a table with two young children to illustrate article on how being a working parent impacts children according to research

How being a working parent impacts children

Many of the discussions I have with working parents revolve around concerns about how their work might be impacting their children. These worries usually fall under two broad areas: concern that they...

Photo of toddler smiling at the camera with adult standing behind

Working in partnership with your childcare provider

This is a guest post from Hopscotch Nurseries. Whether you use a nursery, a nanny or a childminder (or a combination of all three), the relationship between parents and their childcare provider is...

Photo of young boy smiling at the camera and looking happy to illustrate article on how temperament impacts children's development

How temperament impacts children’s behaviour

Most parents instinctively understand that children are born with their own innate personality that drives their behaviour. (And if we weren’t sure of that, a second or subsequent child coming...

Graphic reads "My number one parenting tip: listen don't fix. (That's it.)"

Listen don’t fix

If I could pick just one top parenting tip for parents, it would be “Listen don’t fix.” As adults, we are often very quick to jump in and try to fix children’s problems for them,...

What’s Happening

Webinars
Photo of teenage boy looking down away from camera to illustrate webinar by parenting expert Anita Cleare on how to talk to teens

WATCH NOW

FREE (13 minutes)

How to talk to teens about difficult topics

Does your teen get emotional or defensive when you try to talk to them? Do your conversations frequently end in conflict? Or do they just not listen? Here are some simple tips for keeping conversations with teens on track and for broaching tricky topics.

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Mum waving goodbye to illustrate Watch Now Webinar on How to banish working mum guilt

WATCH NOW

FREE (15 minutes)

How to banish working mum guilt

Do you worry that you should be doing more for your children? That you should be giving them more attention, spending more time with them, helping them more with their homework, being around more to pick them up – or that you are somehow failing to be the best mum you really want to be? This free video will help you understand where those guilt thoughts are coming from and how you can turn them around and manage parenting challenges positively.

FREE

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Photo of dad and daughter looking at a book to illustrate Watch Now parenting webinar on story time

WATCH NOW

FREE (10 minutes)

Using ‘Story Time’ to understand your child better

Children don’t always open up when asked direct questions. Here is a demonstration of a neat idea for finding out what your child is thinking and feeling by using books and story time.

FREE

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Words 'And breathe', Parenting expert Anita Cleare video tuorial on self soothe strategies for children

WATCH NOW

FREE (15 minutes)

Self-soothe strategies for overwhelmed children

When children are anxious or overwhelmed by big emotions, self soothe strategies can help them to calm down and avoid a meltdown. This free video explains how to teach self soothe strategies to your child and offers a variety of self soothe ideas for you to try out.

[ages 3-11yrs]

FREE

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the best webinar I have attended

This was one of the best, and possibly most useful webinars that I have attended to date... this was honestly so valuable, I can’t even explain how many notes I took!

Webinar attendee

Can't recommend enough

Can't recommend enough. Fun, interactive and practical sessions providing lots of opportunity for discussion. Anita is very experienced and highly engaging offering insights and guidance on many of the daily challenges we face as parents.

Seminar attendee

A weight off my shoulders

I left feeling as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders (guilt from unrealistic expectations of myself)

Parenting clinic attendee

cannot recommend Anita enough

The sessions were lively, fun and interactive as well as offering lots of practical advice and take always. I cannot recommend Anita enough

Michaela Gibson, Dive In Festival

It was a revelation

It was like someone swapped my children for nicer ones. Amazing what a difference a shift in my attitude made. My two were fighting all day and I was shouting all day, now they play nicely MOST of the time and I am a calm parent MOST of the time! It was a revelation.

Seminar attendee

interactive and engaging

it was one of the best parenting / work-life seminars I have attended. Even through a dial-in in Edinburgh, it was well-delivered, interactive and engaging.

webinar participant

more fun and caring relationship

I have learnt so much about myself and my actions. I have a better understanding of what my children need and we already have a better, calmer, more fun and caring relationship.

parent coachee