Thinking parenting Blog
Helping teens cope with school stress and grade anxiety
As a parent, it is easy to make assumptions about the impacts of school stress on teens – but education has changed a lot since we were teenagers. I asked 15-year-old Lydia Bach from This...
School Stress: are you pushing too hard?
There is growing evidence that children and young people in the UK are experiencing a mental health crisis. School stress is one of the top reasons children reach out to the counselling service...
How to talk to children about periods
Earlier this year, I was interviewed for an article on how to talk to children about periods. Only a small amount of what I said made it into the final piece, so I thought I would share the full...
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...
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...
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...
“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,...
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...
10 Children’s books about shyness
Reading books with children is a great way to start conversations about topics they might find difficult. Whether you have a shy child or just want to help your confident child develop empathy,...
How to start good conversations with kids
Good conversations build great relationships. And since parenting is really all about relationship building, starting good conversations with kids is essential. Good conversations help build young...
Children’s books about financial hardship
With the current cost of living crisis, many parents are having difficult conversations with children about money. Explaining financial hardship to children isn’t easy as young children find it...
How to turbo charge children’s creative writing
Guest post by Clare Lloyd Children are natural storytellers. Inventing new worlds inhabited by imaginary characters is a lot of fun and brings plenty of playful pleasure to children. By nurturing...
10 Growth Mindset Books for Younger Kids
With younger children, encouraging a growth mindset is best done through engaging stories that will help them reflect on their own experiences. The best growth mindset books for this age group...
Children’s Books About Multiculturalism in Britain
If you are looking for books that explore British society from a multicultural perspective, this list of children’s books about multiculturalism in Britain is for you. I don’t claim that...
Books for helping children manage friendship problems
Learning how to recognise a good friend (and how to be one) is an important part of childhood. All children experience some ups and downs in friendships. Parents can play an important role in helping...
Helping children with friendship problems
Helping children with friendship problems is all about listening and empowering and very little about giving advice. There are some clear Do’s and Don’ts. But before we get to those,...
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...
Getting teenagers into a routine
Getting teenagers into a routine is a topic that frequently comes up in my discussions with parents of teenagers. And especially so during the run up to exams. It can be hard to know when to just...
Helping children set goals
Helping children set goals has huge benefits for their self-esteem. It also teaches them an essential life skill that underpins much academic and workplace success. And, at a time of huge...
Supporting children through exams
Whether your child is 8 or 18, tests and exams can be a stressful time. Supporting children through exams is all about reducing stress, optimising well-being and putting good study processes in...
Parents and the zone of proximal development (ZPD)
The Zone of Proximal Development – it’s a bit of a mouthful but, bear with me, this is something all parents need to know about. The ZPD is a grand term for a simple idea that can really...
How to feed your child to support their learning (by Jo Travers)
Guest post by Jo Travers BSc RD Supporting children’s learning is a key concern for modern parents. But developing good homework habits and helping children learn their spellings and times tables...
Top 10 starting school books (for preparing children for school)
Getting ready to start school has very little to do with the alphabet and lots to do with practical and emotional preparation (see School readiness skills for pre-schoolers). Their first day at...
How to support teens and tweens to become better students (by Lucy Parsons)
Guest post by Lucy Parsons We all want our children to make the most of their education. However, when you watch a teenager diligently putting hours into their revision only to be rewarded with less...
When homework threatens self-esteem, it’s time to take stock
One of the things I find hard as a parent is balancing the desire for my children to fulfil their potential academically with looking after their wider needs such as wellbeing and emotional...
Talking to children about sex, bodies and relationships: resource list
Lots of parents find talking to children about sex, bodies and relationships difficult. But not talking about those topics can send out a powerful message. Feeling that certain bits of their body...
The importance of school readiness skills for preschoolers
Contrary to popular belief, being able to read, write or do arithmetic are the least important skills that a pre-schooler needs in order to be ready to start school. In fact, only 4% of teachers rate...