Thinking parenting Blog
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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,...
How to have good conversations with teens
When your teen is holed up in their bedroom most of the time (or has their eyes fixed on a screen), it’s tempting to rush at a conversation whenever we spot an opportunity. Here’s why...
How to boost your teen’s self-esteem
Telling a teen not to care what their friends think doesn’t work. If you want your teen to believe in themselves and bounce through the hurt and self-doubt of the teenage years, then criticising...
How to rush less and connect more with your kids
Do you find it hard to slow down and just be with your kids? Is your mind whirling with that unfinished To Do list even as you are trying to play or listen or connect with your kids? Do you leap on...
How to respond when children tell lies
Guest post by Victoria Talwar author of The Truth about Lying: Teaching Honesty to Children at Every Age and Stage (contains affiliate links*). “My child was standing before me and I could clearly...
Are smartphones harmful to teens?
Many parents feel instinctively that phones are somehow not 100% good for our teens. We worry that their constant checking, selfie-posting phone habit might be damaging their physical health, their...
8 Great Books About Modern Family Dynamics
I have chosen these 8 books about modern family dynamics because they include, explore and represent diverse aspects of modern family life. And they are all also a good read for anyone who is...
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,...
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...
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...