Thinking parenting Blog
How to talk to children about anxiety and stress
Learning how to talk to children about anxiety and stress in a way that they understand is a really useful skill for parents to learn. This quick 3-minute video talks about using imagery that appeals...
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 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...
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 around exams and during the recent coronavirus homeschooling /...
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...
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...
Helping children settle back into school post-lockdown
By the time schools reopen in the UK for the new academic year, many children will have been out of school for nearly six months. And many parents are worried about helping children settle back into...
How a snow globe can help children self soothe
Young children find abstract concepts difficult. So words like ‘anxiety’ or ’emotion’ can be a bit baffling to them. What do those words actually mean? And how do they help?...
Mindfulness apps for children and teens
The lifting of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions is positive news in terms of wider opportunities for children to play and reconnecting with friends and family. But many parents and professionals are...
Finger breathing – how to calm anxious children
If you have ever tried to tell a young child who is in the grip of a big emotion to “Calm down,” you will know that often doesn’t work. Children need much more concrete strategies...
Socially distanced games: ideas!
Not being able to play with friends has been tough for children during the coronavirus lockdown. Young children are programmed to play. Play fuels their development and it is through play that they...
Growing resilience through play (by Susie Robbins)
This is a guest post by Susie Robbins There is a lovely saying that I regularly repeat to my children: “Mistakes are proof that you have tried.” When we make mistakes, it is easy to give...