Thinking parenting Blog
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,...
What to say when children are worried
It can be really difficult for parents to know what to say when children are worried. We desperately want to make them feel better as quickly as possible – but supporting an anxious child takes...
My daughter is self-harming
“My daughter is self-harming and I don’t know how to help. I can’t understand why she’s doing it. Is this something she has copied from friends? I’m a single dad and no...
How to be a resilient family
Five features of a resilient family and the most helpful habits you can cultivate to boost family resilience during tough times. 1. Positive mindset Resilient families tend to have a can-do attitude...
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...
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...
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...
How to discipline a teenager?
Parenting a teenager can feel very disempowering. Discipline strategies we used when they were younger just don’t work any more. We can’t put them on the naughty step or make them go to...
How to praise to build children’s self-esteem
Praise helps build children’s self-esteem when it is specific and believable and when it helps children interpret their failures positively. Here’s an ultra-quick video guide on how to...
How naming emotions builds children’s emotional resilience
Emotional resilience is the ability to bounce back from hard moments, face challenges and cope with stressful events. Naming emotions is a really important step in building children’s emotional...
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...
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...
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...
Activities to build children’s confidence
My original idea for this post was to write a summer bucket list of fun activities to build children’s confidence and inspire them to believe “I can do hard things!” However, to be...
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,...
Ensuring a balanced childhood in the digital age
Now, I am in no way anti-screens. As a parent, technology has been invaluable for helping my children learn, keeping them entertained, staying in touch with distant family and keeping them safe when...
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...
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...
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,...
Helping young children make friends
Helping young children make friends involves some thoughtful conversations and as many opportunities for learning and practice as possible. Here are some practical tips for parents of little ones to...
What is an accidental reward?
Children are active participants in their own learning and development. One of the ways they learn is through action and reaction – through the direct consequences of their actions. If their...
Books to inspire children to be adventurous
When I was seven, my favourite pastime was planning adventures with the kids who lived in my lane. We would put together Adventure Kits (these usually involved string and snacks!) and head off into...
Balancing safety and independence in children’s lives
When it comes to balancing safety and independence in children’s lives, we live in an era when risk-averse parenting is the norm. Children now spend more time being supervised by adults, more...
How positive affirmations can boost children’s confidence
This is a guest post by Chrissy Brown, founder of Young Positive Minds. In this post, she explains how positive affirmations can help build children’s confidence and self-esteem and how parents...
Using ‘mental gym’ to support children with anxiety
The principle of mental gym is quite simple. It is a way of practising different thought patterns in order to develop more flexible thinking and break out of negative responses. Mental gym is...