Thinking parenting Blog
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
“My family are constantly judging my parenting”
I had a really interesting session with one of my one-to-one clients recently about how to manage perceived ‘judginess’ from wider family about your parenting style and decisions. The...
How to be a present and connected parent after a day at work
Being a present and connected parent after a long day at work isn’t easy. Summoning up the energy to listen and engage whilst simultaneously locating lost Sports Kit, making sure the kids have done...
How to have better weekends with children
It might be that you already have fantastic weekends with your family – in which case, do leave a comment below to share your secret! However, I know from personal experience that weekends with...
Gaining career clarity as a working parent
This is a guest post by career coach Ayesha Murray Becoming a parent changes the way we see the world. Our values, beliefs and priorities are all subject to scrutiny as we review what’s now...
The pitfalls of work/family blending
Looking back over the horrors of the pandemic, the one bright spot many working parents remember was the opportunity to spend more time with our children. Yes, as time went on and schools were closed...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
Wellbeing snacks: the answer to parental burnout?
Spoiler alert: wellbeing snacks are nothing to do with food. There are no pastries or packets of crisps in this article. And I won’t be giving you permission to eat chocolate (unless it’s...
The efficiency trap
In my book, The Work/Parent Switch, I talk about the problem of ‘efficiency thinking’. The efficiency mindset is a task-oriented approach to time that is incredibly useful for getting...
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...
Balancing work and parenting when working from home
Working from home has lots of advantages. There’s no commute, you can be much more available for unexpected family circumstances, and the uniform is a lot comfier! But that blending of work and...
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...
How to work from home and look after children at the same time
Working from home sounds like a great idea. There’s no commute, no distractions, you can dress down and you’ll never miss the postman. But what if you have to work from home and look...
If you want to stay calm, step into your child’s shoes
I found myself crying in the car last night. Truly blubbering. I had just dropped my teenage son off at his girlfriend’s house – well, around the corner from her house. I’d pulled...
Why positive parenting makes you happier
A key principle of positive parenting is noticing the good stuff and trying to make a bit more of it happen. For children, this can have a truly transformative effect. When parents notice what their...
Self-care ideas for busy parents
I woke up this morning with a hideous cold so today feels like exactly the right day to be writing about self-care ideas for busy parents. When you are a parent (especially a working parent),...