How to talk to children about scary world events
I know the world feels a scary place at the moment for a lot of our children and teens. Their minds and our own are understandably very focused on what is happening in Ukraine, and as result I am hearing from a lot of parents who are saying their child or teen is becoming increasingly […]
Rule-breaking and what it teaches our children
You could not escape the news these past several weeks of rule breaking. Whether it was the British government having a number of parties at 10 Downing Street (breaking UK lockdown rules), or tennis star Novak Djokovik’s visa application, and validity of his positive Covid test for The Australian Open. Whilst these news stories have […]
A letter to all ambitious mothers,
Dear Ambitious Mother, You don’t know me, but I know you. I see you at the school gates weighed-down with mum-guilt. I see the constant tug of war which goes on in your head – when you’re with your children you feel guilty you aren’t more present for work and when you are working you […]
What do all happy families have in common??
Some families just seem to exude happiness – almost Disney channel like perfect family happiness. Leaving the rest of us feeling as though our family-life is like a horror movie, with siblings who want to kill each other and lots of shouting!! Yet in lots of ways families are like organisations; when the teams are […]
Time to wake up! Athlete’s mental health challenges mirror societies
Mental health has taken centre-stage in recent months with high profile athletes Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, Ben Stokes and more recently Tyrone Mings talking candidly about their personal challenges, and prioritising their mental health over their sport. Whilst I herald their courage and willingness to be phenomenal role models, I cannot help feeling saddened we […]
Am I becoming cantankerous??
I reflect daily. I write a journal, and I’ve noticed a new theme in my writing. I’m grumbling a lot and it’s got me thinking – have I become a female version of Victor Meldrew?? For those of you too young to know – he was a character in a television sitcom who epitomised the […]
A summer of connection could prevent a mental health issue later
What a rollercoaster these past 18 months have been, particularly for our children! As we call time on school and lessons we might be tempted to heave a big sigh of relief and wish for a better September! I would urge you not to sit on your laurels in hopeful anticipation but to actively find […]
Why setting our boundaries helps us raise resilient children
I want to talk boundaries. We haven’t talked boundaries for a while. So let’s talk boundaries. My question to you is this, do you have boundaries, what are they, and do you regularly review them? Setting boundaries not only safeguards our time, it is also a form of self-care, as it’s a way of preserving […]
Raising Confident Children is a Grand Design Build
What does a television program about building homes have in common with raising happy, resilient, confident children? Scaffolding!! I like to use the scaffolding analogy to explain our role as parents in raising confident, resilient children and was delighted when I found Harold Koplewicz (a renowned psychiatrist and president of the Child Mind Institute) had […]
Why all the fuss about self-care???
I can already imagine the eye rolling, and your irritation with the oxygen mask analogy – so I promise not to go there. All I ask is you bear with me and read on, you’ll be glad you did. I have been banging the self-care drum for the past decade and during this time we […]