I’ve been interviewed a great deal about the phenomenon often called the “Middle Child Syndrome,” which tries to explain how birth order affects every aspect of a child’s life. Dr. Alfred Adler, an Austrian psychoanalyst, first brought the effect of birth order to light. He suggested that birth order has a strong effect & influence […]
I’ve just been interviewed on BBC Woman’s Hour with Anita Rani about chores, pocket money and teaching kids about working & earning. If it feels like you are the one bearing the brunt of domestic chores in your home it may be time to share the load – with your children. Giving kids […]
Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” ~ Benjamin Franklin 1706-1790, Scientist, Publisher and Diplomat Do you feel like you’re always wading knee-deep through your teenager’s piles of discarded clothes, dirty glasses, crisp packets […]
Stepfamilies have a bad image. Think of Snow White’s jealous stepmother or Cinderella’s ugly sisters or at the other end of the spectrum, picture the unrealistically positive stepfamily, such as the Brady Bunch. But real life is more complicated that either of those blended family models and children have to come to […]
I’ve been coaching a lovely Mum who’s been finding her 13 year old daughter very challenging recently with her attitude and it got me thinking about the power of our emotions which can either create or break the connections of family harmony. As a parent you probably find, like me, that you sometimes compete and […]
Trust is the key. Autonomy means a lot more than simply growing up. It’s also having the self-confidence to do, and to try, certain things, which fosters & develops your child’s independence, and it also means developing the ability to think and act for themselves. By becoming autonomous, and therefore becoming more detached from you […]
Would you like your kids to cooperate easily, effortlessly and without shouting? Would you like to stop the daily battles? Would you like to teach your kids valuable life skills while developing their independence? If the answer is “yes” then read on ! I have just written an article for National Family Week’s Fun Magazine […]
Respect is the key energy of any happy family, community or society and it is one of the most important things you can teach your child. But R-E-S-P-E-C-T is even more difficult to teach than to define, but I think respect is an attitude and a mindset and of course one of the […]
I speaking on BBC Radio York about ‘Boomerang Kids’ Here are my thoughts …. Student debt, the high cost of housing, and a general lengthening of adolescence (itself, a result of growing life expectancy) are all contributing to the new phenomenon of boomerang kids – the 20 or 30 somethings who move back in […]
The most important gift you can give your child is the gift of self esteem. Self-esteem is how you rate yourself deep down. It is a belief and a confidence in your own ability and value. It’s a gentle knowing that: you like yourself. you think you’re a good human being. you deserve love. […]
I’m honoured to be featured as the Luminary today at http://InspireMeToday.com. Get inspired by me today at http://InspireMeToday.com & I hope you enjoy my 500 words of wisdom! “If I could share 500 words to inspire, this is the important wisdom I’d want to pass along to others… For me, there’s more to life than […]
It’s Father’s Day here in the UK and I always miss my wonderful Dad as he was just such a wonderful person, charismatic, kind, thoughtful, funny and great, great fun. From my Dad I learnt my values, my confidence, my tenacity. From my Dad I learnt compassion, finding the balance in everything from studying, working, […]
Despite divorce being on the increase around the world, parents often feel at a loss when searching for practical support. They also feel overwhelmed, confused, afraid, resentful, or completely frozen in panic about how to handle the changes in their family’s way of life. Sometimes this fear manifests itself as animosity, which turns the whole […]
I always remind my clients that going through a Divorce is a process NOT an event and I firmly believe that it is similar to the grieving process described by the eminent American Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying, that was inspired by her work with terminally ill patients. […]
I have been working with two families going through the process of divorcing and what has struck me is how the news that Mummy & Daddy are separating can vary depending on the age of the children. How the news hits a 3 year old is very different to how an 11 year […]
A Practical Guide
A calm, practical starter guide from Sue Atkins to help you handle smartphones, social media, gaming, sleep and online pressure — without rows or panic.
Download the free scripts and tips here.
