The concept of “me time” can be laughable and guilt-inducing for many busy mums. But it’s a healthy, necessary part of modern parenting. It’s not selfish – it’s self-care and vital to help you cope with living with kids! I coach loads of mums and dads around balancing their lives as most of us put […]
‘The New Digital Divide’ is digital wellness — which means responsible and healthy relationships with technology — all part of overall children & student wellbeing which is an essential 21st-century skill. It is not uncommon that children spend 6 to 8 hours on digital screens every day. Some children are taught knowledge and skills necessary […]
My husband is in Ireland visiting his Mum’s grave with his 94 year old Dad. Judy died during the pandemic , not due to Covid but due to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. My father in law Arthur looked after her at home for 10 years and after her funeral we all went to Ireland to […]
Much of our lives is spent in reaction to others and to events around us. The problem is that these reactions might not always be the best course of action, and as a result, they can make our children, ourselves and those around us unhappy, and can make things worse for everyone & often […]
Top tips to move house with children. “Will moving my 6 year to another town permanently damage her?” Here are some ideas to help 1. Take a some time to get really clear in your own mind about what you want to say to them to reassure them. Imagine where you’ll be – in the […]
Handling change is one of life’s greatest challenges and is a major element in my work with parents. My passion is to help parents handle change positively and with clarity, direction and confidence. Change is inevitable and although it’s perfectly natural to resist the changes in your life and feel overwhelmed and anxious about them, […]
I’ve been asked by BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester this week to comment on some ideas to make the half term more fun and enjoyable and it got me pondering about the language we use to describe holiday time. If you think it will be looooong, full of whining about “being bored” and stressful […]
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 stepfamily models and stepchildren have to come to terms with lots of […]
I am a real advocate of families sitting down and eating together as it creates a bond, a connection and makes life fun. Kids can chat about their day, their worries or just spend time with you, and you can share your life with them in a easy and natural way simply through sitting down […]
Let a series of happy thoughts run through your mind. They will show on your face. ~ Norman Vincent Peale 1898-1993, Author of The Power of Positive Thinking
As a former Deputy Head and class teacher for 22 years I read with interest the article in the Daily Telegraph about 15,000 teachers being off sick from school every day. I often coach teachers and Senior Management Teams on leadership skills and I see many highly stressed teachers battling paperwork, insolent kids, disaffected parents […]
I remember being rung up on a Bank Holiday Monday by a Polish journalist last year, asking me my opinion on some new tracking device that tracks children through their mobile phone as well as talking on The Jeremy Vine Show on Channel 5 about the pros and cons. I told her I didn’t […]
Life long teenage sweethearts are an endangered species according to findings which turns the spotlight on the differences between the generations apparently. “Childhood Sweetheart” conjures up something magical doesn’t it as if the relationship is defying the usual scientific laws? Think Jamie and Jools Oliver, Wayne and Colleen Rooney, Jessica Ennis and Andy Hill (long-term […]
I’m delighted to have been invited to write some articles for Dad Info – a wonderful website for Dads and Step Dads. Today here is my article on what the Americans call ‘Blended Families’ but what I like to call ‘Slow Burning Casserole Families’ 🙂 ‘Bringing together two separate families is a process, not an […]
I’m always encouraging my parents to create their own family traditions from bike rides to bowling, from having a film night in with popcorn to having a Sunday Lunch together as it builds memories that last a lifetime. I also love exploring and I came upon this really interesting article about parenting traditions from different cultures around the world […]
