One Starfish at a Time: Why Small Actions Matter in Parenting.

    Here is one of my very favourite stories from my never ending notebook and everlasting coloured pencil. The Starfish Story One day, as I was walking along a beautiful stretch of beach, the waves gently lapping at the shore, I noticed a young boy in the distance. He was bending down, picking something […]

Text, Tweet, Protect: Confronting Cyberbullying Head-On

  Cyberbullying in 2025 In today’s digital age, technology connects young people like never before. According to a 2024 Pew Research study, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone, and nearly half say they are online “almost constantly.” With instant messaging, social media, gaming chats, and mobile apps, young people are always connected — […]

The Sue Atkins Wednesday Story: Failing Forward

Here’s your Wednesday story from my never ending notebook and everlasting  coloured pencil. Failing Forward “You can never learn less, you can only learn more. The reason I know so much is because I have made so many mistakes” ~ Buckminster Fuller – Mathematician and Philosopher who never graduated from University but received 46 honorary […]

The Sue Atkins Wednesday Story

Here’s a story from my never ending notebook and everlasting  coloured pencil   The Lost Horse A horse with no identifying marks wandered into a farmyard. The farmer’s young son said he’d take the responsibility for returning the horse to its owner. The boy mounted the horse, urged it towards the road and let it […]

Topic of The Month. Talking to your teenager about drugs.

“So what do we do? Anything – something. So long as we don’t just sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we’ve satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.”                                                 ~ Lee Iacocca Former Chairman of Chrysler Corporation Communication is essential at any stage of […]

How Do You Spend The Time You Have In Jelly Beans?

    In keeping with my work/life balance Power Hour Talks that I give to organisations here is a truly lovely short video to help you master your time…. It’s a busy, stressful and overwhelming world at times so take a couple minutes to get your life back into perspective. Stop, breathe deeply and slowly […]

“GUILT – The “BIG G” and gremlin of parenting !

  I’m writing out the marketing materials for some talks I’ll be giving in London to businesses called “Lunch and Learn” bite sized talks for 45 minutes on a wide range of topics as parenting is such a vast subject isn’t it, and one of the many that I cover is, “GUILT – The “BIG […]

Positive Parenting: Teaching Kids About Consequences Aged 6-9 Years.

Credit: Character Education Children aged 6-9 are developing a stronger sense of independence and fairness. At this stage, they start to understand how actions have consequences. Positive parenting focuses on teaching kids to take responsibility for their choices in a way that promotes growth and learning, rather than simply punishing misbehaviour. Here are practical ideas […]

Tips for Shopping With Toddlers at Christmas.

  I think Christmas shopping and shopping generally with toddlers, is given a bad press! With a little bit of planning and some common sense there are many practical ways to take the stress, frustration and tension out of buying your father- in – law his annual socks and festive tie!  Remember that small children […]

Are you a Christmas Martyr?

I was sitting in Costa Coffee  the other day  in Bluewater and I heard a group of women moaning about how stressful Christmas is with all the present buying, food shopping, wrapping and writing all the Christmas cards. And it got me pondering …… Why do some women take the role of martyr in their lives? […]

For A Minute! The Technique That Will Change Everything

I bet you’ve had your child ask you many times  to read a book or play a game and I bet you’ve said, “In a minute.” This usually sets you up to forget the request and you may end up not doing what you told your child you would do, which damages your relationship and […]

A New Chance To Live Life To The Full

“IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER” I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the “good” living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted […]

Honouring the Past, Embracing the Present: Elderly Parent Appreciation

I took my Auntie Betty out on Tuesday as she had  a stroke last November and doesn’t go very far these days. We went for a stroll in Dulwich Park and had lunch in the Pavilion Café. It was special. I used to play with my cousins on Sunday afternoons in Dulwich Park with my […]