So, if you’re reading this, it’s likely that your kids have recently gone back to school and had a couple of weeks to settle in before the Eid break.  If you opted for a brand-new school this year, then it’s possible they haven’t even started yet or perhaps they...

There is so much information on the topic of technology and children and the really confusing thing is that it doesn’t all say the same thing!  On top of that, irrespective of what our personal views or beliefs are we now have schools insisting that children BYOD...

Boundaries – what is ok and what isn’t ok.  Be clear on what your boundaries are and focus on applying these consistently as this is how young children learn best.Role-model your boundaries to your children – how to be calm, how to use self-control, how to use...

During my 24 years as a parent what I’ve learnt is that at my core, I am a good mother and I know what my children need and am able to meet those needs.  The challenge I have faced and continue to face is that I am consciously choosing to parent in a different...

Do you dare to dream of meeting your hearts longing?  Can we dare as parents to talk about this with ourselves and our children or will we forever be stuck in the habit of talking about what they want to do when they grow up and what do they need to do now in...

When we continually try to push away the prickly emotions in favour of the pleasurable ones, we create a pattern of behaviour which reinforces that some emotions are to be avoided and some are to be clung onto.  Our constant search for happiness, peace or...

I struggled with my own adolescence, felt like I didn’t fit in, did many things I knew were wrong to try to fit in and felt very disconnected from my parents- that they just wouldn’t understand my life or how I was feeling.  I was also living as an expat from...

Non-striving is one of the 7 attitudes of Mindfulness but where does it fit into Mindful Parenting? When my children were smaller I remember thinking, "When they sleep through the night things will be better", "If I was calmer, they would be calmer", "I really want my...

Over the last 20 years I’ve spent a lot of time with anxious adolescents and what they’ve told me and what we know from a large number of studies on adolescents and anxiety, is the important influence you have as a parent.  Anxiety doesn’t always look like...

Conflict Is another opportunity to  Connect - with ourselves and others  To lean in and listen  Hold space Co-operate with the feelings or person instead of pushing away Do your children ever fight?  With their siblings, with you or with other...