So here you are at the end of term, those last few days when you are trying to get the runners and riders over the finishing line. In therapy they call it closure – that sense of all the threads being tied up, that there is nothing left to say and that everyone can move … Read more
Mmm… I do love good cup of coffee don’t you? And I especially enjoy one on a Saturday morning when it feels like the world just stops as I sit and sip. I can forget my ‘to do’ list and just breathe. Oh, and I also love a gin and tonic at the end of … Read more
Yes, it’s May already! Are you up to your eyes in SATS, Sports Days, transitions for Y6 and the next intake, end of term concerts, farewells for leaving staff and don’t really have time to read this newsletter? You are no doubt engaged in a complicated manoeuvre not unlike docking a space satellite to the mother … Read more
Question: A friend of my child has disclosed some personal information to her. She doesn’t know what to do with this info. Neither do I! But I feel I should do something. Help! You don’t say what area the information falls into so this reply will be in relation to commonly reported sensitive situations involving … Read more
Question: My child has started whining for things and about things. The sound just gets on my nerves. I know I am over-reacting. Got any ideas? Call it what you like- moaning, complaining, grumbling, bleating, belly-aching, being grumpy, griping and sounding querulous- it gets every parent’s attention and jangles your nerves. This grating voice is … Read more
Question: Should I shelter my child from talking about death, or should I discuss it head on? It is difficult to get this ‘right’ because death is one thing you cannot ‘put right’ and parents feel a real responsibility to make things right for their children. This is why we usually avoid children being caught … Read more
Question: My child answers back and it’s driving me crazy! Any suggestions? Back-chat is very frustrating and every parent reading this blog will be full of sympathy. It is a common problem. It stems partly from the child asserting their independence, exerting control and testing out the boundaries. The unspoken agenda is ‘How much will … Read more
Question: My child, aged 12, has a best friend and spends a lot of time at their house. I am Ok with this but I don’t really like some of the things that the friend’s parents allow. Recently, they left their son and my child in charge of the younger children while they went out. … Read more
Question: I’m so embarrassed. My child picks the worst time and place to make a scene. How do I react and manage this crisis? Answer: All parents have those moments when you want the ground to open up and swallow you. Usually this is when your child has behaved so badly or said something … Read more
Question: I think telling the truth is very important. This was stressed to me when I was little but my child lies and I don’t know how to get them out of it. Answer: We like to think that our children always tell the truth but the reality is that most children will experiment with … Read more