I’ve been busy getting settling in my new job this week. As is the case in most workplaces these days, the majority of my time so far has been spent completing all the necessary training tasks. This got me thinking: what if the workplace policies, procedures and practices I’ve been ticking off the to-do list …
I’ve now been a parent for nine years so have experienced many highs and lows along the way. You may think that, after this long, the capacity for surprise would be somewhat limited. However, I’ve realised that there are a fair few things that I’m still not used to as a parent… Having three children …
Every now and then, I’m asked to take part in radio debates about parenting topics. It’s something I never imagined myself doing but that I enjoy nonetheless. This week, I appeared on two different BBC local channels – Kent and Three Counties, for the record – discussing the same topic. Namely, the demise of the …
I made an interesting discovery yesterday. I’m becoming a panda parent. I’ve heard of numerous nicknames for parenting approaches over the years but this was a new one on me. Coined by American author Esther Wojcicki, being a panda parent is about taking a more relaxed approach. That’s not to say it’s a licence to …
I was disappointed to read about a new Channel 4 show coming soon. Entitled Britain’s Best Parent? the five-episode series will enter the world of competitive parenting. It will pit various approaches against one another in front of a live audience to establish whether a perfect parenting philosophy exists. First of all, I think the …
I was dismayed to read about a celebrity dad recently suggesting that boys should hide their feelings. I believe we definitely should teach boys it’s okay to cry. Ant Middleton who presents Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins made the claim to Giovanna Fletcher on the Podcast Happy Mum, Happy Baby. He said that, if …
I was pleased to read about a four-year-old girl calling out LEGO City magazine for a lack of female representation. The daughter of the actor Samuel West noticed that, of the 29 characters who speak in the issue, only one was female and even then it was to agree with a man. The upshot is …
Oldest doesn’t like having his photo taken and has a knack of disappearing the moment a camera appears. I respect this, of course. Particularly as a large chunk of his life has been documented on this blog while he was too young to understand or, indeed, give permission. Now he’s getting older and more self-conscious, …
Disclosure: this is a paid collaboration. Are you saving enough for your kids’ future? I’ll put my hand up straight away and admit that I’m definitely not. I’m far from alone in that though, as recent research by Shepherds Friendly shows. Times are getting harder but there are so many things we have to save …
I’ve been down in the dumps lately. To be honest, I think most of us have. The weather has been bleak and the interminable Brexit gloom hasn’t helped either. As a result, I’ve been harder on myself than I normally am. Particularly with regards to my parenting skills. But, over the weekend, I realised something …