Parenting Questions
Your questions answered
Oct 15, 2024
Should I let my child attend sex education lessons at primary school?
First of all, try not to beat yourself about your decision (you obviously love your child and want the best for them), but I would ask you to think about the motivations behind your decision carefully. Sometimes in parenting, what feels like ‘doing the right’ thing might inadvertently put a child at greater risk.
Jun 03, 2024
How can I best support my son with changes to his class next year?
Firstly, it is normal to worry about changes that lie ahead for our children and to worry about their ability to cope. You aren’t alone. The start of a new academic year is always full of changes to school life. New classrooms perhaps? Timetables? Teachers, pupils, curricula, canteen menus? You sound like you are holding a lot of anticipatory anxiety about the changes that are forthcoming. These changes have likely been explained to you by the school, and perhaps you still feel fearful?
Apr 22, 2024
How can I support my teen through a break up?
Early teen romances can certainly feel exciting and exhilarating but most are also short-lived, and supporting our children through them is something we will likely have to do several times over the years to come. Here are some tips to help you to support your daughter.
Feb 13, 2024
How can I support my child’s move to a new school where he doesn’t know anyone?
Hello! Thanks for your question. When I was reading through it, the thing that stood out first was the description of your son as unconcerned about impending changes and “confident socially”. This is good news indeed and bodes well, although, as you suggest, it is prudent not to assume that he has zero concerns at all about the upcoming school move.
Aug 03, 2023
What do we need to consider when buying our child a smartphone?
First of all, well done considering this important decision ‘as a family’. Buying a first phone for a child can be a financial commitment but, truth be told, it’s also a decision that can impact on all aspects of their lives: mental health, wellbeing, resilience, friendships and even their learning. It is important to think of it as a significant decision which deserves research and reflection. A smartphone isn’t just a phone. Essentially, it is a hand-held computer that, once connected to the internet, can give access to a digital frontier occupied by five billion people.
Feb 17, 2023
What’s the best way to talk to my son about puberty and growing up?
We asked leading expert, Charlotte Markey, Professor of Psychology at Rutgers University, to answer this fantastic question from a Tooled Up mum. Charlotte has published numerous academic studies in this field and has also written two amazing books on body image for tweens and teens which we highly recommend. Details are at the bottom of the article.
Sep 05, 2022
How can I best support my son whilst my wife is going through treatment for breast cancer?
Thank you for your question. From the detail you supply in your email to me, it is crystal clear that this young man lives in a loving, warm and supportive family unit (perfect conditions to cultivate and sustain a child’s resilience). Your concern relates to the fact that your child is starting secondary school and that his mother’s treatment coincides with an important milestone in his life. I can understand why, at this particular time, you might worry a little more about this child than other children in the family.
Jul 02, 2022
How can I talk to my teenage daughter constructively about the clothes that she chooses to wear?
First of all, you have my sympathy in dealing with this issue. The question you pose is not an easy one to grapple with, and I know for sure that it is a question on other parents’ minds too as summer approaches. Everyone wants their child to grow up to be independent, self-assured and body confident, but also to stay safe. So, your intentions in both raising this question and wanting to explore optimal ways for talking to your teen about her clothing choices, are well-placed and timely.