My 14-year-old son avoids socialising with groups his own ageAsk the Expert: The key is to help your son find activities that he enjoys and is good at, when he is likely to feel much more comfortable and to meet children like himMon Aug 26 2024 - 06:01
‘Our daughter blames us for not realising years ago that she was autistic’Ask the Expert: She was diagnosed recently, aged 23. We did our best as struggling parents, but sometimes we did mess up and shout at herMon Aug 12 2024 - 06:01
‘We will be going through divorce very soon and have not told our children’Ask the Expert: Don’t view ‘telling the children’ as a single conversation, but rather as an opening up of communication between all of youMon Jul 29 2024 - 06:01
‘My lovely, clever, kind nine-year-old daughter seems to have low self-esteem’Ask the Expert: Having low self-esteem involves a lifelong journey learning to love and accept yourself as ‘good enough’Mon Jul 15 2024 - 06:01
‘My 11-year-old daughter cannot tolerate the sound of her sister’s breathing or the voices of her mother and teacher’Ask the Expert: I think she has developed misophonia, and it causes her huge distressMon Jul 01 2024 - 06:01
Homework: ‘Within a few minutes of reading, despite me trying to help, my daughter will start screaming’Ask the Expert: Many informed primary schools opt out of homework in early years and support parents to become involved in children’s learning in other waysMon Jun 17 2024 - 06:01
‘My 11-year-old son needs help with rejection sensitivity’Ask the Expert: He is extremely self-conscious, gets very upset by perceived criticism and can’t take correctionMon Jun 03 2024 - 05:31
My 19-year-old college-going son is depressed and anxiousAsk the Expert: Do you think my son needs to go to see a psychiatrist?Mon May 20 2024 - 06:01
‘My four-year-old is having nightmares and tantrums in the middle of the night’Ask the Expert: He was sick with flu and was having nightmares and so we have been letting him into the bed with usMon May 06 2024 - 06:01
How to advocate for and empower your neurodivergent childThe final article in a special six-part series on parenting exceptional children - a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent childrenMon Apr 15 2024 - 06:01
Parenting exceptional children: Managing challenges and problem-solving as issues ariseArticle five in a special six-part series – a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent childrenMon Apr 08 2024 - 06:00
Many parents find themselves in unnecessary battles trying to get their children to fit certain normsParenting exceptional children: article four in a special six-part series - a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent childrenMon Apr 01 2024 - 05:31
Some children try to mask or camouflage their differences to fit inParenting Exceptional Children: Third in a six-part series focuses on a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent childrenMon Mar 25 2024 - 06:01
‘Your neurodivergent child might be good at maths and struggle to tie their shoelaces’Parenting Exceptional Children: The second in a special six-part series — a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent childrenTue Mar 19 2024 - 06:01
A strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent childrenParenting exceptional children: Society does not yet fully embrace neurodivergent communication, learning stylesMon Mar 11 2024 - 06:01
‘My 14-year-old is struggling with study and homework. Her teachers think she might have ADHD’Ask the Expert: She is a bright girl but she gets so stressed about studyMon Feb 26 2024 - 06:01
‘My two-year-old daughter won’t let me out of her sight’Ask the Expert: What can I do to help her settle at night without me?Mon Feb 12 2024 - 06:01
‘I think my husband has a problem with alcohol, but he says he’s just managing his stress’Ask the Expert: Even if someone does not identify their alcohol use as a problem, it can be a serious issue for their familyMon Jan 29 2024 - 05:31
‘My four-year-old boy loves the playground so much we can’t get him to leave’Ask the Expert: He will promise to leave only to run back and go to the top of the climbing frameMon Jan 15 2024 - 05:31
‘I find this hard to admit, but I love my daughter more than my son’Ask the Expert: It is generally best to honestly face such feelings so you can understand themMon Jan 01 2024 - 06:01
‘My 10-year-old daughter is very quiet and we think she may be autistic’Ask the Expert: Taking time to consider whether your child may be autistic might yield a better understanding of their needs. Also, there is a growing positive identity around being autisticMon Dec 11 2023 - 06:01
‘My 11-year-old son hates going to school and always complains of being tired’Ask the Expert: ‘His teacher says he is very bright and able, though often switched off or daydreaming in the class’Mon Nov 27 2023 - 06:01
‘How do I stop my 18-year-old son smoking so much weed?’Ask the Expert: The first step is to get informed about the risks of drug taking so you know what to watch out for and how you can respondMon Nov 13 2023 - 06:01
‘How will my daughter be affected when we move house?’Ask the Expert: It is right to weigh up all aspects of your decision carefully and to think through how to manage it well for your daughterMon Oct 30 2023 - 06:01
‘My five-year-old son will not use the toilet’Ask the Expert: My boy can’t explain why he can’t use the toilet. But I know autistic children can … hate changes of routineMon Oct 16 2023 - 06:01
‘Would it help my son if I got an ADHD diagnosis too?’Ask the Expert: When parents embark on a journey of ADHD assessment and getting help for their child, it can usually mean the start of a wider family journeyMon Oct 02 2023 - 06:01
‘My son is gifted but really hates going to school’Ask the Expert: ‘He looks really down in the dumps most days and I worry about him’Mon Sept 18 2023 - 05:31
‘My 14-year-old son has become really dependent on his phone’Ask the Expert: 'In the heat of a row, I did remove his phone, and this sparked a serious meltdown'Mon Sept 04 2023 - 05:31
At what age should I give my child a mobile phone?Ask the Expert: Having a rule of ‘no phone until secondary school’ is a very reasonable goal, though frequently this decision is not just an individual family oneMon Aug 21 2023 - 06:01
‘My four-year-old son is on a long waiting list for an autism assessment’Ask the Expert: ‘He is due to start school in September but I don’t know when he will be assessed’Mon Aug 07 2023 - 05:31
‘My son who is six years old is an extremely fussy eater and may have an eating disorder’Ask the Expert: If I do try to push him to eat foods, he gets very agitated and it sets him backMon Jul 24 2023 - 05:01
‘My 12-year-old son wants to start posting videos on YouTube’Ask the Expert: ‘I worry about whether it is a good idea. Once the videos are on the internet they will be there forever’Mon Jul 10 2023 - 05:31
‘My 10-year-old daughter says she is fat and needs to go on a diet’Ask the Expert: ‘Her closest friend is quite skinny so I wonder if she is comparing herself to this girl’Mon Jun 26 2023 - 06:01
‘My daughter struggles to make friends and is anxious going to school. Could she be autistic?’Ask the Expert: I came across an article on autism and it was like a light-bulb momentMon Jun 12 2023 - 05:31
‘My son never talks about school. Should I be worried?’Ask the Expert: Rather than having the goal of your son telling you about his school day, focus on creating a non-pressured after-school routineTue May 30 2023 - 06:01
‘My 12-year-old daughter won’t do anything she is told to do’Ask the Expert: When helping your PDA child the first step is to adopt a positive a compassionate understanding stance towards themMon May 15 2023 - 05:31
‘My five-year-old daughter can be really bossy. I don’t think this is a good thing’Ask the Expert: When I try to intervene, she does not respond wellMon May 01 2023 - 06:01
‘My son has no problem mixing with girls but has difficulty interacting with other boys’Ask the Expert: My son, who is 12, has spoken about feeling his life is not worth living and can be very negative in outlookMon Apr 17 2023 - 06:01
‘Should we let our 16-year-old son drink at home with us?’Ask the Expert: Evidence suggests this tactic doesn’t work so make sure to set your rules and preferences clearlyMon Apr 03 2023 - 05:31
‘My 12-year-old daughter has been ghosted by her friends’Ask the Expert: It’s important that you nurture your daughter as she navigates this painful experienceMon Mar 20 2023 - 05:31
‘My daughter freaks out when there is a sudden change to a plan or routine’Ask the Expert: Routines are important for most families, and for some children predictable routines are crucialMon Mar 06 2023 - 05:01
‘My seven-year-old son is very defiant and oppositional’Ask the Expert: Managing oppositional behaviour is challenging and it takes time to find responses and routines to cope wellMon Feb 20 2023 - 06:01
‘My children have not settled in to our new blended family. Should I consider moving us out?’ Ask the Expert: Blended families can work well, but it takes a lot of sensitivity and patienceTue Feb 07 2023 - 05:31
‘Our five-year-old son lashes out at us, screaming and trying to hit us, almost every day’Ask the Expert: We have started trying to restrain him to stop him hitting us, and sending him to his room, but he just plays happily there on his ownMon Jan 23 2023 - 06:01
‘My 16-year-old daughter is finding it hard to make friends in secondary school’Ask the Expert: Being quieter can have drawbacks, especially when you are trying to make friends as a teenager in school, and can lead to social anxiety and stressMon Jan 09 2023 - 05:01
‘My 11-year-old son says he has ‘bad thoughts’ in his head that he can’t control’Ask the Expert: ‘He has never been in trouble in school and is the last child you would think would hit out or get into a fight’Tue Dec 27 2022 - 06:01
‘My 12-year-old son is struggling in secondary school’Ask the Expert: Should I let him miss the odd day of school when he is stressed?Mon Dec 12 2022 - 06:01
‘My three-year-old son is constantly hitting his younger brother’Ask the Expert: ‘I give out to him and that does not work, he just starts screaming too. What can I do?’Mon Nov 28 2022 - 05:31
‘How can I help my teenage daughter accept that having a chronic illness is part of her life?’Ask the Expert: Moving to a position of serenity about the things you can’t change is not an easy feat and takes timeMon Nov 14 2022 - 06:01
‘How can I respond maturely to my seven-year-old daughter’s fussiness and controlling nature?’Ask the Expert: It is normal to have battles of wills with a child. What matters is how you respond to these clashesMon Oct 31 2022 - 05:31
