Motherly advice takes on a whole new resonance during the teenage years but never more so than when a parent-free holiday looms on the horizon. I have written before about teenagers holidaying abroad and the fear that strikes at the heart of every mother, but just as going…
View PostThere are many milestones in life but none more memorable than your first relationship. It provides a footprint for the way forward and the impression it leaves is significant. Mine was at the tender age of 15 years old. I was on a French exchange trip from…
View PostTalking is a big part of our family life. Whatever direction our teens are taking on their route to adulthood and however nervous I might feel sometimes I take comfort from the chats we have. Tonight was no exception. My daughter is an extraordinary young woman. She has…
View PostA mother’s love is an undisputed guarantee that travels the test of time but there are moments when it is tested to its limits and how we respond says a lot as to its value. My eldest is close to completing his second year at university but his…
View PostA fellow parenting blogger asked me recently what the biggest challenge of parenting teenagers is compared to the younger years. My answer was quite simply, learning to give up control. I say learning because it does not come naturally as a mother to let go, it takes not…
View PostChristmas is a time for family. What does your family mean to you? Can you put a value on it? Do you put them above anything else and where do you draw the line in terms of loyalty and commitment? After all we all have a breaking point.…
View PostDebate, discussion and disagreement – are the dreaded 3D’s that come with the territory of parenting teenagers. More frequent, more intense and without doubt louder and more animated. How to navigate them successfully can only be described as work in progress and remains a mystery for us all. …
View PostDid you ever feel left out as a teenager? My teen years are long gone but I still vividly remember those days when I was struck by the FOMO curse and agonised silently about not being part of the cool crowd. I am sure we all know the…
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