The first time Ruby’s brother had a tantrum, she looked aghast and covered her ears. ‘Mum,’ she shouted, I DON’T LIKE THAT NOISE. STOP IT! STOP IT!’ I knew exactly how she felt. When a toddler or baby cries, there’s something in you that starts flashing. High alert, sirens wailing – a burst of panic that spreads across your body. Half of you wants to run away and the other half wants to join in the screaming. Neither works. Here’s what …Read More
Some things to consider if you think your child might be struggling with their mental health… Is your child’s behaviour age-appropriate? Has it changed recently? What about the basics: eating, sleeping, communication? Every child is unique; so comparisons can often be unhelpful. However, there’s a difference between a 2 year-old having a melt-down and a 10 year-old doing the same thing. Listen to your guts – you know what’s normal for them and what feels wrong. Keep a diary of …Read More
Back to school – for some, it’s great. But for others, (parents/carers and kids), it’s a nightmare. So what can you do to help an anxious child? Recognise that fear takes different forms. For one child it’s an obsession with getting everything ‘right’ … for another, indifference and refusal to try. As adults, we can take a step back. What is the child communicating with their behaviour? Are they trying to get attention because they need reassurance? Are they opting …Read More
I love this post from Glen… The frown, the pout, the head cocked, the bottom lip thrust out… who teaches toddlers how to sulk? It’s not a look we’ve tried to inculcate. It must be some kind of primeval muscle memory. Down the generations, identical whinges have emerged from three year olds, like secret lemon juice messages becoming visible under the iron. Children are marked with the sulking signature. When the heat is on, out it comes. Sometimes, if it’s …Read More
An incredible family – and an incredible story. Thank you James and Virag. “I received an email recently, with the subject “the words no parent ever wants to hear”. When I opened the email, to find the sender was a healthcare company making a trivial point about the suprise of running out of nappies, I was rather exasperated. Over the past three and a half years, I have heard too many things that no parent ever wants to hear. …Read More
Today’s guest post is from Jane, who is married with three children. Hannah (7) and Ben (5) are her birth children and she has recently adopted Star (4) who has Down’s Syndrome. Here’s her advice on helping birth siblings welcome a new arrival… 1. Involve birth children in the adoption conversation early We first discussed adoption with our birth children approximately two years before Star arrived. In fact we talked to them before we spoke to anyone else. At that …Read More
Guest post from Glen: How do you capture the grief of losing a five year old child? Ryan and Amy Green, a Christian couple from Colorado, made a game about it “That Dragon, Cancer“, which people are calling “the most profound videogame ever.” Since Emma showed it to me, I can’t stop thinking about it. It did not begin life as a memorial. The game was birthed while hopes were high for Joel’s healing. He had been diagnosed with brain cancer …Read More
My friend Alice has just written a stonking book about sharing Jesus with pre-schoolers. I asked her if she’d talk a bit about it – and her own relationship with God. Is her writing an expression of confident and overflowing spirituality? Or has it been part of the process of learning to walk with Him? You might be surprised by her answer… “Christian writers are people with unshakeable faith in God, right? Well, my first book has just come out and it’s all about Jesus – …Read More
After yesterday’s post, (things I’d like my child to know), I asked Glen what he would add. Here’s his list; You’re loved before you do anything – that’s why we baptised you when all you could do was lie there and receive it. You belong to Jesus before you belong to us – that’s why we baptised you, putting God’s name on you above every other name. You belong to church before you belong to any other earthly body – …Read More
The things I want to teach my child: 1. Jesus loves you. He’ll never leave you. He says you are precious and lovely and He even sings over you. He’s got great plans for you and He is trustworthy and more beautiful than anything else in the world. 2. It’s good to take and risks. It’s good to climb trees and rip your clothes and stand up for things other people don’t agree with. I’m proud of you for trying: that’s what really counts. …Read More
