Are you making this really common parenting mistake?

September 2016 Newsletter from The Positive Parenting Project

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Are you doing too much for your children?

September 2016

The theme of this month's newsletter is how we can help children to become independent and capable. The end of summer and the start of a new school year is a great time to reassess and make resolutions. It's also a hectic time when parents can often feel anxious about changes in children's lives. Over-parenting and doing too much for our children is a real temptation. Here are a few thoughts on how we might do a little less and encourage our children to do a little more. The Positive Parenting Project

Surviving the Back to School rush
UK parents spend a staggering 10 days getting ready for a new school year - and that's before the 14 hours a week spent on home-and-kids chores once the term gets going. If back to school means back to not-enough-hours-in-the-day then here are a few ideas to help you do a little less and to restore sanity in the Back to School period and beyond. Read more

Morning meltdowns
Mornings can be hellish for parents with young children. Tantrums, lost shoes, last minute costume requests - getting everyone out of the house on time can feel like herding unco-operative cats. There's so much to do and so little time and being late is not an option. So what can you do to avoid those morning meltdowns? Read more

Teenagers' bedrooms: how messy is too messy?
So, just what level of tidiness is it reasonable for parents to expect in a teenager's bedroom? Should we just let them have their own space and respect their decisions (no matter how untidy it gets)? Or is it important to instil good cleanliness habits? When does promoting independence become allowing disrespect? Bedrooms are a thorny issues for parents of teenagers! Read more...

Is your child ready to stay home alone?
The decision on when your child is ready to be left home alone is not always straightforward. The most important thing is to sit down together and go through the risks and clarify the rules. This will help you gauge their level of readiness. What could go wrong? Would they know what to do about it? Check out these tips on what you need to think about. Read more

Tackling separation anxiety
There is nothing worse than howls of distress and protest when you walk away from your child. But what causes separation anxiety? What's normal? Do children grow out of it? What can parents do to help? This handy guide with practical tips is a must-read for parents with little ones who don't like being left. Read more

Parenting coaching for busy parents
If you would like to know more about positive parenting, why not check out our online parenting course, individual coaching and parenting self-help workbooks.

Catch up on these previous editions of The Positive Parenting Project newsletter:

Summer reading list (July 2016): inspire your children with a love of books and catch up on some essential parenting reading
Managing emotions (May 2016): helping children recognise and express their emotions and tackling negative thinking
Positive parenting for every eventuality (April 2016): a round up of essential positive parenting strategies for tots, tiddlers, tweens and teens
Positive co-parenting (February 2016): tips for working as a team with your co-parent, whether you are together or apart
Parenting without shouting (December 2015): encouraging co-operation, communicating with teenagers and what to do when parents disagree
Balancing work and family (November 2015): practical parenting solutions to improve your work-life balance and make the most of time with your children
Supporting learning and development (October 2015) - ideas to boost reading skills, handling homework and tips to get them talking
Children's brains (July 2015) - what every parent needs to know about children's brains to decode their behaviour and support learning

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The Positive Parenting Project is a social enterprise that promotes positive long term outcomes for children by supporting parents/carers to use effective parenting strategies and create a family environment that meets everyone's needs.