Parenting
Things Kids and Teens Wish You Knew
Eight quiet truths your child has probably never said out loud — and the science that explains why hearing them could change everything. There is a conversation happening inside your child that you m
The Role of Routine in Building a Resilient Family
What do the most resilient families have in common? It’s not what you’d expect. It’s not that they never argue. It’s not that their kids never melt down, fail a test, or come home devastated after a
Your Teen Just Started Their Exam Year
Here's What They Actually Need From You. The school bags are packed, the timetables are set — and the pressure just got very real. Whether your child has just stepped into Year 11 facing GCSEs, or Y
Building Resilience in Teenagers
5 Practical Activities for the Modern World Let's be honest, raising teenagers has always been challenging, but parenting teens in 2026? That's a whole different ball game.
How to Build Resilience in Children (Ages 0-12)
5 Simple Daily Activities You know that moment when your kid's tower of blocks falls over for the third time, and instead of rebuilding it, they dramatically flop onto the floor declaring they'll "ne
When Your Child Becomes the Teacher
As our children grow, something unexpected happens: they begin teaching us too. Through their courage, independence and growing sense of self, they remind us about presence, acceptance, letting go and
What David Attenborough Has Taught Us About Parenting
What can emperor penguins, sea turtles, chimpanzees and cheetahs teach us about raising children? Quite a lot, it turns out. To celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday, we look back at a lif
The Year of Saying No (and Why It’s a Gift)
Learning to say “no” is an important part of growing up — but it can be surprisingly difficult in a world that often rewards people-pleasing and overcommitting. By modelling healthy boundaries and res
From Tantrums to Talk-Throughs
From toddler tantrums to teenage door slams, emotional regulation changes enormously as children grow. Understanding what is happening in their developing brain can help us respond with more connectio
Parenting on Empty – Rebuilding Your Emotional Reserves
Parents spend so much time looking after everyone else that their own needs can quickly fall to the bottom of the list. But looking after yourself isn’t separate from looking after your family. From r
Teens at Christmas: Balancing Family Time and Headspace
Christmas with teenagers can bring a strange mix of lovely family moments and firmly closed bedroom doors. As teens balance their growing need for independence with their need for connection and belon
When the Curtain Rises
There are moments when you suddenly see your teenager differently — not simply as your child, but as the young adult they are becoming. Watching her son take to the stage prompted Ashley to reflect on
Unmotivated or Overwhelmed?
When a teenager says “I’m not bothered,” it can sound like laziness, defiance or a lack of motivation. But behind the shrug there may be overwhelm, fear of failure, perfectionism or low self-worth. Un
Agency in Teens
We can’t predict exactly what the future will ask of our young people, but we can help them develop the confidence to navigate it. Agency — the belief that they can make choices, take action and influ
Off to Uni?
Sending your child off to university is a huge transition for both of you. Alongside the excitement and pride can come worry, grief and the strange realisation that your role as a parent is changing.
What My Podcast Didn’t Prepare Me For
We spend years helping our children become confident and independent — but nobody quite prepares us for the moment they prove they no longer need us in the same way. One unexpected trip to the injury
Why I’m Writing a Letter to My Daughter on Her 18th Birthday
How often do we actually tell our children everything we want them to know? Inspired by Stacey Dooley’s Dear Minnie, and with her daughter’s 18th birthday approaching, Ashley reflects on the power of
How to Explain Boundaries to Kids (and Why It Could Change Everything)
Boundaries are one of the most important life skills we can teach our children. From being able to say no to unwanted affection to protecting their time, emotions and belongings, healthy boundaries he
Where Do Our Young Men Belong in Society?
Where do boys and young men find belonging in a world sending them increasingly conflicting messages about what it means to be male? Following a conversation with Sarah Vogel on The Resilient Kid Podc
Are You and Your Partner Parenting on the Same Page? Why It Matters for Raising Resilient Kids
You and your co-parent don’t need identical parenting styles, but children benefit enormously when the adults around them are broadly on the same page. From boundaries and bedtime to technology and ex
How to Be the Calm in Their Storm: Regulating Yourself to Help Your Anxious Child
When our children are anxious, angry or overwhelmed, our instinct is often to try to calm them down. But one of the most powerful things we can do starts with regulating ourselves. Understanding co-re
It Really Does Take A Village
It really can take a village to raise a child. From grandparents who offer a listening ear to cousins who provide a safe place to navigate relationships, extended family can play an important role in
The Family That Gigs Together, Stays Together
We spend lots of time showing an interest in the things our children love — but what happens when we invite them into our world too? After a family trip to a gig, Ashley reflects on the value of shari
The House That Felt Like Home
Sometimes the most important thing we can give a young person is somewhere they know they belong. Resilient Kid coach Fiona reflects on being “Mummy Kenna” to her children’s friends — the parent with
Have You Ever Googled Yourself?
What would happen if you Googled yourself — or your child? Our digital footprints often begin long before children understand what they are, making conversations about technology more important than e
Why You Only Need to Get Parenting Right 30% of the Time
What if being a good parent isn’t about getting it right all the time? Ashley shares why children don’t need perfection — they need connection, responsiveness and repair. Using her simple ABC approach
Armchair Parenting
Ever found yourself shouting up the stairs for the third time and wondering why nobody is listening? The way we communicate with our children can make a huge difference to how they respond. By swappin
Navigating the Adolescent Phase: When Your Puppy Turns into a Teenager
What do teenage dogs and teenage humans have in common? Apparently, quite a lot. As Paddy enters adolescence, Ashley discovers some surprisingly familiar behaviours — selective hearing, boundary testi
Why Having a Puppy is Like Having a Child All Over Again
What happens when a psychotherapist who spends her days supporting parents brings home a puppy? Ashley quickly discovers that raising Paddy feels remarkably familiar. From boundary-pushing and sleeple
Let's Break the Default Parent Cycle
Are you the parent everyone automatically turns to — for homework, lost shoes, school forms, friendship problems and everything in between? Being the “default parent” can leave you carrying far more t
Mastering Emotional Regulation as Parents
Our children don’t just learn emotional regulation from what we tell them — they learn it from watching us. Understanding our own triggers, recognising when we’re becoming overwhelmed and knowing how
Motivating Children Beyond Rewards and Punishments
Getting our kids motivated can sometimes feel like an endless cycle of reminders, rewards and frustration. But lasting motivation isn’t built through sticker charts or punishment — it grows through co
Teaching Our Kids Self-Care
We teach our children to brush their teeth, wash their hands and look after their bodies — but what about looking after their minds? Self-care is a life skill, and teaching it early can help children
Navigating Parenting
What happens when you and your partner love your children equally but parent them very differently? One of you might be big on routines and boundaries while the other is more relaxed — and suddenly yo
Cultivating Resilience in Children
We talk a lot about helping children become resilient, but resilience doesn't begin with teaching them to cope alone. It begins with connection. When children know they belong, that someone is firmly
Preparing Your Child for School
Going back to school or college can bring a real mixture of emotions — excitement, nerves, anticipation and sometimes outright dread. Whether your child is starting somewhere new or simply returning a
A Parents Guide To Raising A Resilient Kid – The Book
We often say, “It takes a village to raise a child,” but that village can also play an important role in building resilience. Children don't become resilient by learning to cope with everything alone.
The Family Pot - Real-Life Family Example
How do we teach our children about money, responsibility and contributing to family life without everything becoming a battle over chores? The “Family Pot” is one family's approach to doing exactly th
The Power Of A Family Pot
What if we stopped thinking about family life as everything parents do for their children and started thinking about what everyone contributes? The Family Pot is a simple way of helping children under
Thriving Through Summer with The Resilient Kid Podcast
The summer holidays sound wonderful in theory — weeks of freedom, family time and no school run. Then reality hits: “I'm bored,” screen-time battles, disappearing routines and parents trying to keep e
Being an Expat and leaving your village behind
We’ve all heard the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child” — but for many families, that village no longer exists in the way it once did. Grandparents live miles away, families are scattered acr
Connection With Our Teens
As our children move into the teenage years, it can sometimes feel as though they’re pulling further and further away. And biologically, that’s partly what they’re supposed to do. But underneath the e
How To Handle Back Chat
Backchat can push our buttons as parents, especially when we’re tired, stressed or already running on empty. But underneath the sharp tone or rude response, there’s often something else going on. Our
Where It All Started For The Resilient Kid
Parenting was never meant to be done alone. The Resilient Kid community was created as a place where parents can ask questions, share the difficult bits and get practical support without judgement or
Why Are Parents So Afraid To Ask For Help?
There is no such thing as a perfect parent. However much social media might try to convince us otherwise, every parent has moments when they don't know what to do next. Whether you're worried about fr
Top Tips To Getting Out In The Morning With The Kids But Without The Stress
If getting everyone out of the door in the morning feels like you've already done a full day's work before 8am, you're not alone. School mornings can quickly become a perfect storm of tired children,
The hardest things about parenting
Parenting can be wonderful, funny, exhausting and incredibly hard — sometimes all in the same day. Even after more than 25 years as a psychotherapist supporting children, teens and families, I can con