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Parenting Blog

Each month we share ideas, research, and strategies to help parents on their journey to becoming a confident parent. We base our parenting blogs on the many different concerns that parents bring to our online consultations. Here you’ll find tips and resources on a range of topics such as early years development, neurodiversity, divorce & separation, loss & bereavement, emotional regulation, sexuality & gender, and much more.

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Protecting your child through divorce or separation

Protecting Children During Divorce or Separation

One of the most distressing aspects of divorce or separation is the fear that it’s going to have a negative impact on your children. We’ve put together a guide to help families work through this difficult time. … Read more.

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A child leaving the house with mum for the first day of school

Starting School: Our Preparation Guide

It’s natural to want to build up excitement about your child’s first day at school and it’s an important milestone that’s worth celebrating. For many families that hopeful photo of their first day of school is treasured into adulthood. If your child is about to make the transition from nursery to school, you probably will have already marked the end of nursery as well. I’ve recently heard about nurseries getting professional photographers in to take pictures of 4 year olds with mortar boards on their heads to celebrate their ‘graduation’ which sounds like a step too far! But on a serious note, there is a fine line between building excitement and creating anxiety. It’s important to remember that for many children, particularly those who are neurodivergent (e.g. ASD or ADHD) or those who have experienced previous trauma, change can be overwhelming…. Read more.

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A child therapist helping a child through play therapy

How (and When) to Find a Therapist for Your Child

If it’s not your industry, finding a therapist (or counsellor) for your child can be a confusing and sometimes stressful business. Given that you may well be seeking a counsellor because you are feeling anxious anyway, making sense of the many different kinds of therapist qualifications, registering bodies and the huge variation in fees can be overwhelming. If you do think you’ve found just the right therapist, they may have long waiting lists or live miles away. Here we aim to make the process easier by giving some information on qualifications, approved databases and what Child in Time can do to help…. Read more.

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Mum reading to children

Why do we Read Books to Children?

We are constantly told that reading to young children is a good thing, usually in terms of learning to read, expanding vocabulary and getting ahead educationally. But the truth is that books do so much more. During challenging times there can be nothing more comforting than a book that resonates, enlightens or just seems to understand…. Read more.

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A parent hugging their child due to the loss of a loved one

Helping Children Cope with Grief

There are many ways to lose a loved one and many ways to grieve.  One commonality is that grieving is composed of two different processes, the need to deal with the loss and the need to restore ourselves. These experiences can look quite different and goes some way to explain the sense of feeling energised one minute and very low the next.  It’s natural and healthy for children to oscillate quite instinctively and often surprisingly quickly between the two…. Read more.

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A child worrying and suffering with anxiety clutches her teddy

Helping Children Cope With Anxiety

Many children experience anxiety.  It may be in relation to a particular area of their lives such as school work or friendships, or it may be a generalised feeling of unease or worry that surfaces regularly. We’ve outlined strategies to help cope with anxiety…. Read more.

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Sibling rivalry showing the happy times reading together

Helping Children With Sibling Rivalry

Sibling rivalry is a common and frustrating concern amongst families. It can put a huge strain on parents and cause much anxiety, especially if one child’s behaviour is overly aggressive or cruel towards another child or children. We’ve outlined strategies to help cope with sibling rivalry…. Read more.

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Playing with your child to help with attachment and emotional regulation

Play for Attachment & Emotional Regulation

Engaging in child-led, one-to-one play on a regular basis is a key element of building attachment and supporting children’s development. This type of play is something that parents do naturally with pre verbal and very young children but do so less with older ages, however it continues to be hugely beneficial and a great tool for addressing a wide range of relational and behavioural concerns…. Read more.

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A child feeling angry throwing their toy. Emotional regulation

Helping Children Cope with Angry Feelings

Feeling angry is a completely normal and healthy response to countless situations. It might be a reaction to being verbally or physically hurt, a response to a decision that feels unfair or a natural reaction to distressing situations in the wider world. As we get older, we learn to manage our angry reactions so that they don’t negatively impact our own lives or the lives of others. But children are not yet equipped to regulate this intense emotion and they need our help…. Read more.

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The complexitites of eating disorders - A lady struggling with the Mental health illness. Teenager with a therapist

The Complexities of Eating Disorders

The National Eating Disorder Charity, Beat, estimates that around 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder. Read on for a better understanding of eating disorders and how to help as a parent…. Read more.

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Testimonials

The Counselling provision at our school is now excellent. This is due to Chloe’s understanding of the needs of pupils, parents and the school as an organization. I would whole-heartedly recommend ‘Child in Time’ to head-teachers considering their own counselling provision.

Head-teacher of Woolmore School, Tower Hamlets

Parent Consultation: They have become much better at expressing their feelings and opening up to me and their siblings.

Parent, 2023

School Counselling: My son has completely turned around and is simply wonderful at the moment. He is back to his normal self at home, being very happy, caring and kind. He is especial kind and caring with his sister and just the best brother ever now. As a family, we are happy and content.

Parent, 2023

It is quality time well spent not letting pupils leave with negative patterns that make them vulnerable beyond school. One of the best decisions I have made.

Head-teacher of St Saviour’s School, Tower Hamlets

You have helped me build a barrier of protection against pain and I can’t thank you enough for that…I have never felt so emotionally strong.

Student, aged 15

Child in Time is a tremendous resource for head-teachers. It’s a consultancy that offers a short-cut to setting up a counselling service in your school with highly trained, qualified practitioners. Child in Time brings peace of mind to staff, knowing that the most vulnerable students are in safe hands.

Tereza Nogueira, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist and Senior supervisor UKCP

This intervention has had an enormous, positive impact for us all and we sincerely hope that other families benefit from the same programme…his positive behaviour is having a really good impact on all elements of his school life.

Parent of child, age 8

I am glad I am coming to see you every Thursday because I used to hold all these things in my head and that was hard.

Girl, age 10

We are very happy with the counselling service we are receiving and in particular ‘our therapist’s’ flexible and accommodating nature. Parents are very pleased, both the target children’s parents and the consultation one’s too.

SENCO, Rhodes Avenue School, Haringey

She is an outstanding therapist who has made a real difference to the lives of pupils in our school. ‘Our therapist’ possesses excellent skills in connecting with others, creating a safe space for staff, parents and pupils to discuss a range of issues. Her expertise, compassion, and dedication are truly commendable and we have really benefited from her thorough understanding of child development and psychology.

Deputy Head, Highgate Pre-Prep

I want to say thank you. I found these sessions very very helpful. I could talk about anything with you. I remember our first one, when I was so worried that everything was my fault. I can now see things more clearly.

student, age 11