“The shorter days, the cold and dark, the loneliness and uncertainty in the first weeks of our son’s life really affected our mental health. That’s why we left Scotland for Spain and the help of my wife’s parents.”

Most of us have been there, right? I remember those long nights, our minds racing with concern for our new baby; the 3am WhatsApp messages to antenatal friends; the coffee dates with fellow new parents, the pitch of our voices rising with exhausted, hysterical laughter; the cosy Bookbug sessions. 

So how about those long nights, mind racing, exhaustion and crises of confidence, with no antenatal friends to message, no coffee shops and friendly faces, no classes or activities. Just the same four walls and a walk with the buggy if we’re lucky.
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What’s the one thing most parents wish they did less of?

Inadvertently stepping on Lego in bare feet would probably feature in the top three things we wish we did less of, but I’m going to wager that being ratty and impatient with the kids takes top spot.

Even if you’re blessed with a peaceable disposition which means you’re not prone to over-extending your vocal chords, I bet you’d still agree that you could do with more laughter and less conflict in the course of everyday family life.

Who wouldn’t want to shout less and laugh more?

​So, instead of beating yourself up for being a yeller, try these tips for toning down the fishwife act and cranking up the cracking up…

Parenting can be a tough gig - and sometimes we forget to focus on all the lovely stuff that’s happening right underneath our noses. So, to bring a bit of perspective to the tricky days, here are ten things we’re going to miss one day...

What’s your most memorable moment in motherhood? The moment when you finally held your newborn baby in your arms for the first time, or the precise second you heard the word ‘Mama’ bubble forth from your offspring’s precious lips? ​

Tips provided by Greg Smith, Head of Operations at home education provider Oxford Home Schooling

When Covid-19 closed schools in the UK, millions of parents were suddenly faced with the unfamiliar world of homeschooling. While the new routine has certainly had its challenges, a new study has revealed that nearly a quarter of Brits (24%) are considering home-educating their children even after the pandemic is over. Here are five tips on how to make the transition as smooth as possible.

I’ll be honest. Before lockdown, I didn’t know who Joe Wicks was. I vaguely knew the name, but if he’d have walked into my house I wouldn’t have known him from Adam. 

But when I heard that he was going to be doing PE classes for kids every morning of lockdown, I was immediately on board. In lieu of the boys daily ‘wake-up shake-up’ at school, this seemed like the next best thing. So on day one we all joined in to see what it was like. I was wearing my jeans and a jumper, figuring the exercises would be easy enough if they were for kids (I do do a weekly HIIT class after all!) but after a few minutes I was sweating, panting and laughing and I realised this Joe person was the real deal! 

I’m going to begin this piece with my favourite quote from none other than the legend that is Macaulay Culkin…
“I’ve yet to find a level of enthusiasm that tops “Holy shit look at this giant potato chip!”