Hands Off Parenting

Sometimes the scariest thing about Halloween is the amount of sweets your children come home with. But it doesn't have to be like that. Follow my simple plan...

1. Make sure you get a lunch box, drink and bag that your child can open and close easily without help. Some children are too shy to ask for help, and it als...

Babies and toddlers live in a world run for adults, by adults. They are constantly told not to touch things, items that look enticing disappear before their ...

I used to dread serving Rose her dinner. I would spend ages cooking a little meal especially for her and when I placed it in front of her she would sometimes...

Baby-led reading – what is it and how do I do it? Baby-led reading is just that; reading that is led by your baby or child. Baby-led reading helps stop your ...

It’s kind of ironic that Hands Off Parenting asks quite a lot of parents. Although the philosophy helps with independence and resilience, it also asks that p...

I try not to use consequences too much , I mostly just set boundaries and enforce them. So, if my daughter throws her toys, I’ll ask her to stop, perhaps han...

If you're trying to foster independence in your own baby, child or children my number one tip is "Leave Them Alone!" which is much more difficult than you'd ...

If you genuinely do wait until your child is ready you shouldn’t have any problems around toileting. They should just “get it” from day one. Problems general...

My daughter hit me yesterday. I was holding her in my arms when she looked me in the eye, slapped my face, and laughed. Later, when I gave her some milk in a...

I’ve wanted to write a post about Toilet Learning for so long now but every time I go to do it, I end up writing way too much and I can never edit it down. I...

As your child gets older, you’ll probably be thinking “they’ll be able to play for even longer on their own now.” Unfortunately, that’s not the way things us...

It’s not that I don’t like children’s songs and rhymes – I really do. I’m a preschool teacher and I see the attraction and recognise their value. They are su...

I have noticed a ton of posts on Facebook and Instagram referring to the need for tummy time. Basically warning parents if they don't partake their kids will...

With my laissez-faire parenting approach, you may be surprised to learn that I do have the same worries and fears as other parents; when Rose was a baby I ch...

This Momo hoax has confirmed my thoughts on fear and childhood, and how parents are being led to believe their children are in imminent danger. Momo was a li...

Even before Rose was born, I knew I wanted to delay getting a pair of shoes for her for as long as possible. I had read about how shoes get in the way of cor...

I get a lot of questions from parents about transitions; they usually involve getting into a buggy, car seat or baby’s cot. Usually when leaving the house; t...

We all want children who can bounce back from a fall; be it metaphorically or literally. But how do we go about helping our children be more resilient? And a...

I used to boast that I could change a nappy in less than ten seconds. Over twenty years’ experience in childcare meant I was a pro at this not so appealing t...