Parenting issues

[neveragain*]

Hi - I'm a child psychotherapist and early years teacher and I'm about to launch a new business offering very practical parenting advice. Having worked for NHs for years as well as voluntary organisations and having run parent training programmes etc (-and more importantly been a mum!) I'm ready to strike out alone. Researching with friends and seeing what books etc are popular i have some ideas of where to focus my business. I'm starting with a sleep clinic. However - id love to hear what issues particularly you guys have struggled with over the years? I had serious post natal depression after one of mine which I think has been helpful professionally since, after all - I have been there myself! Hope this is an appropriate forum question? Not entirely sure?! If not dear moderators do let me know!

[Booklady]

Hi There - as a paediatric dietitian (before I got fed up with the NHS and decamped into industry) I would say the management of fussy eating / food refusal in toddlers / small children would have to be high up the list! Donkeys years ago I was seeing so many parents with children referred for feeding management I used to joke with hubbie that we should set up a residential unit where parents could come and stay with their children to sort things out. That was before Super Nanny came on the scene! Wish we'd done it - could have been a winner!!

Good luck!

[neveragain*]

Yes I have also seen my fair share of uni menu children with pandering parents! Really helpful feedback thanks!

[pheasantchick]

All of the above,plus basic discipline. The book Toddler Training was the book I used alot when mine were younger.

[DC17C]

My life was possibly saved by the 1 2 3 magic books by Thomas Phelan as it put so much control back into my hand and stopped all the arguing my children have been so much better /happier since using these techniques/ books for guidance. There is quite a lot of advice on babies and toddlers but less for school age children. I've got the " Letting go of your adolescents" book already - dd is 11 and ds is 10 - forwarned is forarmed !!

[pixiequeen]

How to deal with your children (especially when they are misbehaving!) without losing the plot and shouting at them. When mine were little I struggled with this a lot and found parenting classes very useful. I have friends that are still struggling to be reasonable and consistent with their kids 12 years on.

[KS10]

Parents not contradicting each other, deliberately or otherwise.

[neveragain*]

This is all so helpful! Keep it coming. My oldest are 17 and I know from talking to their friends parents that a lot of parents find teenagers impossible! Any views? Plus how about getting 8 to teens to organise themselves, do music practice etc without nagging? Is this a problem?

[pixiequeen]

Not found the 8-12 stage too bad - we did read 'Talking to Tweenies - getting it right before it gets rocky' though, which is fab. Am feeling distinctly more nervous about the teenage years (DD1 is 12 and a half...) and have so far failed to find a book that does more than sympathise about how hard it is to live with teenagers and how you just have to grin and bear it.

Current biggest strain is goody two shoes bossy know it all 5 year old DD3 who can't be quiet even for 2 mins and runs up to her room in floods of tears if you catch her doing something naughty and dare to tell her off.

At least half term is nearly over

[neveragain*]