Family Life
11 articles in this topic
Cooking Together: What It's Really Good For
Getting children into the kitchen reliably builds skills, confidence, and involvement — and that's worth celebrating on its own terms, even if it won't automatically transform their diet. The honest case for cooking together.
Getting Active as a Family: What the Research Actually Shows
Moving together as a family genuinely helps children be more active — though the effects are more modest than headlines often suggest. Here's what the evidence actually says, and some practical ideas for making it work.
Outdoor Play: What the Evidence Actually Says
Enriched outdoor play spaces — natural elements, loose parts, varied terrain — appear to support children's physical activity and wellbeing. The research is more mixed than enthusiasts sometimes claim, but the direction is encouraging, and the case for getting children outside doesn't rest on any single study.
Sibs: Supporting Siblings of Disabled Children
A UK charity focused specifically on the needs of siblings of disabled children and adults — thoughtful guidance on support at different ages, the particular challenges siblings face, and how to find help.
Winston's Wish: Supporting Bereaved Children
A UK childhood bereavement charity we've found genuinely helpful — age-specific guidance, a helpline, and resources for families and schools.
The Problem With "Gentle Parenting" Discourse Online
The principles behind gentle parenting are sound. The online content ecosystem around it — the scripts, the perfectionism, the quiet shaming — is something else entirely.
How to Talk to Children About Death
Gentle, honest guidance on talking with children about death — before, during, and after a bereavement — drawn from the most helpful bereavement research and resources we could find.
We Need to Stop Treating Screen Time as a Moral Failing
Screen time has become a moral category for parents almost everywhere. The evidence is messier than the headlines — and the guilt isn't helping any of us think more clearly.
'I clicked on a button – and everything changed': a DNA test, a family secret, and what we tell our children
A moving personal essay from The Guardian explores what happens when a DNA test unravels decades of family silence — well worth a read for adoptive, donor-conceived, and blended families anywhere who are wondering how and when to share origin stories.
Understanding Therapeutic Parenting: A Gentle Foundation
A warm introduction to therapeutic parenting for children who have experienced trauma, attachment difficulties, or early adversity — wherever in the world you're parenting.
The PACE Model: Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy
A friendly look at the PACE approach developed by Dan Hughes, and how it can gently reshape your relationship with a child who has experienced trauma.