In this episode Today FM’s Alison Curtis talks to me about coping as a parent through the pandemic and managing the independence and responsibility of a child as they get older. Alison also speaks really candidly about losing both of her parents in her teens and how she developed resilience in the face of this loss.  Alison also gives some poignant insights into what it’s like to grow up as a twin and be the parent of an only child.

We also discuss weaning back control as your child gets older and trying to get the balance between being protective enough but also allowing the child to develop and grow. 

This interview hits on so many important topics and Alison’s honesty and insights are truly meaningful and inspirational.

Keywords: Anxiety and Control in small children. Twins. Grief for teenagers. Parental involvement in children’s friendships and managing positive messaging with your children. 

Don't forget, if you have any parenting questions and would like to get in touch you can do so via

email : [email protected] 

twitter : @Asking4aParent

instagram : asking_for_a_parent

In this episode Tamara Nolan and I answer the Listeners Questions that have come in since the last episode. Topics such as managing Covid related Anxiety, (particularly with small children who develop anxiety around attending school and being away from parents). We also discuss the contemporary issue of parenting ‘vampires’, i.e. young adults who stay up all night and sleep all day. We discuss the challenges of managing the attention economy when you have a child with chronic illness and the concept of parental guilt. The complexities of adolescent friendships are also discussed alongside protecting teenagers self worth. The theme of protecting children’s development without overwhelming them of disabling their independence. We also talk about understanding self-harm and approaching anxiety related bed wetting. 

Don't forget, if you have any parenting questions and would like to get in touch you can do so via

email : [email protected] 

twitter : @Asking4aParent

instagram : asking_for_a_parent

In this episode I chat with Ireland Am’s Karen Koster about managing Covid 19 Lockdown with small children. She discusses the challenges of managing the attention economy when you have 3 children under 7 years old. We also discussed parental guilt, managing our own responses, the myth of the robotic parent, the task of regulating children’s emotion, the difference between banter and bullying, when horse play gets out of hand and the importance of language and the 4-7 Principle. Karen talks openly about becoming a working mother, maintaining individual identity and keeping the fun in family relationships. 

Don't forget, if you have any parenting questions and would like to get in touch you can do so via

email : [email protected] 

twitter : @Asking4aParent

instagram : asking_for_a_parent

Need to understand of the meaning behind a child's behaviour?

The ‘Asking for a parent’ podcast will describe the most common and complex child rearing challenges and provide better ways for listeners to understand a child’s behaviour.