Heidi At Home

Welcome to episode three of my special four-part Heidi at Home series, in partnership with CBeebies BeddyByes.

Monsters under the bed. Suddenly being scared of the dark. Not wanting you to leave. Waking in the night after a bad dream.

As children’s imaginations develop, bedtime can sometimes become the moment when all sorts of worries and fears suddenly appear.

And when your child is genuinely frightened, telling them “there’s nothing to be scared of” doesn’t always help.

In this episode, I’m talking about night-time fears, anxiety, nightmares and night terrors, what’s going on for children when night suddenly feels scary, and how we can help them feel safe without accidentally making the fear bigger.

We cover:

• Why fears can suddenly appear as children get older and their imagination develops
• How to validate the feeling of fear without confirming that there really is something dangerous
• Why worries and experiences from the daytime often show up at bedtime
• The difference between nightmares and night terrors
• What to do if your child experiences a night terror
• Why trying to wake or reason with a child during a night terror often isn’t helpful
• Practical ways to support a child who is becoming anxious about bedtime
• Why talking about worries during the daytime can be easier than tackling everything at bedtime
• How predictable routines, transitional objects and connection can help children feel safer
• Why things like checking repeatedly for monsters can sometimes reinforce the idea that there really might be something there

One of the biggest things I want parents to take from this episode is that the goal isn’t for our children to never feel frightened.

Fear is a normal human emotion. What we can help them learn is:

“I can feel scared and still be safe.”

We also talk about why calming and mindfulness skills are much easier for children to access if they’ve experienced them before they're in the middle of a frightened or dysregulated moment.

That’s where CBeebies BeddyByes fits so naturally into this conversation. Its slower, mindful approach gives children opportunities to experience things like slowing down, noticing their bodies and moving towards calm in an everyday, low-pressure way.

Because 2am, when your child is convinced there is something underneath their bed, probably isn't the ideal moment to introduce deep breathing for the very first time!

If night-time has suddenly become a source of worry in your house, or you're not quite sure whether what you're seeing is a nightmare or a night terror, this episode is for you.

Find CBeebies BeddyByes

You can watch CBeebies BeddyByes on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

Follow @beddybyesofficial on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.

And you can find more episodes of Heidi at Home on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This series shares general parenting guidance drawn from child development research and my 17 years working with families. It isn't a substitute for individual medical, psychological or educational advice. If you're worried about your child's sleep, anxiety or development, please speak to your GP, health visitor or another qualified professional.

Welcome to episode two of my special four-part Heidi at Home series, in partnership with CBeebies BeddyByes.

One more drink. One more wee. The wrong teddy. Another cuddle. A question they absolutely HAVE to ask you right now. And somehow a story about something that happened three Tuesdays ago…

Why is it that the moment we say goodnight, our children suddenly need us for EVERYTHING?

In this episode, I’m looking at bedtime through the lens of connection and separation, and what might actually be going on underneath all that stalling, silliness and resistance.

Because bedtime is a big transition. We’re asking our children to move from the activity and connection of the day towards sleep, and ultimately to separate from us for the night.

We talk about:

• Why children often seek more connection as bedtime approaches
• What bedtime stalling can actually be communicating
• Why connection doesn’t have to mean endlessly extending bedtime
• The difference between more attention and predictable, meaningful connection
• Simple ways to build connection into the evening without adding another enormous job to your list
• Why the hour or two before bed matters
• How light, noise, activity, screens and even our own energy can affect the transition towards sleep
• How to hold a bedtime boundary while still staying connected
• What happens when we, as parents, become activated at bedtime
• Why responding to your child at night doesn’t mean you’re creating a “bad habit”

I also talk about something I’ve done with my own three children, even as they’ve got bigger: getting into the bath with them.

Warm water, skin-to-skin contact, chatting and laughing together can give us a little pocket of connection at the end of a busy day. Your version might be ten minutes of child-led play, a cuddle on the sofa, a story or simply lying beside them while they tell you about their day.

It doesn’t need to be elaborate. Often, knowing when and how connection is coming is just as important for children as how long it lasts.

We also look at the “runway” towards bedtime and how we can make the gear change from busy to calm feel a little smoother.

If screen time is part of your family’s evening, thinking about the pace of what children are watching can be part of that too. CBeebies BeddyByes uses slower, mindful content to support those gentler transitions, so that it can sit earlier in that wind-down before screens go off and you move into your usual bath, stories, cuddles and bedtime routine.

My question for you after this episode is a simple one:

Does your child know when and how they're going to get connection with you before you ask them to separate for the night?

Sometimes that’s a really useful place to start.

Find CBeebies BeddyByes

You can watch CBeebies BeddyByes on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer.

Follow @beddybyesofficial on:

YouTube: @beddybyesofficial
Instagram: @beddybyesofficial
TikTok: @beddybyesofficial

And you can find more episodes of Heidi at Home on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This series shares general parenting guidance drawn from child development research and my 17 years working with families. It isn't a substitute for individual medical, psychological or educational advice. If you're worried about your child's sleep, anxiety or development, please speak to your GP, health visitor or another qualified professional.

Paid partnership with CBeebies BeddyByes.

Back to School, Back to Routine: Why Your Child Falls Apart After School

Welcome to the first episode of a special four-part Heidi at Home series, in partnership with CBeebies BeddyByes.

Does your child hold it together beautifully at school or nursery, only to walk through the front door and completely fall apart?

The tears. The shouting. Fighting with siblings. Refusing the simplest request. Suddenly needing you for EVERYTHING.

In this episode, I’m talking about what can really be going on underneath that after-school behaviour, and why it doesn’t necessarily mean something is going wrong.

Starting or returning to school and nursery asks a huge amount of young children. They’re navigating noise, stimulation, instructions, friendships, separation, expectations and far less autonomy than they may have at home. Even when they seem to be coping brilliantly, all of that takes energy.

And sometimes home is simply where it all comes out.

We talk about:

• What after-school restraint collapse can look like
• Why your child may fall apart most with the person they feel safest with
• Why firing questions at them the minute they leave school might not get you very far
• What neurodivergent and highly sensitive children may experience during the school day
• How to create a gentler transition between school and home
• Why predictable routines can help without your afternoon becoming a military operation
• Snacks, movement, quiet time and connection after school
• How to think about screen time during that transition
• When an earlier bedtime might actually help
• What your child may really be communicating through difficult behaviour

I also talk about creating a little “landing strip” between the busy school day and home.

Children are constantly being asked to move from one state to another: school to home, play to dinner, dinner to bath, busy to calm. Small, familiar cues can make those transitions easier.

That’s one of the reasons I’ve loved working with CBeebies BeddyByes on this series. Its gentle pacing and mindful approach have been designed to support little ones as they move towards calmer moments in their day. If screen time is part of your family’s afternoon, it can be one of those familiar transition points alongside food, movement, connection and downtime.

My biggest message from this episode? September doesn’t need a perfect routine.

Sometimes the most useful question isn’t “How do I stop this behaviour?” but “What has today asked of my child, and what might they need from me now?”

Find CBeebies BeddyByes

Watch CBeebies BeddyByes on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer, and follow @beddybyesofficial:

YouTube: @beddybyesofficial
Instagram: @beddybyesofficial
TikTok: @beddybyesofficial

And don’t forget to follow Heidi at Home on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss the next episode in the series.

This series shares general parenting guidance drawn from child development research and my 17 years working with families. It isn't a substitute for individual medical, psychological or educational advice. If you're worried about your child's sleep, anxiety or development, please speak to your GP, health visitor or another qualified professional.

Paid partnership with CBeebies BeddyByes.

Have you ever found yourself reacting to your child and immediately thought, "I sound just like my mum," or "I promised I'd never do that?"

You're not imagining it.

Long before we become parents ourselves, we're learning what parenting looks like. We absorb beliefs, behaviours and expectations from the adults who raised us, often without even realising it.

In this bonus episode of Heidi at Home, we explore how your own childhood experiences continue to influence the way you parent today, and why understanding your default patterns isn't about blaming your parents, but about creating the awareness needed to make intentional choices.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How your childhood shapes your parenting beliefs and behaviours.
• Why we often repeat what we experienced - or swing to the complete opposite.
• Different parenting styles, from control-based and permissive approaches to connection-based parenting.
• Why certain moments with your child can feel disproportionately difficult.
• How understanding your own story can help you parent with greater intention, rather than simply reacting.
• Why awareness is the first step towards breaking generational patterns.

The way you were parented isn't your fault.

But becoming aware of the patterns you've inherited gives you the opportunity to choose what you want to carry forward, and what you want to leave behind.

Because every small shift you make has the potential to change the story for the next generation.

If you'd like to dive deeper into understanding your parenting patterns and building a more connected relationship with your child, you'll find more support through my coaching programmes and resources at Parenting with Heidi.

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you followed Heidi at Home, left a review, or shared it with another parent who might need to hear this today.

What does it really take to walk away from the security of a corporate career and build something of your own?

In this episode of Heidi at Home, I'm joined by the founder of Wild Thingz to talk about the leap so many people dream about - but few actually make.

We explore what it means to take a risk on yourself, build a business from the ground up, and create a brand that people genuinely remember. Along the way, we also talk honestly about the realities of juggling life with entrepreneurship, making difficult decisions, and finding a way to grow a business without losing sight of what matters most.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The decision to leave the corporate world and become founders.
• Taking calculated risks and trusting your instincts.
• What it takes to build a memorable brand in a crowded market.
• The realities of being women in business.
• Balancing ambition with family life.
• The lessons learnt along the way

Whether you're dreaming of starting a business, already running one alongside family life, or simply curious about the stories behind successful brands, this is an honest conversation about courage, resilience and building something you're proud of.

Wild Thingz have a brand new flavour of sweets out NOW

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you followed Heidi at Home, left a review, or shared it with someone who's thinking about taking that next step in their own career or business.

As parents, many of us instinctively try to shield our children from our own difficult emotions.

We wait until they're asleep before we cry. We put on a brave face. We tell them, "I'm fine."

But what if, in protecting them from our sadness, we're missing an opportunity to teach one of life's most important lessons?

In this week's Heidi at Home Mini, I share a very personal experience following the loss of our family dog, and why allowing my children to see my grief became a powerful reminder that emotional resilience isn't about hiding our feelings, it's about showing our children that it's possible to move through them.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why children learn just as much from watching our emotions as they do from how we respond to theirs.
• The difference between sharing emotions in a healthy way and expecting our children to carry them.
• Why modelling sadness, grief and disappointment helps children build emotional resilience.
• How children learn that difficult feelings don't last forever.
• Why being emotionally authentic can strengthen, rather than weaken, your relationship with your child.

Our children don't need perfect parents who never struggle. They need adults who show them that all emotions are welcome, that it's safe to talk about them, and that even the hardest feelings become easier to carry with time.

Looking for practical ways to help your child understand and talk about their emotions?

My Feelings Out Loud mini offer is designed to help families build emotional literacy together through simple, engaging activities and conversations that fit into everyday family life.

It's a gentle way to help your child recognise, express and manage their feelings, while giving you the confidence to support them along the way.

Find out more here

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you followed Heidi at Home, left a review, or shared it with another parent who might need to hear this message today.

This week on Heidi at Home, I'm joined by couples therapist Catherine for a conversation that every parent should hear.

Before children, so much of your time, energy and attention is invested in each other. Then, almost overnight, a tiny person arrives who needs everything from both of you.

It's no surprise that even the strongest relationships can feel stretched.

In this episode, we explore why becoming parents is one of the biggest transitions a couple will ever experience, and why so many of the arguments we have aren't really about the dishes, bedtime or whose turn it is to get up in the night.

Instead, we look at how our own childhoods quietly shape the way we parent, the expectations we bring into family life, and why two loving parents can see the exact same situation so differently.

Together we discuss:

• Why becoming parents can feel like losing your relationship overnight.
• How your own upbringing influences the way you parent today.
• Why couples often clash over parenting, even when they share the same goals.
• The importance of understanding each other's "default settings."
• Why couples therapy shouldn't be seen as a last resort, but as a healthy investment in your relationship from the very beginning.
• Small ways to reconnect when life feels consumed by children.

Whether you're expecting your first baby or you've been parenting together for years, this episode is a reminder that healthy families aren't built on perfect relationships - they're built on curiosity, communication and learning to understand one another.

Because one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is parents who continue to grow together.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow Heidi at Home, leave a review, and share it with another parent who you think would benefit from listening.

To find out more about Catherine's Couples Coaching you can visit Insight & Connection, Relationships Therapist & Coach For Parents or find  her on Instagram @insightandconnection 

Why can one small "no" lead to such a big reaction?

If you've ever wondered why your child seems to fall apart when you say no to another biscuit, ask them to leave the park, or switch off the TV, this mini episode is for you.

In just a few minutes, I unpack what's really happening inside your child's brain and nervous system when they experience disappointment.

You'll learn:

• Why young children find the word "no" so overwhelming.
• The science behind emotional regulation and why it takes years to develop.
• Why what looks like defiance is often a child struggling with disappointment.
• How understanding your child's nervous system can completely change the way you respond.

This episode isn't about avoiding the word "no." It's about understanding what happens after we say it, and why that understanding can transform the relationship we have with our children.

Want more support?

If this episode resonated with you and you'd like personalised support, I'd love to help.

My 1:1 Parent Coaching sessions are designed to help you better understand your child's behaviour, feel more confident in your parenting, and respond with greater calm and connection in those everyday moments that can feel so challenging.

Or, if you're looking for a deeper transformation alongside other like-minded parents, my Little Humans, Big Lessons coaching programme explores child development, emotional regulation, behaviour, boundaries, and so much more.

Find out more about working with me:
https://parentingwithheidi.com/ 

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd be so grateful if you followed Heidi at Home, left a review, or shared it with another parent who might need to hear it today.

This week on Heidi at Home, I'm joined by Stephanie Drax, founder of Leapfrog Remedies, journalist, and mum of two, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, family life, and what success really looks like.

What started as one mum searching for answers after years of nursery coughs and colds became Leapfrog Remedies, a science-backed supplement brand now stocked in major retailers including Selfridges and trusted by families across the UK.

Stephanie shares the fascinating story behind discovering lactoferrin, the natural protein that transformed her family's health and inspired her to spend three years working alongside immunologists, pharmacists and nutritionists to bring Leapfrog IMMUNE to market.

But this episode isn't just about building a successful business.

It's about building one around your family.

We talk honestly about the challenge of being present when you're running a business, making career decisions that prioritise family life over relentless growth, and why Stephanie has consciously chosen not to overcommit so she can be there for the moments that matter most.

She also shares how her two sons have become part of the business itself, from being the first taste testers of every new product to developing a genuine curiosity about entrepreneurship by watching their mum build something from the ground up.

This is a conversation about ambition, motherhood, trusting your instincts, and remembering that success isn't just measured by turnover or retailer listings—it's also measured by the life you're building around the people you love most.

If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to build a thriving business without sacrificing your family along the way, this episode is for you.

Find Stephanie and Leapfrog Remedies here:

Website: https://www.leapfrogremedies.com

Instagram: @leapfrogremedies

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow Heidi at Home, leave a review, and share it with someone who might enjoy listening.

We've all been there.

Your child gets through the school day, their teacher tells you they've had a lovely day... and then the moment they walk through the front door, they completely fall apart.

So what on earth is going on?

In this mini episode of Heidi at Home, I explore the science behind after-school meltdowns and why they're often a sign that your child feels safe enough to let their guard down with you.

We look at what happens to a child's nervous system throughout the school day, how hours of concentrating, following instructions, managing friendships, coping with sensory input and regulating emotions can leave them emotionally depleted by home time, and why their behaviour isn't simply about being "naughty" or "attention seeking."

I'll also explain why understanding your child's nervous system can completely change the way you respond in these moments, helping you move from reacting to the behaviour to recognising the need underneath it.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why after-school meltdowns are so common.
• The role your child's nervous system plays in their behaviour.
• Why children often save their biggest emotions for the people they feel safest with.
• Simple, practical ways to support regulation after school.
• How small changes to your after-school routine can make a big difference.

If you've ever wondered why your child seems to unravel the moment they get home, this episode will help you see those moments through a completely different lens.

Because sometimes, what looks like difficult behaviour is actually a child whose nervous system is simply asking for a chance to recover.