The last year has been tough, with many things beyond our control, but one thing we can control is our response, writes Yashmitha Padayachee. Hard, difficult, upsetting, traumatic, distressing, sad, troubling, disturbing, tough, trying, challenging – words that have...
Judgemental Moms Passing Judgement
Everyone judges and we have all been judged, but for some reason, being a parent seems to invite even greater levels of judgement – from strangers to family members, everyone has something to say! We take a look at why we judge, and some ways to handle how we feel...
Creating positive mealtimes for the whole family
When you have a toddler in the house, getting them to eat – and eat healthily – can often be a struggle. The first step to overcoming this struggle is to instil a positive attitude towards eating and food in your child. Tennille Aron shares some tips on simple...
Adjusting to the uncertainties of lockdown
Since March 2020, families have been thrown into strange and unpredictable new patterns of interacting and working. Clinical psychologist Michelle Nortje has some suggestions about how to manage this change. This has been a difficult and stressful time for parents and...
Parenting: bliss or burnout?
Parenting isn’t always the blissful scene we imagine it’s going to be. Life coach Nadia Scrooby looks at ways for you to get through parenting while also looking after yourself. The number one reason parents feel overwhelmed is exhaustion. Parenting is filled with...
Understanding your child’s temperament
Psychologists view temperament and personality as two separate constructs when it comes to better understanding individuals. Though temperament and personality are related to each other, they do not refer to the same thing, writes Dr Jo-Marie Bothma, clinical...
Parenting in the social media age
Parenting has changed thanks to the always-on, instant gratification lifestyle we lead in an age of tech and social media, write educator Kerry McArthur. The world that we are parenting in is very different to when we grew up. Our parents had to take photos and wait...
Managing your own separation anxiety
When the time comes to send your child to school, you might have a few strategies to help them cope with separation anxiety, but what about your own? Dr Laura Markham discusses her “12-Step Programme for Moms”, offering advice on how to manage the emotions of being...
Raise your child to be an optimist
Raising an optimist isn’t about producing a child who can think positively. Optimism can make your child’s life better in the long term – Dr Laura Markham gives us some pointers on how to do it. The world needs optimists today more than ever. And people who are...
Is social media bad for your mental health?
With Facebook admitting that it can be bad for you, the debate about the effects of social media on our mental health has once again been put under the spotlight. What are the risks of using social media? And are there any benefits? Pippa Naudé investigates. “My...