Five Go Parenting: Enid Blyton for Grown Ups

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It’s important to be kind to each other,” Mhairi says. “I have the girls during the week and Ndaba has them on Sunday, but he helps me out a lot as well if I’m not feeling great or if I need a break.” Kids start developing their sense of self as babies when they see themselves through their parents' eyes. Your tone of voice, your body language, and your every expression are absorbed by your kids. Your words and actions as a parent affect their developing self-esteem more than anything else. Another way of thinking about the role of positive parenting is in terms of resilience. When children—including those who begin life with significant disadvantages— experience positive and supportive parenting, they are far more likely to thrive. Some parents find that trying to maintain routines can be helpful. For example, with sleeping and exercise. Try to start small. If you want to exercise more, schedule in a small walk each day and build this up over time. Go with the flow. Whether you have detected the reason for the refusal or not, try to give your child the space and time that they obviously need. It may have nothing to do with you at all. And take heart: most cases of visitation refusal are temporary.

If you find you can’t talk to your ex without arguing, it’s a good idea to get someone to act as a ‘middle man’ between you both. This could be a family member or a friend. Help children anticipate change. Remind kids they'll be leaving for the other parent's house a day or two before the visit.It's okay to be hurt and angry, but your feelings don't have to dictate your behavior. Instead, let what's best for your kids—you working cooperatively with the other parent—motivate your actions. If you need extra support, your local authority may be able to provide social care. You’ll need a social care needs assessment to access this. You may worry about how your mental health could affect your child. For example, whether they may experience stress or mental health problems themselves. Your child may also be impacted if they take on extra responsibilities around the home to help you. For example, they might have to change when they do their schoolwork. Or the amount of time they have to see their friends.

We’ll always make sure the girls aren’t involved in any arguments”, says Mhairi. “Even in the early days of our breakup when we weren’t really talking, I’d still Facetime Ndaba in the evenings so he could say goodnight to River. We made sure that even though we couldn’t really talk to one another, it didn’t affect the girls.” 2. Be flexible Here are some noteworthy examples; including those which target specific risk factors, as well as those with a more preventative focus: Respect can go a long way. Simple manners should be the foundation for co-parenting. Being considerate and respectful includes letting your ex know about school events, being flexible about your schedule when possible, and taking their opinion seriously. This guide shares practical advice and tips for positive parenting techniques that work well for children - from babies to teenagers. These techniques encourage better behaviour and help parents find out what works for them and their child.If you’re sharing custody of the children, there are bound to be times when one of you needs to swap weekends. Dee recommends being as flexible as possible with each other.