Social and emotional skills articles
How your Year 5 child develops
With the teenage years beckoning, what can you expect from your child in Year 5?
How your Year 6 child develops
As they look forward to the move to secondary school, what is changing for your Year 6 child?
How your Year 7 child develops
As they move from primary to secondary school, what changes can you expect to see in your child?
How debating can benefit your child
From improving speaking and listening skills to building self-esteem, learning to debate could have many benefits for your primary-school child. Lucy Dimbylow finds out more.
Personal, social and emotional development in EYFS
Personal, social and emotional education is important for Early Years Foundation Stage children's development. Find out here how you can support your child's emotional education at home.
How your child develops in the Early Years Foundation Stage
As your child starts their primary education, here's how they’ll develop during their Reception year.
How your child develops in Key Stage 1
What changes can you expect to see in your child in Years 1 and 2?
How your child develops in Key Stage 2
What changes can you expect to see in your child over the next four years?
How your child develops in Key Stage 3
As your child moves from primary to secondary school, what changes can you expect in their behaviour?
How your Year 1 child develops
With less play and more learning on the cards at school, here’s how your child will change and grow during Year 1.
How your Reception child develops
Starting school is a big leap for your child, so how will they grow during their first academic year?
Why family games help positive behaviour
Traditional family games can help your child develop skills such as patience, respect, turn-taking, and being part of a team. So try these tips to make time for games in family life.
How to manage your child's television time
Do you worry that television viewing could be having a damaging effect on your child? We take a look at children's TV consumption and how you can manage it in a positive way.
Help your child to learn social skills
Social skills are as important to a developing child as they are to a fully grown adult. Support your child’s social development with these practical tips.
How to encourage independence in children
It can be hard to strike the balance between encouraging your children to be independent and at the same time offering them your advice and support. Penny Palmano takes a look at the how to walk the line.
Tips for raising a positive child
Follow our expert advice and practical tips to nip negativity in the bud and allow positivity to flourish.
How to avoid losing it with your children
As parents we do not have an inexhaustible supply of energy and enthusiasm, so if the patience is running thin, fear not, help is at hand!
Help your child cope with divorce and separation
Parents breaking up is hard for the whole family. Try these tips to support your child through this difficult time of readjustment.
Children's playdate etiquette
Mummy blogger, A Modern Mother, shares her top tips for the perfect playdate for your child.
The importance of taking time to talk
Kids' coach Naomi Richards shares her advice for keeping the lines of communication open with your children.
Are girls growing up too fast?
A survey by the charity Children’s Society showed that children are most unhappy with their appearance, above confidence, school and family life. Could this be a result of pressure in the media to look older, skinnier and prettier? TheSchoolRun takes a look into the over-sexualisation of young girls.
How to give your child the right kind of praise
We all love praise but some types are more effective than others. Jackie Cosh explains why.
Dealing with lies
White lies, black lies, big lies, small lies, tall tales, porkies, fibs... lies come in all sorts of shapes and guises and there are just as many reasons why children resort to them. Danielle Weekes investigates why children lie and whether dishonesty matters.
Teaching children good manners
Teaching children good manners and giving them plenty of positive encouragement can help children manage their behaviour. Read on to find out how.
Why it's okay for your child to have an imaginary friend
Children have imaginary friends at all ages and it doesn't mean that there is something wrong. In fact it can have some very positive benefits. Here’s how you can support your child's imagination.
How to help your child cope with bereavement
Everyone deals with grief and bereavement in their own personal way, whatever their age or personality. We offer some expert advice on supporting your child and helping them explore and express their grief.
How to raise a resilient child
Whether it’s failure to achieve a certain goal, being let down or simply failure to receive something we had our hearts set on, we all suffer knock-backs from time to time and that’s why teaching a child to be resilient is crucial.
Coping with sibling rivalry
Expert Sue Atkins looks at the ways parents can approach their children's relationships, and what a family can do together to build a happy, respectful team.
Temper tantrums explained
Tantrums are a part of everyday life for children and their parents, and it’s not just toddlers who are guilty of losing it from time to time. We look at ways to deal with the drama.
What is cyber-bullying?
Cyber-bullying is a fast growing phenomenon and can be an extension of bullying in school or can be carried out by complete strangers. We look into its various forms and how you can tackle it.
How to deal with cyber-bullying
Cyber-bullying can be particularly distressing because victims feel the bullies have access to them at all times. We offer some practical ways you can protect your child.
Childhood friendships: should you intervene?
When your child falls out with a friend or seems unhappy with the social aspect of school, what can you do to help and how involved should you get? Danielle Weekes reports.
Is your child bullying?
Being told that your child is bullying is very difficult to come to terms with. We offer some expert advice and support on how to cope and help your child.
Child safety: stranger danger
Keeping children safe is our top priority as parents. But how do we strike a balance between protecting our little ones, and smothering them?
Leaving your child home alone: when is it safe?
At what age can your child safely be left at home while you go out? Read our advice on how to decide, with advice about the legalities in the UK.
Why relaxation is important for children
With so much going on in their lives, children need to find time to simply unwind, put their feet up, and have some all important 'me-time'. We take a look at the educational and psychological benefits of encouraging children to relax.
Recognising Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in children
All children have daily rituals and habits, but when they start to become stressful for the child it can be a sign that something isn't quite right. Here’s your guide to identifying OCD.
How to look after your child's mental health
Coping with a child who has mental health issues is never easy for parents or carers. We take a look at some of the things you can do to ensure a healthy, happy recovery.
Help develop your child's communication skills
Communication difficulties in children can be tackled through a variety of different activities and games. Find some ideas here to get you started.
Explaining special needs to children
Amy Schofield speaks to SEN expert Vicki Dawson to find out how to approach the subject with your child.