Articles for parents
Short, expert articles on what research says about raising children aged 4–14. We quote figures only from verified studies, always with a source, and say whether it was an experiment or just a correlation. Each article says who wrote it and how it was checked before publication.
How should you praise a child so the praise really helps?
Praising effort and approach helps children persevere more than “you’re so clever”. What studies say about praise, rewards and inflated praise.
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Do children learn anything from stories? What research says about stories and behaviour
Children get most from stories when the situation is realistic, a person takes the step and the point is named. What stories do alone, and what talk adds.
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What to do when your child lies? Why punishment doesn’t encourage honesty
Children in punitive settings lie more often and better. Studies show what helps: valuing the truth, not punishing confessions, stories where honesty pays.
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How do you talk to your child about a disabled classmate?
Children ask directly — and that’s fine. How to answer by age, why shared play helps more than a lecture, and when to talk to the school.
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How to protect your child from online grooming
Online grooming is when someone builds a child’s trust in order to abuse them. Warning signs, why “stranger danger” isn’t enough, and what to do.
Read the article ↗Someone is blackmailing my child with a photo: what to do now
Is your child being blackmailed with a photo? Don’t pay, don’t send more, don’t delete. How to keep evidence without images, and where to report it.
Read the article ↗First phone: what to agree with your child
A first phone isn’t just about rules. What to agree: how to block and report, asking before sharing a friend’s photo, and knowing they can come to you.
Read the article ↗Social media and comparison: what we know about 10–14s
Is social media harming children? On average the links are small and differ from child to child. What large studies show and what it means for parents.
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How to help an angry child: what works by age?
Tantrums are common up to age 4. How to help an angry child at each age and when to seek professional advice — based on NHS, AAP and studies.
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- Coming soon Why does it matter that disabled children see themselves in books? Friendship and disability
- Coming soon Afraid of the dark: how to help without “there’s nothing to be scared of” Fear and courage
- Coming soon How do you get your child to listen — without shouting or punishment? Agreements and listening
- Coming soon What can you do when nobody plays with your child? Friends and being left out
- Coming soon How much sleep does a child need, and why does a bedtime routine help?
- Coming soon How much screen time is OK for a child?
- Coming soon Should children be rewarded for tidying up? Tidying up
- Coming soon Siblings arguing all the time: what helps? Siblings
- Coming soon How do you prepare a child for a new sibling? Siblings
- Coming soon How can you help a child stand up for others? Telling a trusted adult
- Coming soon How can you support a child’s learning without pressure? Losing and mistakes
- Coming soon How can you help a child who can’t stand losing? Losing and mistakes
- Coming soon Is it safe for children to talk to AI?
- Coming soon Personalised books: are they worth it?
- Coming soon How do children learn empathy? Friends and being left out
- Coming soon How can you tell if your child is being bullied — and what should you do? (sensitive topic) Telling a trusted adult
- Coming soon How to talk to your child about their body and about good and bad secrets (sensitive topic) Telling a trusted adult
- Coming soon What should you do when your child tells you something serious? (sensitive topic) Telling a trusted adult
- Coming soon How do you explain death to a child? (sensitive topic)
How we check our sources
The same rules apply to our articles: numbers only from verified studies, the type of study with every claim, sources with DOIs. Each article says who wrote it and how it was checked before publication.