My Teenager and Our Evolving Relationship: Growing Together Through the Changes (and Jiu Jitsu)

No one really prepares you for the moment your child starts to pull away. The once chatty, cuddly little human who used to tell you everything suddenly disappears behind a closed door, a hoodie, or a screen.

And just like that, you realise: our relationship is changing.

But here’s the truth I’ve come to understand — it’s not breaking.
It’s evolving.

🌱 The Teenage Years: A New Landscape

Teenagers are in a state of emotional, neurological, and social transformation. Their brains are rewiring. Their identities are forming. Their need for independence is real.

This often shows up as:

• Moody silences

• Eye rolls and shrugged shoulders

• Sudden need for privacy

• Pulling away from family rituals

• Questioning everything (including us)

It’s easy to take it personally. But what they’re really doing is becoming themselves.

And our role? To shift, not disappear.

🤼‍♀️ Jiu J...

Are Boys Easier Than Girls? Let’s Talk About Feelings and Emotions in Children

“Boys are easier.”
“Girls are more emotional.”
“Boys don’t talk about their feelings.”
“Girls are dramatic.”

Sound familiar?

Whether whispered at the school gate or passed down from generation to generation, these beliefs still sneak into how we view children — especially when it comes to feelings and emotions. But here's the truth:

❗️Children aren’t “easier” or “harder” based on gender.
They’re individuals — each with a full, beautiful, messy inner world that deserves to be seen, supported, and understood.

So let’s talk about it.

💡 Where Do These Beliefs Come From?

These stereotypes didn’t appear out of nowhere. For years, society has shaped the emotional expectations we place on children:

• Boys are often encouraged to “toughen up,” be strong, be brave.

• Girls are often told they’re “too sensitive,” “too dramatic,” or praised for being emotionally aware.

Over time, these messages influ...

Name It to Tame It: The Science Behind Emotional Literacy

You’ve probably heard the phrase: “Name it to tame it.”
It’s simple, memorable — and it’s backed by neuroscience.

But what does it really mean? And how does it help children (and adults) manage their big emotions with confidence?

Let’s dive into the science behind emotional literacy, and why naming our feelings is one of the most powerful tools we can give our kids.

🧠 What Does “Name It to Tame It” Mean?

Coined by Dr. Dan Siegel, a leader in interpersonal neurobiology, “Name it to tame it” is the idea that when we put words to what we feel, we reduce the intensity of that emotion.

In other words:

When we name the feeling, we calm the nervous system.

This simple act of emotional labelling activates the prefrontal cortex (our rational, reasoning brain) and helps regulate the amygdala (our fight/flight/freeze centre). It creates space between feeling and reacting — and in that space, we find choice, calm, and connecti...

Feelings First: What’s More Important—The Alphabet or Learning to Name Your Emotions?

A is for apple.
B is for ball.
C is for… crying on the floor because someone took your toy and you don’t have the words to explain how you feel.

We teach kids their ABCs before they can walk straight. We drill letters, numbers, colours, and shapes. And yes — literacy matters.

But what if we told you that emotional literacy might matter even more?

At My Wellbeing School, we believe in a simple but radical idea:

Feelings come first.
Before reading.
Before writing.
Before anything else — we need to learn how to be with ourselves.

🧠 What Is Emotional Literacy?

Emotional literacy is the ability to:

• Recognise what you’re feeling

• Name the emotion

• Understand where it’s coming from

• Express it in healthy ways

• Empathise with others’ feelings, too

It’s the foundation of emotional regulation, resilience, and connection — all essential for lifelong wellbeing.

💥 Why “Fee...

Toddlers and Mindfulness: Learning Emotional Regulation

The other day, my toddler turned to me in the sea — eyes soft, body still — and said:

“Mummy, this is my calm face.”

He was meditating.

In his own toddler way. In the ocean. With intention.

And I nearly burst into tears.

Because in that quiet, sun-drenched moment, I realised something powerful:

They’re taking it in.
All of it.
The breathing. The words. The tone. The energy. The stillness. The way we model how to move through the world.

Even when we feel like it’s not landing — it is. In ways we might not see until suddenly, one day… we do.

🧠 Toddlers Absorb Everything

Children are sensory sponges. Long before they can explain what they’re feeling, they’re soaking in how we respond to emotions, how we breathe through chaos, how we hold space for big feelings.

They’re watching:

• How we regulate ourselves when frustrated

• How we say “I need a moment” or “Let’s take a breath”

• How we describe emotions

  ...

Nestled among the rocks and trees, my children, Noah (13) and his little brother Rhion (3), sit perched on a natural ledge, barefoot and immersed in their surroundings. The sunlight filters through the dense canopy above, casting playful shadows on the rugged terrain below. This moment—of climbing, exploring, and experiencing the raw beauty of nature—reflects the very essence of learning through risk.

The idea of “risky play” is gaining momentum worldwide, as educators, parents, and policymakers recognize the importance of allowing children to engage in unstructured, adventurous play. The Woeste Westen play forest in Amsterdam exemplifies this movement, providing children the space to explore boundaries through climbing, wrestling, playing with fire, and even using tools like hammers and knives under supervision.

In an era where digital screens dominate childhood, outdoor play is becoming an endangered experience. Mascha van Werven, a charity director, highlights a growing concern: “...

Reading Together and the Bedtime Bond: Why Books Matter More Than Ever

There’s something sacred about bedtime. The soft light, the slowing breath, the quiet stillness between one day and the next.

And then…

“Can we read a book?”

It might seem like a small request. But reading together at bedtime isn’t just a habit — it’s a ritual of connection, comfort, and emotional growth.

At My Wellbeing School, we believe stories have the power to soothe, strengthen, and connect — especially during that tender, winding-down part of the day.

💛 Why Bedtime Reading Matters

Whether it’s a picture book, a feelings journal, or the same story for the 47th time, the act of reading together at night has enormous emotional and neurological benefits.

Bedtime stories help:

• Regulate the nervous system

• Signal safety and routine

• Build emotional bonds between parent and child

• Develop emotional language and empathy

• Create space for calm conversations about the day

It’s no...

Raising Brave Learners: Risk-Taking, Mistakes, and the Gift of Safe Boundaries

We want our children to grow up confident.
Curious.
Resilient.
Willing to try, fail, and try again.

But so often — especially when emotions are high — we rush in to protect, prevent, or perfect.

The truth is, learning involves risk.
And growing involves getting it wrong.

At My Wellbeing School, we believe in raising brave learners — children who feel safe enough to take emotional, social, and physical risks, and supported enough to bounce back when they stumble.

🧠 Why Risk-Taking Matters in Childhood

Healthy risk-taking is a vital part of development. Whether it’s climbing the big slide, trying a new food, asking a question in class, or admitting “I don’t know” — every risk is an act of courage.

When children take risks, they learn to:

• Test their limits and build confidence

• Problem-solve and adapt

• Develop resilience after failure

• Handle uncertainty and fear in healthy ways

• T...

Let Them Be Bored — and Remember to Wonder

The Joy and Power of Thinking Before Getting the Answer

“I’m bored.”

Two words that can make even the most patient parent or educator sigh.

But what if boredom wasn’t something to fix…
What if it was something to honour?

At My Wellbeing School, we believe that boredom is not the enemy of learning — it’s the gateway to wonder. And wonder is where creativity, curiosity, and emotional depth begin to bloom.

🌱 Why Boredom Is Actually a Gift

In a world of instant answers, flashing screens, and constant stimulation, our kids rarely have the chance to just… be.

When children are bored, their minds begin to:

• Drift

• Imagine

• Reflect

• Create

• Ask their own questions

Boredom makes space for original thought.
And in that space, children remember how to wonder — to sit with a question instead of rushing toward an answer.

🧠 Wonder Builds Better Thinkers

When we give kids the answer too quickly, we deny them the joy of ...

Book Review: Ergo — A Big Book of Ideas for Little Thinkers

Every now and then, a picture book comes along that lingers.
Not just in the mind — but in the heart.

For me, that book is Ergo by Alexis Deacon, illustrated by Viviane Schwarz.
It’s one of those quiet masterpieces that invites children (and adults) to stop, think, wonder… and maybe even see the world — and themselves — a little differently.

🌱 The Story (Without Spoilers)

Ergo is a small chick inside a shell.
Her world is the shell.
She names her body, names the shell, and names the world — all from inside her tiny, contained space.

And then… she starts to wonder.
What’s outside this shell?
Am I all there is?
What else might be real?

What follows is a gentle, beautifully illustrated exploration of existence, thought, identity, and curiosity.

Yes, really. In a picture book. And it works brilliantly.

💡 Why I Love Ergo

This book manages to:

• Introduce big philosophical ideas in a child-friendly way

• Spark cur...