Her only-child status may be more ‘correlation over causation’ when it comes to her struggles. Many solo-children can turn-take and share, and many sibling-children will struggle just as you describe.

Reading is nurtured and developed in school from ages five to eight years (and beyond, of course), which means your son is still very much in the 'learning to read' (and specifically learning to read with fluency) phase of his education.

"So much is written and said about the critical early years of our children’s lives, and again when they reach those tricky teenage years, but very little attention is given to the middle stage of childhood, the years between eight and 12."

Since then, he has become very withdrawn and finds it hard to go outside even to play with friends, as he doesn’t feel good enough now

You could talk to the coach about your concerns in a calm way, without venting. The coach could clarify the club’s structure, focus, and goals for the team, enabling you to make an informed decision about whether your son should stay.

"The best thing you can do for your children in the meantime is to take care of yourselves and each other. Focus on maintaining open communication and connection, and ensure you have a support system you can activate for yourselves: Friends, family, professional therapy, etc."

My three-year-old daughter is very attached to me. She's an only child, and we do almost everything together. She got distressed when I attempted to leave her at playschool in June, so I stayed with her. What would you advise?

I've suggested taking up a new sport, but he says he's not interested. What would you suggest?

She now has a meltdown nearly every time I attempt to leave her behind with her dad or babysitter

"You probably know that feeling when you come home from a brilliant holiday and everything at home feels anti-climactic and dull in comparison to the experiences you’ve had on holiday. It’s often referred to as “post-holiday blues”."