I’m also worried that my eldest daughter feels obliged to play with her lonely sister

"You describe her as always having been a 'picky eater'. I wonder if there has always been an emotional charge around food in your relationship as a result of this."

This is such a full-on stage of development

"She believes she has left the age of command (do as you’re told) and has entered the age of consent (compliance is negotiable and up to her)."

"Making conscious changes to your routine with your children in mind is not moving away from structure; it is changing it temporarily."

We’re going abroad for holidays in two weeks, and I’m dreading the tantrums — what can I do?

Our two sons have never really got on. There's a five-year age gap, which probably doesn't help...

"The summer after second year can see some students return to school acting like typical 14-years-olds, while others behave as though they were 24."

"Alopecia is an autoimmune condition and can also be caused by vitamin or mineral deficiencies. All the right steps are being taken - consulting with the GP and getting a referral to a consultant dermatologist."

"They are neurologically wired for risk-taking, impulsive, and reward-seeking behaviours. Most want to experiment with new tastes in music, fashion, and friends, which impacts attitude and behaviour."