Give her time to transition into school and you should see her settle and become less reliant on these external factors for regulation

My partner lets our school children make their own mistakes, while I am more protective. Now our children are playing us off each other

He may look cross with you but the truth is probably nearer to the fact that he missed you — he was sad and couldn’t understand why you disappeared

If she begins skipping meals or pursuing calorie deficits to lose weight, I would strongly advise seeking professional intervention

Your to-do list is getting longer by the day, and though you have the best of intentions, it's proving difficult to get through.  The latest productivity hack may help you scale the work mountain and even help your children build resilience 

Do not rush her through this process, nor should you quickly replace the dog with a new one

It is essential to keep the doors of communication open on this so she can come to you to talk through aspects of her relationships with you in a safe and supportive way.

My nine-year-old daughter says I’m busy all the time. I want to be a good parent, but I also need to think of my future career

Initiating repair communicates that your relationship matters more to you than being right, and it’s stronger than this row

Your child may not have the words to explain what is upsetting them, but learning to meet them on their level can help bridge the divide

Many of her friends are dating, and she has started saying she’s ugly and boring

Your children are still adjusting to a significant cultural upheaval, which may make the transition to their new group care environment even more challenging

You feel overwhelmed because this is an overwhelming time but putting a plan in place to get help from your husband or friends could make a big difference

She clams up if I try to speak to her about it and it's difficult to see her struggle

Her decision to go on holiday with another family instead of her own is not just hers to make

My husband is a big sports fan but my son couldn't care less so they miss out on the bonding opportunity of watching a game or going to matches

The older one seems to take particular pleasure in annoying the younger one

Because this is not a shared interest for you, be careful you are not projecting your opinions about women who dress up or wear makeup onto her. She sounds like a happy, healthy, typically developing teenager

Don’t just focus on what you will say to your children, focus on listening to them and allowing them to share and express their thoughts, worries, or excitement

Child psychotherapist Dr Joanna Fortune gives advice about an evolving relationship between two brothers