School run to sibling rivalry
Family life and school-age advice
UK family guides for starting school, childcare, sibling relationships, screen time and pocket money, from Reception through primary school.
Guides & explainers
Starting School: A Reception Readiness Checklist for UK Parents
Reception readiness in England: self-care beats reading. What schools actually expect, summer-born delayed starts, and who should skip this checklist.
Sibling Rivalry: Welcoming a New Baby Without the Guilt
Jealousy, regression and acting out when a new baby arrives are all normal — practical ways to help an older child adjust, without guilt or over-managing it.
Screen Time for School-Age Children: The Actual UK Guidance
The UK's official screen time position for 5-11s sets no hour limit — what the Chief Medical Officers and RCPCH recommend instead, and what's changing.
Pocket Money UK: Choosing an Amount and Building Saving Habits
Choose an affordable pocket-money routine, agree what it covers and use a worked savings example. Published MoneyHelper guidance for UK families.
Parenting Twins & Multiples: A UK Guide
Practical UK guidance for parents of twins and multiples — encouraging individuality, the same-class-or-separate school debate, and where to find real support.
Wraparound & Holiday Childcare in the UK: What's Available and What It Costs
A practical guide to UK before/after-school and holiday childcare — Tax-Free Childcare, wraparound childcare, and the Holiday Activities and Food scheme.
UK Childcare Funding Tools: 15/30 Hours, Tax-Free & Calculators
UK childcare funding toolkit: 30 hours for working parents, universal 15 hours, Tax-Free Childcare, and which GOV.UK calculators to run first.
Nursery Extras on Funded Hours: What UK Providers Can Charge
What English nurseries can legally charge on top of 15/30 funded hours — meals, nappies, trips — and when mandatory extras mean contact your council.
How to Make a Will as a Parent: Guardianship, Probate & Protecting Your Children
A UK parent’s guide to making a will — naming guardians, what a will should include, costs, mirror wills, probate and inheritance tax planning, in plain English.
How to Change a Child’s Name by Deed Poll in the UK: The Complete Guide
How to legally change a child’s name in the UK — consent rules, unenrolled vs enrolled deed polls, costs, and updating the passport and school.
Babies, Children and Pets: Safe Introductions, Boundaries and Real Benefits
Managing pets and children safely — introducing a dog or cat to a newborn, hygiene rules, toddler boundaries, and the real benefits of pets.
Taking Babies and Toddlers to Museums: The Survival Guide That Makes It Fun
How to actually enjoy museums with babies and toddlers — the quietest times to go, what to pack, engagement games that work, and the best UK museum types for kids.
Managing Your Children’s Money: JISAs, First Bank Accounts and Raising Money-Smart Kids
Children’s money made simple — Junior ISA rules, a child’s first bank account, teaching toddlers about coins, and digital money for teens.
How Animal Rescue Teaches Children Empathy (Even If You Can’t Adopt)
How animal welfare and rescue involvement builds children’s empathy and responsibility — and the practical ways UK families can help without adopting a pet.