As a parent we make judgements all day long, responding to the multifaceted needs and desires of our tiny off spring. We question ourselves, doubt and guilt cloud our judgement and so called ‘experts’ tell us that this is the ‘best way’ to do it!

Sleep training, Baby-led, Co-sleeping, Gentle Parenting and Toddler Taming and all phrases most of us have become aware of. I worry for parents today, it really is much tougher, in my opinion, to bring up children than it was 30 years ago when my own children were small. Social media brings the opinions and views of strangers, whose life experience and story may be vastly different to ours, right into our homes. 30 years ago, there was help and advice from my mother, sisters and perhaps the mum who lived next door. Yes, there was advice but it came from people who knew you well, were often on hand to witness how you were doing it and it came from those whose experience was similar to your own. And of course you could ignore it.

My advice, and you don’t have to take it, trust yourself and your instinct and remember that you are the expert on the life and needs of your own child. What children really need is to be loved, valued and respected as independent and autonomous people. How you do this has to be right for you and your family.