Hi and Welcome!
You may be wondering what As They Grow is all about. Well, this is a place for parents from all backgrounds to get the help, support and advice they need.
I know how messy and complicated life and parenting can be sometimes. So I take a rounded view and try to help with all that life can throw at us.
Although I’m a busy mum of three kids aged 22, 21 and 11, I’m also a qualified primary school teacher, Early Years Teacher (EYT) and owned a home-based childcare business for 10 years. So, I’ve had plenty of experience with kids and their families!
I’ve had my fair share of life experience too. I’ve been through a painful relationship breakup and had to cope as a single mum for several years. Later, after meeting my husband, Simon, we grappled with the challenges that all step parents face.
But we navigated our way and raised our kids as best we could in our blended family. It hasn’t always been easy, but we’ve learnt a lot! We’ve owned various businesses and struggled with the pressures they brought and strived to find a work-life balance.
In a career of over 20 years, working with dozens of children, I’ve encountered so many different types of families, each with their own unique dynamics, strengths and challenges. It’s struck me how so many parents face similar issues, several of which I have battled with myself.
Families have frequently asked for practical tips on issues such as dealing with fussy eaters, coping with tantrums or how to prepare their kids for school. But many have shared much deeper concerns.
I’ve heard about their hopes and dreams for their kids. We’ve discussed how to help them flourish into strong and capable adults, with all the skills, confidence and self-esteem they need to succeed in the world.
Many have opened up to me about their family relationships and the pressures they face trying to juggle the demands of work and day-to-day family life. They’ve shared worries about their finances, careers, and personal aspirations for the future.
Several have battled with issues around their physical and mental health. From weight loss plans and exercise regimes to dealing with stress, sleep deprivation and anxiety; we’ve covered it all.
I felt for every one of them. In so many cases, I had been in their shoes or supported a family who had. Drawing on my years of experience and academic training, I did all I could to support them, both practically and emotionally. I certainly didn’t have all the answers. I as much as anyone, am still a work in progress. But if I could help in some small way, I always tried my best to do so.
I’ve come to realise that parents, no matter where they are from, share many of the same concerns and I’d love to extend a helping hand to them too. I’m not claiming to be a fountain of knowledge by any means. There is so much I still don’t know or understand, and every day I strive to grow as a person and learn something new. But I do have a strong desire to be there for others. When I can help in any way, it brings me joy and a sense of purpose.
As They Grow is here to support parents with the multitude of challenges they face through all the seasons of parenthood, recognising how these change over time. In the excitement of becoming first-time parents to when wondering how best to forge a new career path after years of being at home; I’ll be here.
I aim to celebrate parents as individuals. So often when we have a child, we lose a little of our identity, especially if we choose to stay at home with our kids. But life is as much about us and our development, as it is about our children. I try to reflect the importance of this in my work.
So, I welcome you to As They Grow. I want to help you through the highs and the lows of parenthood by sharing the best of what I have learnt. See this as a place of refuge, where you won’t be judged. I hope you will find comfort here, as well as support and advice you can depend on to help you through your parenting journey.
Nadine x