Are you worrying that your child isn't reaching their milestones as quickly as other children? That they've barely eaten anything today? Or that one late bedtime has completely ruined their sleep routine?

As parents, there's always something to worry about, and with Google, social media and now AI giving us answers at the touch of a button, is having so much information available actually making parenting harder?

In this episode, Claire and Becks chat about some of the things they wish parents worried a little less about. From developmental milestones and fussy eating to toddler behaviour, sleep and the pressure to keep our children constantly entertained, they share some practical advice, personal experiences and plenty of reassurance along the way.

They also discuss why comparing ourselves (and our children!) to others isn't always helpful, the importance of trusting our instincts and why sometimes we need to stop searching for answers and give ourselves a bit of a break!

In this episode, we talk about:

• Whether Google, social media and AI are making parenting easier or simply giving us more things to worry about.
• Why children develop at different rates and why comparing milestones isn't always helpful.
• Why one day of hardly eating anything, a missed nap or a late bedtime doesn't mean everything has gone wrong.
• Why toddlers love saying 'no' and how changing the way we communicate can help avoid those endless battles!
• Why children don't need constant activities or entertainment, and the benefits of letting them get bored.
• Why everyone else's children can seem so much easier than our own (and why appearances can be deceiving!).
• The most common worries parents come to Bespoke Family with, from sleep and toilet training to behaviour.
• Why trusting your instincts, choosing reliable sources of information and remembering that every family is different can make such a difference.

Follow Bespoke Family:

Instagram: @bespokefamily

Facebook: @bespokefamily

For information about a Bespoke Family Parent Consultation, click here.

Explore our downloadable ‘Your Guide to…’ webinars, covering topics including preparing for and welcoming your newborn, behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more:

‘Your Guide to…’

This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative.

How well do we really understand our teenagers and how can we stay connected to them as they begin to work out who they are and where they fit in the world?

This week, we’re joined by Tony Griffin, author of The Teenager’s Book of Life, a book written for teenagers rather than their parents. Tony tells us why he wanted to speak directly to young people, how his own teenage experiences shaped his work and what he has learnt from years of conversations with teenagers about the questions they really want answered.

We talk about emotions, friendships, identity, body image, education, social media, mental health and the sometimes difficult balance between supporting our teenagers and trying to control the direction they take.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why Tony chose to write a book for teenagers, rather than another book telling parents how to raise them.
• Tony’s own experiences as a teenager and how he came to work with young people.
• Teenagers and emotions, including the isolation some boys experience and the impact of social media and reduced face-to-face interaction.
• Helping teenagers discover who they are - and why many of us are still working that out as adults!
• Whether education often places too much emphasis on academic achievement and not enough on preparing young people for life.
• Teenage brain development, risk-taking and some of the particular challenges facing boys.
• The pressures teenagers experience around school, education, achievement and expectations.
• Tony’s observation that we can sometimes under-parent in the online world while over-parenting in the real world.
• The pressures of parenting, our desire to conform and the tendency to see our children as a reflection of ourselves.
• Practical ways to accept our teenagers for who they are - while also looking at who we are as parents.
• Why teenagers need to find their tribe, what happens when we worry they have found the wrong one, and why curiosity can be more helpful than control.
• Moving towards connection over control and having conversations about what your teenager enjoys, what they are good at and what they imagine their future might look like.
• Encouraging interests and ambitions while recognising the importance of commitment, practice and hard work.
• Body image, belonging and peer acceptance - and how Tony encourages young people to understand and challenge their inner critic, rather than focusing solely on their body. Why conversations about that critical voice in our heads need to become more normal.
• VENT — Tony’s practical strategy for responding when your teenager comes to you with a problem or overwhelming emotions: Validate, Empathise, Normalise and Transform.
• Teenage friendships, how boys and girls may navigate them differently and the reassurance that sometimes your closest friends are still out there waiting to be found.

A really interesting conversation about understanding the person behind the teenager, staying curious and connected, and supporting them as they begin to find their own way.

Tony’s book, The Teenager’s Book of Life, is available from:

Teenager’s Book of Life

From 15 October 2026 it will also be available in bookshops across the UK.

Follow Bespoke Family:

Instagram: @bespokefamily

Facebook: @bespokefamily

Read our blogs on tweens and teens:

Blogs for Tweens and Teens

For information about a Bespoke Family Parent Consultation, click here.

Explore our downloadable ‘Your Guide to…’ webinars, covering topics including preparing for and welcoming your newborn, behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more:

‘Your Guide to…’

This podcast is produced by Decibelle Creative.

The school holidays can mean later nights, slower mornings, meals at different times and routines becoming a little more relaxed, which is all part of the fun!

But then suddenly… holiday mode is over and it’s back to reality!

School and nursery bring structure back into our children's days: getting up at a certain time, getting dressed, eating breakfast, leaving the house and being ready to learn, eat and sleep at particular times. After weeks away from that routine, it can take a little while for children's body clocks (and their emotions) to catch up.

In this episode, Claire and Becks talk about why the transition back into routine can sometimes be trickier than we expect and the small things we can do to make it easier.

We discuss:

• Why routines help children know what to expect and can help them feel safe and secure.
• How being out of routine can affect sleep, eating and children's ability to recognise what their bodies need.
• Why suddenly going from relaxed holiday days to busy school mornings can result in resistance and challenging behaviour.
• The emotions sitting underneath that 'back-to-school feeling' from excitement and anticipation to worry and separation from parents.
• Why even little things such as new shoes, uniform or unfamiliar lunchboxes and water bottles can feel like a big change.
• How practising with new school or nursery belongings before the first day can help.
• Why it can be helpful to start gradually reintroducing your usual routine during the week before school or nursery starts.
• Re-setting realistic wake-up and bedtime routines.
• How visual timetables can help children understand what is going to happen next.
• And why it is important to give yourself and your child time to get back on track - it doesn't all have to fall perfectly into place on day one.

The more children know what to expect, the easier a transition can feel. A little preparation before the new term can go a long way towards helping everyone move from holiday mode back to everyday life.

Facebook: @bespokefamily

Read our blog: That back-to-school feeling!

For information about a Bespoke Family Parent Consultation, click here.

Explore our 'Your Guide to...' downloadable webinars, covering topics including preparing for and welcoming your newborn, behaviour, toilet training, sleep and more.

Newborn to Teen and Everything in Between is produced by Decibelle Creative.