Be Balanced Be You

31/12/2025

Rolling into 2026 with the unbridled joy of a little girl getting her unicorn pony 🦄🦄

Thank you to each and every parent who continues to trust us to do the the very best by their children, year in, year out ❤️❤️❤️

25/12/2025

❤️❤️❤️

18/12/2025

Best parents ever!

If you know, you know 🙃😊

16/12/2025

An extremely rare slot for Therapeutic Riding has come available on a Tuesday afternoon.

If you'd like to avail of it please PM the page

14/12/2025

*** Book in the spotlight ***

Burnout: A Guide to Identifying Burnout and Pathways to Recovery
Authors: Gordon Parker, Gabriela Tavella & Kerrie Eyers

Burnout is one of the defining psychological challenges of the 21st century, a pervasive state of emotional exhaustion, cognitive fatigue, and diminished engagement that affects professionals, caregivers, and parents alike.

Strengths
Unlike many pop psychology titles that rely mainly on anecdote or intuition, this book is grounded in clinical research and evidence-based tools. It incorporates structured questionnaires and scientifically informed discussion to help readers assess their own experiences.

This makes it particularly useful for parents who appreciate data and clear logic rather than vague or simplistic advice.

It doesn’t just tell you to “slow down” or “practice self-care.” It distinguishes between burnout and other mental health issues such as depression, an important clarification for avoiding misdiagnosis or misunderstanding.

Many burnout books focus solely on corporate life, this book acknowledge that caregivers, parents of young children, and those in emotionally demanding roles are also at significant risk.

The book delves into how personality traits such as perfectionism can predispose people to burnout, a perspective supported by wider research.

However it can be occasionally dense and clinical, some may find the writing more academic than literary. Certain sections can feel like a monograph rather than a narrative, which may slow readers who prefer a more engaging or storytelling tone.

The book offers a wide menu of recovery strategies, but practical advice in later chapters can feel familiar, echoing general well-being guidance rather than offering novel interventions.

The book does not offer a one-size-fits-all prescription, but rather emphasises individualised recovery plans. For some, this is a strength; for others expecting clear step-by-step solutions, it may seem less immediately actionable.

Final Assessment

Its a book that is academic yet a practical resource that stands out from the crowd of burnout books for its depth and empirical grounding. It avoids superficiality, offering both a clear diagnostic lens and a broad set of tools for recovery.

11/12/2025

08/12/2025

*** Book in the spot light ***

Untangled by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.

Untangled has quickly become a modern classic for parents seeking a thoughtful, research-based understanding of what truly happens inside the mind of an adolescent girl. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Damour organises the often turbulent teenage years into seven developmental transitions; from “Parting with Childhood” to “Stepping Into Adulthood.”

This structure alone is a relief to many parents, offering a roadmap where there often seems to be only chaos.

What distinguishes Untangled is Damour’s ability to blend scientific insight, clinical clarity, and deep compassion. She reframes behaviours that many parents interpret as alarming; emotional volatility, peer drama, heightened privacy as normal, healthy signs of growth. Damour doesn’t minimise the challenges; instead, she contextualises them, helping parents see adolescence not as a problem to be solved but as a process to be supported.

Her writing is practical. Each chapter explores a core developmental task, illustrated with vivid case examples that feel authentic without being sensationalised. Damour offers specific, actionable guidance: how to stay connected without hovering, how to set limits without escalating conflict, and how to recognise when a teen’s struggles may signal deeper issues requiring professional help.

Parents will particularly appreciate her emphasis on resilience and autonomy. Rather than urging adults to shield teens from discomfort, she encourages them to provide steady support while allowing young people to experience the natural consequences that nurture maturity. This approach respects girls as capable individuals while honouring the vital role of parents as guides.

Though written with girls in mind, many of Damour’s insights extend naturally to adolescents of all genders, making the book broadly valuable.

** Verdict **

Untangled is an exceptionally clear, empathetic, and empowering resource for families navigating the adolescent years. It reassures, educates, and equips parents with a deeper understanding of their daughters’ inner worlds. An understanding that can transform conflict into connection. Highly recommended for any parent seeking a grounded, research-informed perspective on raising resilient and emotionally healthy young women.

06/12/2025

Is the Elf on the Shelf harmless fun or the cause of anxiety and stress for children

Specialists who study early behaviour say the elf changes how children interpret being watched. Instead of seeing rules as shared agreements, the child learns to behave only when observed. Therapists notice kids becoming overly careful in December and suddenly chaotic when the elf “leaves.” The pattern teaches performance, not internal guidance.

The nervous system links approval to surveillance, not connection.

Research on internal motivation shows that when children behave to please an outside figure, the brain shifts from curiosity to compliance. The elf becomes a temporary authority whose mood decides the day. Some children grow anxious, checking whether the elf “saw” something harmless. Others stop taking responsibility because the elf is treated as judge, not the parent.

The lesson becomes external control instead of inner confidence.

Teachers report that younger children often feel confused when a toy “moves” at night but stays silent during the day. The mind tries to make sense of mixed cues, playful magic paired with constant monitoring. For sensitive kids, this creates low-grade tension they can’t name. For others, the fun turns into pressure.

The excitement is real, but so is the uncertainty.

Development experts note that traditions built on surveillance can affect how children view honesty. Some learn to hide mistakes instead of talking about them, because the elf rewards spotless behavior, not effort or repair. In classrooms, these children hesitate to admit errors, fearing invisible judgment. A better model, therapists say, is when traditions highlight connection rather than inspection.

Kids learn trust from warmth, not watchfulness.

The tradition isn’t harmful by default, the impact depends on framing. When parents turn the elf into a playful companion rather than a silent evaluator, the nervous system relaxes. When the focus is creativity, not threat, children feel included instead of assessed.

Experts often suggest making the elf a helper, not a monitor. In that version, the child feels supported, not tested.

In short, take great care when using the Elf as children understand and interpretation can be very different to what you expect or intend as "harmless" fun

05/12/2025

The scary truth about adhd and screen time 👇👇

04/12/2025

*** Book in the spot light ***

"Grit" by Angela Duckworth

A pleasant read with helpful tips and suggestions to nurturing perseverance in children and also in ourselves

Angela Duckworth’s Grit offers a compelling argument that long-term passion and sustained effort, what she calls “grit", matter more to success than innate talent. For parents seeking research grounded, practical insights into how children flourish, Grit is both inspiring and refreshingly actionable.

Angela Duckworth, a psychologist and former teacher, builds her case through a blend of empirical studies, classroom observations, and interviews with high achievers from West Point cadets to Olympians. Her central thesis is simple but profound: talent counts, but effort counts twice. She introduces the now-familiar “Grit Scale” and explains how passion plus perseverance predicts achievement more reliably than IQ, socioeconomic background, or natural gifts.

The research is compelling, especially Angela Duckworth’s discussion of how practice is most effective when it is deliberate, focused, effortful, and continually stretching one’s abilities. Her storytelling is clear and humane, making complex research accessible without oversimplification.

One of the book’s strongest features is its emphasis on how to cultivate grit in real family environments:

Modelling grit as parents: Children pay attention to how adults stick with challenges, manage frustration, and pursue long-term goals.

Encouraging “hard things”: Offers the idea of a “hard thing rule,” asking each family member to choose a challenging activity that requires practice and cannot be quickly abandoned.

Building autonomy and intrinsic interest: Rather than forcing passion, parents can help children explore widely and commit gradually as interests deepen.

Normalising struggle: The book underscores that effort, setbacks, and boredom are not signs of failure but essential steps toward mastery.

These ideas feel grounded in developmental psychology without drifting into moralising or unrealistic expectations.

Grit is uplifting without being sentimental. The author respects the complexity of children’s lives, and she acknowledges that grit is not the only virtue, nor is it an antidote to structural barriers some children face. Her nuance on this point is welcome.

Some critics note that grit is easier to cultivate in supportive, stable environments. Duckworth recognises this but the book occasionally leans heavily on individual agency, which may feel idealistic to some readers. Still, the balance of research, narrative, and practical strategies makes this a highly valuable resource.

This is a thoughtful, research-based approach to motivation and resilience, readers will find Grit both enlightening and motivating. It offers a useful vocabulary for talking with children about long-term goals and a compassionate framework for helping them face challenges with confidence.

** Verdict **

Grit is a persuasive, generous, and highly readable exploration of what helps children and adults thrive in the long run. It is less a manual of tactics and more a mindset shift, inviting families to value effort, curiosity, and slow, steady progress. For parents seeking to raise resilient, engaged learners, this book is an excellent place to start.

29/11/2025

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DRoCMgmiBUR/?igsh=MTFiaHIzOWtzMHhjdw==

26/11/2025

👇👇 chose wisely