The Parent Collaborative

The Parent Collaborative We are a Parenting Consultancy delivering courses, workshops and one-to-one sessions to parents

Top Tips TuesdayGood vs Bad – Right vs Wrong – "Normal vs Not Normal” – Easy vs Difficult ………….some of the many comparis...
10/02/2026

Top Tips Tuesday

Good vs Bad – Right vs Wrong – "Normal vs Not Normal” – Easy vs Difficult ………….some of the many comparisons people make when it comes to parenting and children.

Language has such a huge capacity to help or to hinder. When parents come to see us at The Garden Apartment, or we are working with them remotely, one of our most important aims is to dispel the idea that they are failing, or that there is only one way to parent.

Our goal is to support parents, so that they can find a path through whatever they are dealing with – one that works for their individual family unit. Our promise is that we will listen to what is going on, rather than promising a one-size fits all solution.

It takes real courage to reach out for support – in whatever capacity. Yet when it comes to reaching out for parenting support, it seems the reluctance runs deep. There are many reasons for this. From the idea that parents are made to believe that they should just be able to figure things out for themselves, to feeling as if their family unit is broken and there isn’t a way to resolve it.

So, on , we remind you that investment in the Early Years is something that you will never regret. Knowledge and understanding of child development is empowering. Looking at issues from an alternative perspective can be helpful. Feeling confident about what and how we want our family set up to look like, means we feel prepared. Constructing and nailing down a structure, can help provide us with the foundations on which to build a strong, confident, positive family unit.

These are all things that we have been working on with families since we first set up in Bath. If you’re looking for parenting support, get in touch – we’d love to hear from you🙌

Image credit -

Top Tips TuesdayPressure to be The Perfect Parent seems to be ever present in society today. Yet, not only is perfection...
03/02/2026

Top Tips Tuesday

Pressure to be The Perfect Parent seems to be ever present in society today. Yet, not only is perfection an illusion, it isn’t what our children want, or need us to be. Our children want our time and attention. If things don’t go according to plan, so what? When things turn out differently from how we expected (or didn’t turn out at all), that’s ok. These situations provide learning opportunities, or opportunities for laughter!

Chasing perfection in parenting (which doesn’t even exist remember) is exhausting for parents. There will always be something else we feel we should be doing with our children, always other families out there seemingly doing it better than our family unit.

Furthermore, chasing perfection potentially sets our children up for disappointment. If they don’t see us messing up, it can make them fearful of giving new things a go. It also doesn’t allow for them to witness and learn the power of an apology and making amends.

Good enough, rather than perfection, is a great place to be. If that means we stop measuring ourselves, stop comparing ourselves to others, and instead move to a place of acceptance of who we are, and importantly who are children are, things can feel lighter, calmer, more manageable.

So, on , here’s to parenting intentionally, parenting consciously, with kindness and respect, but moving away from thinking there is only way to parent and that everyone around us has got it sorted! Family life can be messy, tough, fun, a rollercoaster of emotions. One thing it is never going to be is the polished, curated version of family life that we are told is possible "If only we …….............."

Here’s to parents out there everywhere – you’ve got this🙌


Fun FridaySpoiler alert – we don’t mean this – it’s a joke!!  The end of the week is upon us - It’s   – the weekend is n...
30/01/2026

Fun Friday

Spoiler alert – we don’t mean this – it’s a joke!! The end of the week is upon us - It’s – the weekend is nearly here🤩

Laughter and fun are an essential component of any parenting tool kit. Without it, life can feel a lot heavier.

So, here’s to hunting the good stuff – whether that’s being out in Nature, going for a walk or cycle, picking out a board game that hasn’t been played with, snuggling up on the sofa or cooking up a meal together – here’s to connection through spending time together. Have a good one 🤗

Image credit -

We are delighted to publish our first Guest Blog of 2026!Helen Buteux is an experienced occupational therapist with over...
27/01/2026

We are delighted to publish our first Guest Blog of 2026!

Helen Buteux is an experienced occupational therapist with over a decade of expertise in early development, sensory foundations, and maternal wellbeing. Passionate about evidence-informed practice, she supports infants and toddlers through their most crucial stages of growth. Helen is the founder of The EmpowerMum Method, a transformative programme designed to help new and expecting mums feel confident, calm, and connected in early motherhood by nurturing both their own journey and their baby’s development.

You can find Helen over at:

www.helenbuteux.com


To read her blog on The Power of Play, click the link in our bio

Top Tips TuesdayThinking about a post for today, made us, as ever, reflect on the work we do at The Parent Collaborative...
20/01/2026

Top Tips Tuesday

Thinking about a post for today, made us, as ever, reflect on the work we do at The Parent Collaborative.

Reaching out for support when we may feel we are struggling with family life, takes courage. Surprisingly perhaps, parents tell us that the initial call was the hardest step. Once they had taken that step and the conversation had begun however, they could press pause, and things could start to change. Asking parents for testimonials is one way we hope that other parents will see that they are not alone – support is out there.

As it’s also , we wanted to “big up” Appreciation as a powerful addition to the parenting tool kit. We remember to tell our children how much we love them – sprinkling in appreciation, for who they are, and what they bring to our world, takes the unconditional love we have for our children one step further.

Furthermore, appreciation goes hand in hand with gratitude, hunting the good stuff and positive noticing – traits that are scientifically proven to make us feel happier and that bring about real change – for ourselves as well as for our children.

The Parent Collaborative has been lucky enough to have been in a position to offer support to a number of families who have come over as refugees – both in Bath and in other parts of the UK. As with all families we work with, it is such a privilege being given the opportunity to join them on a small part of their parenting journey🙏

Top Tips TuesdayThe Parent Collaborative works alongside school dates, so we have now been back at work for nearly two w...
13/01/2026

Top Tips Tuesday

The Parent Collaborative works alongside school dates, so we have now been back at work for nearly two weeks! 2026 is not showing any signs of being a slow burner!

Teaching, coaching, counselling training, volunteering – none of these prepared me for the arrival of baby number one! It is the same for so many parents who come along to talk to us. Nothing prepares us for the arrival of our own children – however many we may have taught along the way!

What we need to hold on to however, is the fact that we are the parents are children want. However wobbly we may feel on occasion, our children love and accept us for who we are!

For so many new parents, the extended family is a pipe dream – the so-called “village” – non-existent. This makes it really tough when we too are learning on the job. This is where reaching out for support makes sense. We wouldn’t hesitate to go along to a garage if our car was struggling, or to a lawyer if we needed legal advice. We need to view it through the same lens, when it comes to accessing parenting support.

Our promise to parents is simple. We will listen to understand, and we will work with parents to find a way through. Parenting is a tough, lifelong commitment – investing time in working out what we want our family life to look like, is an investment that will be repaid in so many ways.

So – if you’re feeling that you want 2026 to be the year when you press pause and look for understanding and alternative ways to approach the job of being a parent, get in touch. As ever, we would love to hear from you🤗

Happy New Year! We reckoned that for many of the families we work with, a cardboard box will have without a doubt, playe...
06/01/2026

Happy New Year! We reckoned that for many of the families we work with, a cardboard box will have without a doubt, played a part in their Christmas celebrations - it certainly did in ours!

A New Year, like any change, offers up opportunity – opportunity to potentially do things differently. It’s . The only tip we have for today however, is that if you feel that parenting support could benefit your family – get in touch - we'd love to hear from you! We are looking forward to working with a number of new families who have reached out – all with seemingly very different challenges, but all with the same hope – the opportunity of seeing and doing things differently. Not rip up all that they have been doing to date – but rather to reset – with new understanding and additional ways of implementing a more peaceful family dynamic.

One of the founding hopes when The Parent Collaborative was envisaged, was that it would become one component of a parent’s support network – something that all parents need. We set up in Bath, but now speak to parents all over the UK as well as see parents on a 1:1 basis at The Garden Apartment, 8 The Paragon, Bath. We do not believe that a one-size fits all approach to parenting is the answer – that is why every time we speak to new parents, we are looking at their family as a unique unit. We work with parents to help them find a way that feels as they are working with their children rather than fighting against them – one where everyone feels they are part of the same team. Parenting isn’t always easy, parents need different avenues of support along the way. However, whichever way one looks at it, if we are looking to implement change for the family, it starts with us, the parent.

The Parent Collaborative operates alongside term dates - we are therefore coming towards the end of the Autumn term!  Th...
11/12/2025

The Parent Collaborative operates alongside term dates - we are therefore coming towards the end of the Autumn term! This week is the final week this year, of seeing parents at The Garden Apartment, 8 The Paragon. We return to Bath again at the beginning of January 2026.

Before going on to wish you all a very Happy Christmas, we wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone in Bath who has supported and encouraged us this year. We end the year full of gratitude for all that we have managed to do and for all the help and support we have received along the way.

Top of the list of people to thank, are all the parents, both in Bath and those we work with remotely, who have entrusted us with what they are going through with their families. We feel privileged to have joined them on a short part of their parenting journey🤩

We look forward to 2026, and to returning to work in Bath and to all that the new year has to offer. In the meantime, we hope that the Christmas period allows for special time with family and friends.

Image credit - the fabulously talented .o.m.wright - Playing with the Nutcracker

Our latest blog is all about the idea of embracing the mindset of “Could do” rather than “Should do” – our image the wor...
27/11/2025

Our latest blog is all about the idea of embracing the mindset of “Could do” rather than “Should do” – our image the words “Don’t should on me”!!

"Could do" implies there is a choice or option, as well as ability or possibility, rather than the idea of having to do something. “Could do” also promotes the idea of setting oneself up for potential success and exploring possibilities, rather than the implication that something is the right or best choice

The run-up to important events such as Christmas, is often when the “Should do” mentality comes into its own! Comparison, the idea of perfection, the feeling that everyone else is smashing it all, can move us away from parenting intentionally and making choices that are right for our family.

So, here’s to simplicity, to good enough, to making time and space for ourselves and for our family and in so doing choose to create an occasion (and the long lead up to the occasion) that is how and where we want our family to be.

Click the link in our bio to read more🥰

With you WednesdayIs parenting feeling overwhelming? Are you looking for support in one specific area? Would a reset hel...
05/11/2025

With you Wednesday

Is parenting feeling overwhelming? Are you looking for support in one specific area? Would a reset help your family unit? Is your toolbox feeling depleted? Would an alternative perspective be helpful?

Parenting is hard work. What’s more, we are not given any training or the chance of a trial run. We know this – we’ve been there – as both parents and teachers! What we also know, without question, is that with support, parents thrive. They are the parents their child needs. Getting the appropriate support however, can be the difference between surviving and thriving.

So, whatever support looks like for you, whatever stage you are on in your parenting journey, we want you to know that The Parent Collaborative is here for you. We are not here to tell you what you must do. Our promise to you is that we will work with you, to find a way through.

With you Wednesday⁠⁠On  , we like to remind parents that we are here for them. Here to listen, here to support, here to ...
15/10/2025

With you Wednesday⁠

On , we like to remind parents that we are here for them. Here to listen, here to support, here to empower them to parent in the way that is right for their unique family unit. ⁠

Sadly, sometimes parents come to the decision that they can no longer stay together. No-one ever takes a decision such as this lightly. It is a time of huge upheaval for a family, and huge emotional turmoil. However, it is also a time when if parents are supported to continue to put their children at the centre of decision making, rather than in the middle of parental conflict, a child’s pain, confusion and distress can be reduced.⁠

One of our most important aims at The Parent Collaborative is helping parents construct a scaffold around key interconnecting cornerstones. Post separation, and looking to parent apart, but still as a team, is an area that we help parents to navigate. The family unit now looks different but families aren’t “broken”. We can help parents to construct a working framework for them and their children in this new landscape.⁠

We have recently been talking with This is a company that is deeply committed to working with families to avoid acrimony, and to finding solutions to a family’s issues without, wherever possible, entering a courtroom. We would urge parents looking for a compassionate, child-
centred way to work through the end of a relationship, to check them out over at www.bathfamilylaw.co.uk or give them a call on (01225) 941222.⁠

Our latest downloadable resource on helping to support children navigating a Separation or Divorce can be found over on our website - https://www.theparentcollaborative.co.uk/everyday-parenting

Fun FridayIt’s nearly the weekend🤗  It’s not about saving fun up just for the two days when we are not at work, let’s re...
03/10/2025

Fun Friday

It’s nearly the weekend🤗

It’s not about saving fun up just for the two days when we are not at work, let’s remember the power of “Hunting the good stuff” as often as possible. Children have a natural drive to find fun and a natural way of being “in the moment” whenever they are - - snot and all😂

Here’s to us, as adults, remembering this powerfully simple way of being. Happy weekend everyone🤩

Address

Garden Apartment, 8 The Paragon
Bath
BA15LX

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441225938900

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Making the most of the family dynamic.

We are an ‘Early Years’ consultancy helping parents to promote good mental health and resilience in their children.

Our goal is to support parents and families as they navigate the sometimes choppy waters of parenthood. We also deliver workshops and training in conjunction with parents, teachers and local organisations.