You may never have been a girl yourself, but that needn’t be a barrier to father daughter bonding. You want your daughter to grow into a self-confident young woman – and she’s going to need her dad on her side.

Convincing kids that it's worth devoting time and effort to schoolwork can be a major source of tension. Here, a mother, Jennifer, and her daughters, Emily and Samantha*, give their views on a typical mother-daughter struggle over homework – showing how understanding other people’s points of view in family disputes can reduce anger and upset on all sides.

Communicating with your child should be easy. But miscommunication is easier. You make a simple comment about what they’re wearing and they storm off, slamming the door. You ask what they had for lunch and they assume it’s an attack about their diet. While you’re just trying to show how much you care about them, their reactions suggest you’re speaking a different language. 

Communicating with teens about the problems they're facing can be difficult – it’s all too easy to say, “You’ll get over it.” But being dismissive can discourage them from expressing their feelings.

Life can feel lonely for teenagers. Have you considered writing a message of support to your son or daughter about being a teenager? Sharing your own experiences, words of wisdom and encouragement can help you empathise with them and improve your conversations.

As a parent, it’s natural to want the best for your child – for them to be happy, healthy and confident individuals. 

But that’s sometimes easier said than done, especially during the teen and pre-teen years when their bodies are changing, their self-confidence is fragile and they are trying to make that tricky transition out of childhood. 

Why is it that ‘the latest look’ is often nothing like people actually are in the real world? What look did you hanker after growing up? Trends may move on, but young people’s aspiration – and anxiety – is timeless.

As children get older, the pressure to abandon their personal style in favour of peer-approved fashion choices increases. How can you help your daughter resist negative peer pressure, and stay true to her own unique sense of style?

The benefits of exercise go far beyond the physical. Discover the scientific facts about the positive link between exercise and body image, and give your child the exercise bug, with our action checklist.