Empowering Parents & Helping Kids Navigate New Experiences

Rachel Vecht in conversation with Elizabeth Willetts, founder of Investing in Women

Elizabeth also hosts a FB group ‘Work it Like a Mum’ and these were questions posed by that community.

Parenting children of different ages [00:02:02] Rachel gives advice on how to parent children of different ages fairly, using the strategy of setting up for success and pre-empting common issues.

Finding childcare during school holidays [00:06:03] Rachel acknowledges the difficulty of finding childcare during school holidays and suggests researching the local area and reaching out to other parents for advice.

Supporting children during exams [00:07:43] Rachel shares her experience of supporting her children during exams and emphasises the importance of emotional support and keeping things in perspective. The topic of supporting children during exams such as GCSEs is briefly mentioned towards the end of the segment.

Setting boundaries around screen time [00:09:38] Rachel discusses the challenges of screen time for children of different ages and advises parents to set clear boundaries and screen time contracts.

Dealing with bullying [00:13:30] Rachel gives advice on dealing with bullying, including keeping a diary, speaking to the school, and boosting the child’s confidence and self-esteem. She also suggests looking at the underlying reasons for the bully’s behaviour.

Roleplaying to deal with unkind behaviour [00:16:12] Rachel suggests using roleplay to help younger children respond to unkind behaviour. She gives examples of how parents can help their children prepare for different scenarios.

Dealing with swearing children [00:18:42] Rachel discusses the importance of modelling good behaviour and suggests using “I statements” to explain how swearing makes parents feel. She also advises parents to understand why their children are swearing and to talk with them about their language’s impact.

Potty training tips [00:22:05] Rachel advises parents to wait until their child is ready for potty training and suggests making it a positive experience. She also recommends using resources such as books and making it fun for the child.

Supporting your child when they’re about to start something new [00:24:08] Tips for parents to support their children when they are about to start something new, such as primary school, secondary school, or university.

Making time for yourself as a parent [00:28:06] Advice on how parents can make time for themselves while juggling parenting and work responsibilities.