Author Archives: SarahOckwell-Smith

‘Because I Said So!’ – free book excerpt and introduction to Childism

Childism is no different to any other ‘ism’ – racism, sexism, ageism, heterosexism (more commonly known as homophobia) and ableism. It simply refers to the discrimination of children in our society. You could argue that childism is a form of ageism, since ageism is usually defined as being treated unfairly, or discriminated against, because of age. The term ageism, however, is usually used to refer to the middle-aged and elderly in society and doesn’t address the unique barriers, discrimination and mistreatment faced by the young. Nor does it consider the underlying causes, or the nuanced views necessary to advocate for a societal demographic who are so often believed to be spoiled rotten, showered with constant love, attention and money. 

What is Childism? and why should we all be talking about it?

What exactly is Childism?

In short it’s about the discrimination of children in our society. It’s about the fact that child rights should be human rights, and yet children are treated in ways we would never imagine treating an adult.

The top 12 Myths about Gentle Parenting

While there are many mistaken beliefs surrounding gentle parenting, the following twelve are by far the most common and it is incredibly likely you will run into them frequently if you share your plans to parent gently with others. Let’s do some myth-busting!

The Gentle Parenting Stance on Santa/Father Christmas

“What’s the Gentle Parenting stance on Santa (or Father Christmas if you’re in the UK)?” “I’ve heard you’re not allowed to do Santa if you follow Gentle Parenting – is that true?” I think many are confused about Gentle Parenting. It is simply a belief system that children deserve to be treated with respect andContinue reading “The Gentle Parenting Stance on Santa/Father Christmas”

Read the introduction to ‘Beginnings’ for free

I’m delighted to share with you the introduction to my new book ‘Beginnings: A Guide to child psychology and development for parents of 0-5 yr olds’.

The Curse of Growing up a ‘Good Girl’

We often mistake being ‘a good girl’ as a positive thing. So many want their daughters to be ‘good’. But it’s not positive – it is toxic. The pressure and weight of constantly burying your feelings and needs in the pursuit of caring for others eats away at you. It gets so very heavy.

Coping with Parental Burn Out

“I just can’t take any more!”, “I’ve had it up to here with being a parent!”, “I literally don’t have the capacity to handle this”, how many times have you said something similar? Every parent knows how it feels to be emotionally and physically wrung out, exhausted and unable to handle their children. We all know how it feels to be desperate for a break, and by a break I don’t just mean a brief week or two in the sun, but real, tangible time away from the demands of everyday life (including our children!).

The 7 Golden Rules of Calmer Parenting

1. Everybody can be a calmer parent. It doesn’t take any special personality traits. Privilege does inevitably mean that life is sadly infinitely easier for some, but we can all do some work and make some changes, regardless of our life situations, that will have a positive impact (although I do accept that lack of privileges can and will limit the changes possible)

Why Perfectionism is the Enemy of Parents (and why ‘good enough’ is better).

This article is a little excerpt from my book: ‘How to be a Calm Parent’: Time and time again I come across parents who feel that they are failing their children because they have flaws. They believe that if they are not always ready and able to meet their child’s needs, then they are notContinue reading “Why Perfectionism is the Enemy of Parents (and why ‘good enough’ is better).”