Parenthood Archives - Family Action

Real stories

Kamila’s story: How accepting difference helped me and my family

When we talk about neurodiversity, we’re also often discussing identity, and how we relate to others. Although it can be tempting…

Real stories

What family means to me – Jake Graf

Last month Family Action was lucky enough to have Jake and Hannah Graf join us as part of our LGBT+…

Real stories

Empowering single parents – investing in futures

Empowering single-parent students through the Investing in Futures Fund in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase & Co. has been truly rewarding.…

Real stories

What being a single mum looks like for me

Mother’s Day presents a valuable opportunity to recognise the amazing women who nurture us throughout our lives. But sometimes we can…

Real stories

Rachel’s story: finding strength and healing after traumatic birth

Conversations about pregnancy and motherhood are often had with the benefit of hindsight. If many of us responded truthfully and free…

Our services, Real stories

Joanna’s story: how FamilyLine helped me and my children without stigma

Every year since it first launched this time four years ago our FamilyLine service supports thousands of families nationwide with…

Our services, Real stories

Lucy’s Story: My Son’s Autism Diagnosis

The time surrounding a diagnosis of Autism can be challenging for families and bring up all sorts of emotions for…

Our services, Real stories

Jo’s story: my experience as a birth mother finding their adopted child

Our Family Action adoption support agency, PAC-UK, provides specialist support to all parties affected by adoption and permanency. Each year,…

Parenting tips

The Power of Play

We introduce our Play Programme and explain why play is a powerful tool for promoting wellbeing, learning and family togetherness. …

Parenting tips

Are you the FUN or UNFUN one in your family?

When we think about our own childhoods many of us remember a family member as being the go-to individual for…

Real stories

Peggy’s story: Why I’m not a fan of Mother’s Day

Many of us will see Mother’s Day in a positive light, as it allows us to celebrate the important women…

Parenting tips

5 simple ways you can support your child’s mental health

This week is children’s mental health week – which is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges our…

Our services, Real stories

Claudette’s story: How school and our BOSS service supported my family in lockdown

Our Creating Happy Memories campaign is currently celebrating the fresh start we’ve all been given now that lockdown is ending,…

Parenting tips, Real stories

Jay’s story: How my family began thriving after lockdown

Our Creating Happy Memories campaign is all about highlighting the resilience and support our families provide for all of us,…

Our services, Real stories

Ben’s story: The impact of being a young carer

For many of us, childhood is a carefree time where we feel supported by our parents and able to dedicate…

Parenting tips

Wise words: top books for children

Those of you who have seen Family Action’s Creating Happy Memories summer pack will have enjoyed reading tips from top…

Real stories

Laura, Pandemic Preggo’s story: Maternal Mental Health and the road to recovery

Laura, author of the Pandemic Preggo blog, talks to us about her experiences of having a baby during the pandemic…

Real stories

Pregnancy and birth during lockdown

For many of us across the UK, the entire experience of parenthood has been shaped by the Coronavirus and the…

Parenting tips

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month: Top Tips

It’s Maternal Mental Health Month which aims to raise awareness of the challenges that can arise for parents in the…

Our services, Real stories

Gill’s story: how FamilyLine made a difference during the pandemic

Our Family Resilience report with LV= General Insurance shows that despite numerous lockdowns, most families feel they now have stronger…

Parenting tips, Real stories

A story about pre and post pregnancy, resilience, and a very special space online

As restrictions loosen and our lives once again return to something approaching normality it’s easy to look back over the…

Real stories

How Easter egg decorations brightened up my childhood

Every family celebrates Easter in their own way, but for mum Karin, it always reminds her of childhood in the…

Real stories

David’s story: how cooking with his son brought his family closer together

Food has a way of connecting people and is often the focus of family or cultural celebrations like birthdays. Despite…

Real stories

Sarah-Jayne’s story: “Exhausting, relentless… and totally worth it” – a true tale of motherhood

Sarah-Jayne says she has always been a driven person, with a focus on the future that has led to an…

Parenting tips

Top tips for teenagers stuck at home

Many people – ourselves included – have focused on making home-schooling work during the recent lockdown, but we might risk…

Parenting tips

Practical back to school tips for families with teenagers

Teenagers have not had it easy over the past year. Between lockdowns and isolation measures, their experience of school –…

Parenting tips

The “lifejacket approach” to tensions at home

The past year’s events have seen families across the UK spending more time around the house and the current lockdown’s…

Parenting tips

Tackling complex feelings about going back to school

There are many practical considerations when helping our children transition back to school – particularly after a long summer break…

Real stories

Karin’s story: A tale of two lockdowns

Most of us will have heard someone describe the past year as resembling “groundhog day”, with each day feeling much…

Parenting tips

Ten top homeschooling tips for parents of younger children

After the positive response from our homeschooling tips for teenagers’ article we thought it was useful to ensure that we covered younger children too… and once again our Behaviour…

Parenting tips

Ten top home learning tips for parents of teenagers

Homeschooling is tough! Not only do we have to ensure our children continue to learn and thrive – we also…

News

Mother’s Day – Competition, In Partnership with Red Letter Days

We have partnered with Red Letter Days to recognise all the mums, grans, aunties and carers who have gone above…

Parenting tips

Flipping Family Fun For Pancake Day

Are you and you’re family looking for some Pancake Day inspiration? Read our handy recipes and ideas to get your…

Parenting tips, Real stories

Dan, The Breaking Dad’s story: managing lockdown over two households as a blended family

Daniel Betts, Dad blogger, @The_Breaking_Dad tells us his experience and top tips for managing as a two-household blended family, during…

Real stories

Nikki’s story: rediscovering the joy of baking

Nikki, mum to four children and also to one ‘absolutely perfect’ granddaughter, tells us how baking at home helps her…

Our services

Michelle’s story: how Family Action’s FOOD Clubs inspired my family

When Michelle took up her post as Family Action’s Deputy Director of Services and Innovation National Services, she knew what excited her…

Parenting tips

Thrifty tips for using Christmas leftovers and crafting budget-friendly presents

Christmas and delicious food go hand in hand – but often luxurious treats can stretch our budgets as well as…

Real stories, Volunteering

Volunteering at our FOOD clubs this Christmas

Food On Our Doorstep (FOOD) clubs provide low cost, healthy and sustainable food for families on a budget who are at risk of food insecurity. The valuable work of our FOOD clubs is only…

Parenting tips

Counting the cost – ways to save money during an unusual Christmas

The end of the year is traditionally a time when we sit and reflect on the year that’s been, and…

Parenting tips, Real stories

Dan, The Breaking Dad’s story: making Christmas magic as a single parent

We hear from Dan Betts, creator of the Instagram page @The_Breaking_Dad, as well as thebreakingdad.co.uk, about his experience of Christmas as a single…

Parenting tips

Managing family relationships during a COVID-19 Christmas

Spending time with family at Christmas is magical but it can also put a strain on family relationships, this year…

Fundraising, Our services, Real stories

Gemma’s story: how the Toy Appeal saved my family’s Christmas

Thanks to our Christmas Toy Appeal, children across the country will receive Christmas gifts they might not have had otherwise, as part of our aim to make this season…

Parenting tips

Making Christmas magic this year

This is the first in a series of blogs where we will be counting down to Christmas with a mix…

Our services, Parenting tips

Tips and tricks for perfect packed lunches

It’s finally time for children and young people across the country to return to school – which for some families…

News, Parenting tips

Back to school – low cost, high quality packed lunch inspiration with Bacofoil®

To help us support families preparing to go back to school, we have partnered with household favourite and kitchen helper,…

Parenting tips

Money-saving tips for troubled times

We’ve spoken to a range of our experts from all over our organisation and come up with some handy money…

Parenting tips

Summer Staycation Strategies

The summer holidays are here but with the national and global picture still uncertain and countries moving into and out…

Parenting tips, Real stories

A new way to manage loneliness as a single parent

Read Zoë’s story as a single mum & founder of Frolo, one of the services we reccomend through our FamilyLine…

Real stories

Basil’s story: birth and pregnancy from a dad’s perspective

Fathers’ day is a chance to celebrate the men who have cared for us and helped to shape who we…

Fundraising, Real stories

Mohbub’s story: Receiving a COVID-19 grant

We knew from the moment COVID-19 hit the news headlines that families of all kinds across the country would be…

News, Our services

FamilyLine – the conversation continues

It’s been one year since our vital helpline service FamilyLine opened its virtual doors to families across the nation. Since…

Family Monsters Project

The family monster that is sleep

We’re all constantly tired or definitely know someone who is – it’s a very common family monsters indeed. So we…