Child psychotherapist Dr Joanna Fortune

I'd love him to stay as he's made great friends in his group and it has helped build his confidence. Should I insist he keeps going or accept his decision?

My older granddaughter gets upset almost every time I pick up the baby

When maintaining his space, manage your expectations and standards and adopt a 'good enough is good enough' mindset. Clean enough is clean enough

"Children’s friendships evolve between the ages of nine and 12, when we tend to see an increased emphasis on the “best friends” group, especially among girls."

"...the task of adolescence is to pull away from our parents and find our voice and identity in the world. Because of the intense change, teenagers do not always handle this with grace..."

He finds it difficult to get out of bed in the morning for school — I've tried talking to him but I'm not getting through

I don’t know how to react when she hurts other children

I appreciate how hurtful it can be to be told that all you have done for your family is still not enough

School is such a big part of our children’s days that when it is not going well for them, it can seem like there is no escape from the stress they are experiencing