There was a time when childhood happened largely beyond the reach of adult management. Children disappeared after breakfast on bicycles or into woods, fields and half-forgotten corners of neighbourhoods. They built dens, climbed trees, argued, made up games, got muddy, got bored and eventually wandered home hungry. Much of childhood existed in spaces adults neither organised … [Read more...] about The Problem With Overscheduled Childhood
Life Style
Keeping Children Safe While Whittling at Home
Whittling at Ambleford: more than the finished object At Ambleford, whittling is a firm favourite. Children arrive brimming with ideas: knives, spears, bows and arrows, walking sticks, tent pegs, little figures, bits of “useful” woodland kit. We support all of that creativity, but what consistently surprises parents is this: more often than not, it isn’t the finished object … [Read more...] about Keeping Children Safe While Whittling at Home
The 5 Skills Children Will Need in an AI Future (and 5 they wont)— And Why Traditional Schooling Isn’t Preparing Them
The world of work is transforming faster than at any time in the last century. Over the next five years, advances in artificial intelligence will automate many of the routine tasks that have quietly propped up whole industries. Data entry, form processing, basic customer service, software development, early-stage legal drafting, and even content creation are already being done … [Read more...] about The 5 Skills Children Will Need in an AI Future (and 5 they wont)— And Why Traditional Schooling Isn’t Preparing Them
Should children be ready for school or schools ready for children?
Are Children Less Ready for School — Or Are Expectations Too High? In recent years, there has been growing concern among teachers, parents, and policymakers that many children are starting school without the skills they need to succeed. Reports and headlines often highlight worrying statistics — from children struggling with speech and language delays to Reception teachers … [Read more...] about Should children be ready for school or schools ready for children?
Could Your Child’s Behaviour Be Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)? A Guide for Parents and Educators
In recent years, growing awareness around Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) has begun to challenge mainstream assumptions about autism, behaviour, and education. As a specialist tutor of children who present with PDA profiles, I see time and again how traditional models of schooling – with their emphasis on routine, compliance, and externally imposed structure – inadvertently … [Read more...] about Could Your Child’s Behaviour Be Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)? A Guide for Parents and Educators