The Parent Book.
Therapist-written support for parents
Urgent help

The libraryEverything, from day one

The Library.

A library for parents, organised by your child’s age and by what you are facing. Each chapter is written by a therapist and shows how long it takes to read.

Your library, organised by your child’s age and by what you are facing. Search or browse to find what you need.

New chapters are added through the year, when they are ready.

Read for your child’s age

Or by what you are facing

ContentsIn reading order

The whole library

All ages
4 min read

A short guide for parents who are new to The Parent Book.

Ages 8–11
11 min read

For parents whose child’s best friend has drifted away, with no falling-out to explain it.

Ages 4–7 · 8–11
12 min read

For parents whose child’s bedtime has turned into an hour of worries, questions and meltdowns.

Ages 11-13 · 13-16 · 16-18
12 min read

For parents whose teenager hardly talks to them any more.

Ages 4–7 · 8–11 · 11–14 · 14–18
13 min read

For parents whose child has started dreading school.

All ages
13 min read

For parents who feel they have lost the argument about screens.

Ages 8–11 · 11–14 · 14–18
13 min read

For parents in the middle of a separation who are watching closely to see how their child is coping.

All ages
10 min read

For parents whose child has lost someone, or something, that was there last week.

Ages 11–14 · 14–18
10 min read

For parents whose family mealtimes have become about much more than food.

All ages
11 min read

For parents whose child is anxious and can’t be talked out of it, however often the adults around her try.

Ages 4–7 · 8–11
13 min read

For parents whose children keep finding new ways to fall out with each other.

Ages 4–7 · 8–11 · 11–14 · 14–18
14 min read

For parents whose child has just told them she is being bullied.

All ages
14 min read

For parents whose child has just had a meltdown, on how to help her through it.

All ages
13 min read

For parents who need to tell their child something hard and don’t know how to start.

Ages 8–11 · 11–14 · 14–18
14 min read

For parents who want their child to grow up comfortable in their own body.

Ages 11–14 · 14–18
16 min read

For parents whose child has raised a question about who they are, and who weren’t prepared for it.

Ages 8–11 · 11–14 · 14–18
16 min read

For parents who have seen something on their child’s phone that they can’t unsee.

All ages
16 min read

For parents whose child has been through something hard, or whose family has.

Ages 8–11
14 min read

For parents whose child is preparing for school entrance exams.

Ages 4–7 · 8–11 · 11–14 · 14–18
15 min read

For parents whose child can’t bear to get anything wrong.

All ages
13 min read

For parents whose child has been working harder and longer than other children to do things that come more easily to them.

Ages 4–7 · 8–11 · 11–14 · 14–18
8 min read

For parents who have lost the argument about screen hours, and suspect it was never quite the right argument to have.

Ages 11-13 · 13-16 · 16-18
15 min read

For parents whose child’s worry has started to make decisions for her, with what helps at each age and when to ask for help.

Ages 9-11 · 11-13 · 13-16
18 min read

For parents whose child is about to go from being one of the oldest in her school to one of the youngest.

All ages
18 min read

For parents whose own mental health is part of what’s going on at home.

Or start with a subjectTwelve of them, illustrated

If you need help right now Tap for helplines
If you need help right now
If you or your child is in immediate danger999 · Go to your nearest A&E · 24/7
If either you or your child is in a mental health crisisNHS 111 · England, Scotland and Wales: call 111 and choose the mental-health option. Northern Ireland: call Lifeline on 0808 808 8000 · 24/7
If your child is under 19 and needs to talk to someone themselvesChildline · 0800 1111 · 24/7
If you are worried that a child is being harmed or is at riskNSPCC Helpline · 0808 800 5000 · Mon-Fri 10am-4pm by phone; email 11am-4pm, seven days a week. An email sent when the service is closed is not received. · help@nspcc.org.uk · If the NSPCC service is closed and the concern cannot wait, call the police on 101. You can also contact the child’s local out-of-hours children’s social care, social work or social services team. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
If you would prefer to text rather than speakShout · Text SHOUT to 85258 · 24/7
If you or someone you are worried about needs someone to talk toSamaritans · 116 123 · 24/7