How We Stopped a Toddler Waking 4-5 Times a Night: A mum's 2.5 year old was waking 4-5 times a night and bedtime had slipped to 21:30. Here's how one sleep consultation turned it around overnight.

This mum's son had been managing well with potty training until he started withholding his wee all day at nursery. The withholding led to a UTI, and after that, he became frightened of the toilet altogether, refusing to use it and having accidents throughout the day instead. She'd tried everything she could think of with no improvement and reached out to Bespoke Family feeling at a loss.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant and Laura Reitsis, Safeguarding around dogs. Keeping children safe around dogs outdoors isn’t about avoiding dogs or teaching children to be afraid of them. Instead, it’s about helping adults and children understand how to interact safely and respectfully so that everyone can enjoy shared spaces.

By Grace Olson, Author. Scheduling self-care is vital if we are to be capable of performing well as a parent, and looking back at my early experiences of parenting, it really was a ‘performance’. As a parent you have to keep your feelings in check and you have to demonstrate the type of behaviour you want from your children even if your emotions are exploding within you.

So how can we do this? How can we schedule any sort of self-care into our busy lives? Well, the easiest way is to allow yourself some time each day to read a book. This year (2026) the government has launched an initiative called The National Year of Reading. They want to encourage the nation to read more physical books because it has become clear that scrolling through social media and reading electronically is harming our brains. It disrupts sleep, increases anxiety, reduces attention span and can lower self-esteem as we look at the ‘perfect’ lives and success of other people (which are often fake).

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. If you’ve noticed your child talking to an invisible friend or referring to someone who isn’t physically present, you might be wondering if it’s something to be concerned about. The good news is that imaginary friends are a perfectly normal and common part of childhood development.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. Running off is a natural part of early childhood development. It’s often about the sense of freedom and excitement that children get from moving independently and they may not yet have a full grasp of the dangers involved, like cars or busy streets. Running feels like a game, and they may find it fun to get ahead of you or explore areas you haven't yet reached. Sometimes, it’s simply about testing boundaries, pushing limits to see how far they can go before you stop them.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. This is a question we get asked regularly! Do you feel like you're talking, asking, requesting, or even pleading with your little one, only to get no response or action? It can be exhausting, draining, and incredibly frustrating when all you hear is your own voice All. Day. Long!!

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant.  As parents and carers we can often see our little ones have a meltdown after a day at nursery or school. This is known as ‘after-school restraint collapse’ and happens when children, who have been holding it together all day, finally let out all their pent-up emotions when they return to their safe space at home or when they see you and feel safe to relax and show how they are feeling.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. Navigating life with a toddler after a C-section can be challenging, especially when it comes to helping them understand your recovery. Here are some practical tips to make the transition smoother for both you and your little one.

Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. When your child uses a swear word for the first time, it can trigger a range of reactions. Some parents may find it funny, while others might feel shock, disappointment, or embarrassment (or a mixture of all of these feelings). However, it's essential to understand that children often experiment with language as they learn and grow.