Beta Mums: They’re Messy, Chaotic and Nowhere Near Instagram
The article introduces the "Beta Mum" archetype, a parenting style that rejects helicopter‑parenting in favor of a relaxed, low‑maintenance approach. Beta Mums let children manage homework, leisure and mistakes while keeping households intentionally messy. The shift is linked to a broader economic pivot toward an AI‑driven, "stupidity‑based" economy that de‑emphasizes hyper‑competitive academic preparation. Analysts suggest the trend could alleviate parental burnout and reshape expectations around early skill development.
My Husband’s Weight Loss Is Triggering My Eating Disorders. What Can I Do? | Ask Annalisa Barbieri
A reader shares how her husband’s recent weight‑loss success reignites her lifelong anorexia and bulimia, creating daily calorie‑focused conversations that threaten her recovery. The response urges her to seek professional therapy, leverage the UK charity Beat Eating Disorders for guidance,...
My Kids Are Taking Their First Big Exams – and Revealing My Own Anxieties About AI and Long Division |...
Emma Brockes recounts helping her 11‑year‑old with Year 6 SATs, admitting she still struggles with long division. She uses the experience to question whether traditional exams still serve a purpose as AI reshapes entry‑level jobs and university value. The piece contrasts...
A Moment that Changed Me: I Was Wary of Men – Then I Found Out I Was Having a Baby...
Imogen Crimp’s essay recounts discovering she was pregnant with a boy and how that revelation forced her to confront long‑standing wariness toward men. Growing up in a female‑dominant household, she had few positive male role models, which shaped a distrust...
Nothing Prepared Me for Losing My Mother. But in Islam, to Mourn Someone Means Keeping Them Alive in Our Actions...
Shadi Khan Saif recounts the profound loss of his mother, who died after a prolonged illness in Kabul, and reflects on how Islamic teachings shape his mourning. He describes the communal support at the mosque and the Afghan belief that...
Asian Mothers, Bad Feelings: Notes on an All-Conquering Stereotype
The article examines the pervasive "Asian mother" stereotype, tracing its roots from Amy Chua’s controversial "Tiger Mother" memoir to its recurring portrayal in literature and film. It highlights how novels, movies and memoirs depict immigrant mothers as strict, emotionally volatile figures...
I Yearned to Be a Mother. Why Did I Feel Nothing when My Daughter Was Finally Born?
Amanda Craig recounts her harrowing birth experience in early 1990s London, describing a prolonged, painful labor, massive blood loss, and an initial emotional void toward her newborn despite years of yearning. Complications included a mis‑matched blood transfusion, her daughter’s congenital...
The Tooth Fairy Is Ridiculous but Kids Need Rituals. I Know I Do | Anthony N Castle
Father Anthony Castle reflects on his daughter's first lost tooth and the ensuing tooth‑fairy ritual. He explores how the tradition, though whimsical, serves as a rite of passage that helps children process change. The piece surveys global variants—from mice in...
Despite Their Bad Reputation, Parenting Group Chats Are – for some – the Village that Never Sleeps
Parents are turning to WhatsApp group chats as round‑the‑clock support hubs, especially for niche situations like raising twins. While some high‑profile mothers have criticized these forums for judgment, many participants describe them as non‑judgmental spaces that provide advice, emotional check‑ins,...
We Lost £3,000 After Collapse of Ikea’s Solar Panel Installer
Ikea’s partnership with European solar installer Soly collapsed, leaving customers like the author out of pocket for a £3,000 (~$3,800) deposit. Although Ikea continued to advertise the partnership, Soly’s UK arm entered liquidation in January 2026 and the retailer offered...
Am I a Happier Person for Having a Child? It’s the Wrong Question to Ask | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett
A new study in Evolutionary Psychology surveyed over 5,000 adults across ten nations and found no measurable increase in either hedonic or eudaimonic wellbeing among parents, with the sole exception of Greek mothers who reported greater purpose. The research challenges...
I’ve Spent 20 Years Treading Water and Fear that I’ve Wasted so Much Time. Am I Depressed? | Ask Annalisa...
An older couple in their late 60s feels trapped by a property they cannot sell, prompting the husband to wonder if he is depressed after a year of grief, suicidal thoughts, and personal conflict around cross‑dressing. He reached out to...
Britain's Shadow Workforce Is Paid as Little as 65p an Hour. Who Cares for the Carers? | Frances Ryan
Britain’s unpaid care sector now supports almost 6 million people, with 1.9 million providing full‑time care in England—a 70% rise over two decades. Family‑provided services are valued at over £184 bn ($234 bn) a year, eclipsing three‑quarters of NHS spending. Yet the state’s carer’s...
My Father-in-Law Lives with My Young Family but I Don’t Want to ‘Sandwich Parent’. What Should I Do? | Leading...
A couple moved the husband’s father into a granny annex expecting health support and informal childcare, but the father‑in‑law’s frailty and mood swings have created unexpected emotional and logistical strain. The author advises the writer to inventory the elder’s physical...
My Teenage Daughter’s OCD Keeps Getting Worse. What Can I Do? | Ask Annalisa Barbieri
A 15‑year‑old girl’s obsessive‑compulsive disorder is worsening despite two rounds of private therapy focused on eliminating rituals. Experts explain that adolescent OCD often spikes during puberty and that exposure response prevention (ERP) within cognitive‑behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold‑standard treatment....