Helpful articles/guides for parents raising confident, resilient children and teenagers
Practical guidance on the issues that actually keep parents up at night — confidence, anxiety, friendship struggles, school refusal, neurodivergence and more.
What parents are reading
Every article is written from Annette's coaching room — the real issues she sees every week with children and teenagers across the UK and internationally.
Is gentle parenting failing our children?
Is Gentle Parenting Failing Our Children?
Schools are reporting children who can't hear "no." Teenagers who fall apart at setbacks. Young people who've never developed frustration tolerance because frustration was always managed away. This is one of the most important questions parents need to be asking right now.
Read articleWhy children lose confidence at secondary school
Why Children Lose Confidence After Starting Secondary School
The move to secondary school changes everything at once — and for many children, confidence quietly takes the hit. Here's why it happens, and what actually helps rebuild it.
Read articleMy Child Is Struggling Since the School Phone Ban — How to Help Them Adjust
If your child is finding it hard to adjust to school life without their phone, a specialist coach explains why — and practical ways to help them settle.
Read articleThe CAMHS Waiting List Is Up to 18 Months. Here's What You Can Do Right Now.
304 days. That's the median wait for NHS mental health support. For a teenager already struggling, that's an entire school year. Here's exactly what UK parents can do while they wait — from free NHS pathways to specialist coaching available in 10–14 days.
Read articleIs a Life Coach Worth It for Your Teenager?
Is a life coach actually worth it, or is it money spent on hope? A direct answer from a coach with 20+ years' experience — including when coaching isn't the right choice, and what to do instead.
Read articleHow to Navigate Special Needs Parenting in the UK: A Comprehensive Guide
From diagnosis and EHC plans to therapies, educational rights, financial support, and planning for adulthood — a complete UK guide for SEND parents written by specialist coach Annette Du Bois.
Read articleLife Coach for Teenage Girls: How 1:1 Coaching Helps Your Daughter Thrive
Being a teenage girl right now is genuinely hard. Here's how specialist 1:1 coaching helps your daughter build confidence, manage anxiety and find herself.
Read article7 Things Neurodivergent Teens Need From Their Parents More Than Anything Else
Your teen came home quiet again — not the usual teen quiet, the heavy kind. Understanding what neurodivergent children genuinely need changes everything.
Read articleHow Divorce Affects Teenagers: Confidence, Emotions & What Actually Helps
Parental divorce is one of the most significant life events a teenager can experience. This is what the evidence says actually helps — and what doesn't.
Read articleSigns of Anxiety in Teenagers: What Parents Need to Know in 2026
The real signs of teen anxiety include subtle behaviours many parents overlook entirely. This guide explains what to look for and how to respond without making things worse.
Read articleThe 3 ADHD Brain Types: What New Research Means for Your Child
A landmark JAMA Psychiatry study scanned 1,154 children and found three distinct brain types, each wired differently. What this means for how you support your child day-to-day.
Read articleHow to Spot the Difference Between Adolescent Mood Swings and Depression
Two practical, science-based tools to help you distinguish normal emotional shifts from warning signs of deeper distress — before it becomes a crisis.
Read articleWhy Your Teen Fears Failing
Far too many teens spend their lives paralysed by the fear of failure — exams, competitions, social situations. What's driving this and what parents can actually do about it.
Read articleHow Effective Coaching Helps Children Manage Emotions and Build Confidence
Every parent wants their child to feel confident and navigate social situations. Here's what the coaching process actually looks like and why it works where other approaches haven't.
Read articleMy Teen Seems Emotionally Shut Down
Do you look at your teen and wonder where their spark went? You ask how they feel and get a shrug or "I don't know." Here's what's happening and what genuinely helps.
Read articleHow to Resolve Conflicts Between Parents and Teenagers
A teen expert's practical blueprint for turning the daily friction of living with a teenager into something that actually brings you closer rather than further apart.
Read articleMental Health Support for Teenagers
What the evidence says about supporting your teenager's mental health at home — practical, straightforward guidance without the clinical jargon or the waiting list.
Read articleMy Teenager Has No Friends — What Can I Do As a Parent?
Social isolation in teenagers is more common than most parents realise — and more damaging. Here's what's behind it and what actually helps your child connect.
Read articleHow to Build Confidence in Teenagers: A Parent's Practical Guide
The most practical, evidence-backed guide to building lasting confidence in your teenager — not temporary boosts, but the deep self-belief that carries them through real challenges.
Read article
Written by Annette Du Bois
Annette is a specialist confidence and anxiety coach with over 20 years of experience working exclusively with children and teenagers. TEDx speaker. Published author of Unshakeable Teen Confidence. GP-referred. Every article draws directly from her coaching practice.
Meet Annette →About these articles
Ready to get real help for your child?
Articles give you context. Coaching gives your child their confidence back. Apply in 5 minutes — Annette reads every application personally.
Apply for coaching →