Parent Pause

The shift from summer to autumn takes more out of us than we realise. Suddenly the calendar’s packed, and we’re stretched thin before we’ve even found our rhythm. Transitions take energy - for us and for our children - so it helps to lower the bar a little. Not every morning will be smooth or every evening calm, and that’s okay. If we pace ourselves and look after our own needs, our children will...

A first period isn’t just about managing the practicalities - it’s a chance to deepen the bond between you and your daughter. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is simply say: this matters, you matter. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kimmccabe.substack.com/subscribe

When your daughter starts her period, it doesn’t have to be complicated - a note, a small gift, or simply saying “I see you, and I love who you’re becoming” can mean the world. Marking the moment well can change the story - for her, and for generations to come. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kimmccabe.substack.c...

Some moments only happen once: first day at school, first time riding a bike, first day at secondary. And for our girls, her first period. It can feel awkward to know what to do; do we make a fuss, or quietly carry on? The truth is, she doesn’t need balloons or a big show. She just needs to know you see her, and that it’s a good thing. Marking the moment, even in a simple way, sends a message that...

The summer you imagined vs. the summer you actually had - they’re never the same. And that’s okay. The messy, real version is the one your children will carry with them. You did enough. You are enough. Listen here for a pause before the term begins. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kimmccabe.substack.com/subscribe

Back-to-school jitters, for children and parents, are totally normal. They don’t need us to fix every fear, just to sit alongside them. Small anchors like sleep, food, and time outside do more than pep talks ever could. Listen here for some reassurance in this last week of summer. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...

Feeling guilty that you didn’t make your child’s summer “special enough”? You’re not alone. But what they’ll remember isn’t the big outings - it’s the daft, ordinary moments of being with you. Good enough really is more than enough. Listen here for a gentle reminder as we head into September. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus epis...

Summary of Kim’s audio:Somehow school holidays have turned into a 24/7 mission to keep the kids happy but it’s your summer too. You’re allowed to take time for yourself, not as a guilty extra, but as a normal part of the day. When we protect that space - a peaceful bath, a solo walk, even just half an hour with a book - we come back to our kids with more patience, energy, and joy. Everyone feels t...

Summary of Kim’s audio:There’s the holiday you imagine of lazy lie-ins, sunshine, happy kids and then there’s the one you actually get: early wake-ups, dodgy weather, constant snack requests. But this is the holiday you and your kids will remember. The magic is in the small, real moments: a quiet cup of tea, a ridiculous shared laugh, ignoring the chores to sit in the sun. When we stop comparing i...

Summary of Kim’s audio:I’ve been thinking about my childhood holidays, and the memories I truly cherish aren’t the big trips or constant activities. They’re the small, silly moments like toast in bed, walking in the dark, getting caught in the rain, playing on the floor with a parent who wasn’t rushing off. Our kids don’t need wall-to-wall entertainment. They need us - the relaxed, spacious versio...

A summary of Kim’s audio:I was meant to be on holiday this week, visiting my sister, spending time with my husband, the works. Everything was planned, the space cleared… and then COVID hit. While everyone else posts dreamy beach shots, I’ve been in bed, feeling miserable and hard done by. After a few days of sulking, I’ve started finding small comforts: open windows for summer air, favourite music...

Summary of Kim’s audio:Some days parenting feels like one wrong move after another - the sock drama, the burnt toast, the unhelpful thing you said before coffee, and the guilt that sneaks in whispering, you should be doing better. But you’re not failing. You’re parenting. The fact that you care , even after the meltdowns and mismatched socks, means you’re already doing the most important part. You...

Summary of Kim’s audio:Let’s be honest, parenting can sometimes feel like a secret competition. Clean fridges, clever kids, calm voices... but here’s the truth: there are no prizes. No one gets disqualified for serving toast on repeat or losing it over a wet towel on the bed (though yes, that is infuriating). When we stop pretending and start being real, we find connection - with each other and wi...

Summary of Kim’s audio:Sometimes the most powerful parenting moment isn't a big talk or a brilliant response, it's just sitting on the floor. Not teaching, not multitasking, just being there while your child lines up dinosaurs or explains how two slugs are having a sleepover. You might be in baggy leggings and half-listening, but to them, you’re the centre of the universe. Presence doesn’t always...

Summary of Kim’s audio:We all mess up even if no one talks about it. We snap, we misjudge, we get overtired and say the wrong thing at the wrong time. But the magic isn’t in always getting it right, it’s in what we do next. Saying sorry. Repairing. Showing our children that being human means making mistakes and making amends. That’s how trust grows. Not from being flawless, but from being real. So...

Summary of Kim’s audio:“Good enough” might sound like settling but in parenting, it’s a quiet kind of superpower. There are days when it all flows, and days when dinner is toast (again), feelings are big, and your child asks life’s deepest questions just as you’re racing out the door. Still, you show up. That’s what matters. A good enough parent doesn’t get it right all the time, just often enough...

Summary of Kim’s audio:If you’ve ever stayed up reading parenting advice and then lost your temper before breakfast, you’re not alone. The truth is, the perfect parent doesn’t exist. And thankfully, our kids don’t need us to be perfect, just real. Present. Willing to say sorry. The real connection happens in the mess: the trying, the wobbling, the mending. So if you're parenting with love and a bi...

So many of us carry this quiet belief: I can rest once everything’s done. But the truth is, everything is never really done. There’s always something else. Another form, another meal, another load of washing. And so we wait for a break that never quite arrives. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to earn your rest .You’re allowed to pause because you’re tired. You’re allowed to stop even when the...

Parenting asks so much of us: our time, our energy, even our sense of self. And sometimes, in the middle of all the caring and doing, we forget what we enjoy. What lights us up, just for us. So here’s a gentle question: What’s yours? What do you do that doesn’t serve anyone else, that isn’t about ticking boxes or being productive, but simply feels like you ? Maybe it’s singing in the kitchen. Scri...

As parents, the requests can feel endless, school forms, playdates, family favours, social invites. Even the things we usually enjoy can start to feel like pressure when there’s just no space left. And without meaning to, we end up saying yes to everything… until we quietly run out of steam. So here’s a gentle reminder: you’re allowed to say no. No to the extra event that leaves you wiped out. No...

Somewhere along the way, many of us believe that being a good parent means putting ourselves last. And without even realising, we’re giving up the last bite, shelving our plans, holding on far too long before we let ourselves rest. And of course, when there’s a real emergency, we show up fully. But when every day starts to feel like an emergency, there’s no room left for us. Here’s the gentle trut...

Some days, parenting leaves you completely drained - everyone wants something, and by bedtime, there’s nothing left of you. You’re touched out, talked out, and worn right down. It’s not that you don’t want to be needed, it’s just that you’ve lost sight of your own edges. And that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re human. You don’t need a grand solution. Just a small pau...

Parenting can sometimes feel like a never-ending round of chores: making lunches, clearing up messes, repeating yourself on a loop. And when it all blurs into the next day and the next, it’s easy to wonder if you’re doing any good. You are. Your steady, everyday presence becomes something your child can count on. They might not remember each packed lunch or every reminder to brush their teeth but...

People say parenting is like looking in a mirror and that can feel confronting. You see your own moods in their stomps, your tone in their outbursts. But the mirror reflects the good stuff too. The patience. The kindness. The way they check in on a friend, or try again after getting it wrong, just like they’ve seen you do. It’s so easy to dwell on our mistakes. But those little echoes remind us: w...

Parenting really is a long game; and some days, it can feel like you’re putting in all the effort with nothing to show for it. You're repeating yourself, wondering if anything’s getting through. But what you're really doing is planting seeds. Quietly. Patiently. And then, without fanfare, something sprouts. Your child helps a friend through a hard time. They say sorry, unprompted. They show kindne...