The Parent Wellbeing Journal
Research, reflections, and resources to help parents feel steadier—subscribe to stay connected
I’ve Been Wanting to tell You
You’ve been strong for a very long time.
Strong in ways you didn’t choose, but had to become.
And being strong like that — for months, for years — does something to your body. A note written to a friend about strength, the body, and what happens when holding it all together has gone on too long — with one honest question at the end.
Always ‘on’: What parents carry when a child’s health is uncertain.
He called me one Thurday afternoon. A dad from up north. He’d been part of one of our parent gatherings a few months earlier, and something had stayed with him. “What that other dad said,” he told me, “about always being on edge — like a wound-up toy — it really hit...
Parenting a Preschooler Through Medical Complexity
The questions I often hear are usually along the lines of: “We’ve tried everything.” “The behaviour has completely changed, the specialist doesn't have an answer.” “We have to do something — where can we go?” And I can't help but notice what sits underneath those...
The Hidden Toll of Chronic Stress on Parents of Medically Fragile Children
Have you ever felt like stress was literally making you older? I have—and when I first read a research article on it, I couldn’t help but think: See? It’s true! This piece came from a Dutch lifestyle magazine that makes research easy to read, and it confirmed...
Pregnancy Dialogues™: The Science of Bonding With Your Baby Before Birth.
When a Diagnosis Changes Everything: The Importance of Bonding in the Womb When you've just been given a medical diagnosis for your baby, during pregnancy, it can feel like the ground falls away. Shock, fear, endless appointments — life narrows to test results and...
The Importance of Postpartum Support: Why New Mothers Need a Village.
Reflections on the need for mothering support When my three children were very small, a friend told me one day: "You need mothering." She went on to explain herself, but I took offense; I was managing quite well, thank you very much! That night, when I finally rolled...