Knowledge base

The mental load of motherhood: what is it, and how do you share it?
The mental load is the invisible work of running a family: noticing what needs doing, planning, deciding, remembering and checking that it got done. Read more...
My toddler refuses the potty (or holds in their wee or poo): what now?
Refusing the potty or holding on to wee or poo is common during potty training. Read more...
Why is my baby suddenly waking every hour at night?
A baby who suddenly wakes every hour is usually reacting to something that changed: a developmental step, hunger or a growth spurt, teething, illness, separation anxiety, or a sleep habit... Read more...
Finding yourself again: who are you besides a mother?
Someone asks what you enjoy and you no longer know. Bloom writes about the loss of identity in motherhood — and how to find yourself again in small steps. Read more...
When a parent is seriously ill: what do you tell your child?
The instinct is to shield children. Bloom explains why telling them honestly protects better than staying silent, what to say at each age, and how to keep daily life standing. Read more...
Being consistent when you're exhausted
In the daytime you hold the line, by seven in the evening you give in to everything. Bloom explains why that's logical, why fewer rules work better than more, and... Read more...
Talking about bodies and boundaries: safety starts with words
Children who know the right words for their bodies are better protected. Bloom explains why, and gives what to say at each age — without it becoming a heavy conversation. Read more...
Nightmares and night terrors: the difference and what to do
A screaming child who doesn't seem to recognise you is something other than a nightmare. Bloom explains the difference and gives, for each case, what to do and what not... Read more...
The “terrible twos”: why toddlers say no to everything
Everything is no, everything has to be done alone, and no help is allowed. Bloom explains what's happening in a two-year-old's brain and how to get through this stage without... Read more...
Arguing in front of the children: harmful, or a chance to learn?
Never argue in front of the children isn't good advice. Bloom explains which arguments harm, which actually teach something, and why the repair matters more than the conflict. Read more...
Talking to children about death
"Are you going to die too?" Bloom explains why honest, concrete words beat gentle euphemisms, how children understand death at each age, and what to say after a death. Read more...
Pocket money: how much, from what age, and what it teaches
Pocket money isn't a reward but a learning tool. When to start, how to decide an amount, why not to tie it to behaviour, and how to make saving appealing. Read more...
Dummy or thumb: what parents need to know
You can take a dummy away, a thumb you can't. Bloom sets out the pros and cons, explains when to introduce a dummy, and how to get rid of it... Read more...
Growth spurts and leaps: why your baby is suddenly fussy and clingy
Three days of clinginess, bad sleep and constant feeding. Bloom explains the difference between a growth spurt and a developmental leap, and why there's mostly nothing to fix. Read more...
Grandparents and unwanted advice: setting limits without a row
"You slept on your tummy and you were fine." Bloom gives ways to set limits that leave the relationship intact, and explains which subjects aren't negotiable. Read more...
When children lie: what's normal and how to respond
There's a broken cup and nobody did it. Bloom explains why lying is a developmental step, why catching them out backfires, and how to make honesty easier. Read more...
Praise that works (and praise that backfires)
"You're so clever!" is well meant and often backfires. Bloom explains why praising the process beats praising the talent, and gives concrete phrases you can use. Read more...
Blended families: building something new with children involved
Merging two families takes years, not months. Bloom explains why the new partner shouldn't do the disciplining, how to avoid loyalty conflicts and what's realistic. Read more...
Getting children to listen without shouting
You ask five times and only when you shout does anything happen. Bloom explains how children learn to ignore the first four times — and how to break that pattern. Read more...
Time-out or time-in: what to do when your child explodes
Upstairs, or right beside you on the sofa? Bloom explains the difference between a time-out and a time-in, when each fits, and why talking during an outburst never works. Read more...
Single motherhood: carrying it all on your own
No second adult to take the other half. The practical side of solo parenting, the lack of a break, and where to find concrete support. Read more...
Punishments and rewards: what works in the long run?
Reward charts work — until they stop working. Bloom explains what punishment and reward really do, when they make sense, and which approach pays off more in the long run. Read more...
What can your baby see and hear? Sight and hearing in the first year
A newborn sees clearly to about 25 centimetres — exactly the distance to your face. Bloom describes how sight and hearing develop and which signs need checking. Read more...
Born early: the first months and corrected age
Your child came early and none of the books fit any more. Bloom explains what corrected age means, why kangaroo care does so much, and how to get through those... Read more...