Family and Child Consultants

  When we talk about parenting—especially when raising a child with extra needs or differences—it’s easy to focus on the big milestones. First words, first steps, a new skill mastered, a good report from school. These moments matter, of course. But at Family and Child Consultants, we’re reminded every day that it’s the little things—unexpected giggles, a shared look, a quiet moment of trust—that quietly shape family life and healing. A Walk to Remember Tom and Priya came to us feeling overwhelmed. Their daughter, Layla, is autistic and mostly non-speaking. Communication was a daily challenge, and celebrations were often hidden under layers of hard work and anxiety. In a session, Tom described walking Layla to the mailbox each day. “Sometimes we walk in silence, sometimes she hums a tune. When she lets me hold her hand, I know it’s a good day,” he said. That simple walk—repeated, imperfect, and undramatic—became a ritual. It didn’t cure anxiety or erase difference, but it built trus...

When we imagine welcoming a child into our lives, we picture joy, love, hope—and maybe a wild dose of exhaustion. We dream up possibilities and picture a future with milestones and laughter. For some families, though, that early joy is soon braided tightly with a different, harder feeling: grief. It can happen the moment a diagnosis lands or gradually as a parent realises their child has unique needs that the world doesn’t always understand. And while there are words for the joyful parts of parenting, we don’t often talk about the heartbreak that can come with it, too. At Family and Child Consultants, we want to say this clearly: it is absolutely okay to feel both. A Story That Matters Let us tell you about Anna. When her son, Sam, was born, she fell instantly in love with his big blue eyes and his gentle spirit. She says she had never felt so fiercely protective or so flooded with gratitude. But when Sam was eight months old, the visits to doctors began—then the assessments, and then...

  By Niki Gent Let’s be honest: if you’ve never had a parenting fail, you’re either not a parent or you’re lying to yourself (and possibly your children). The truth is, parenting is a marathon of small wins, big lessons, and the kind of epic fails that make for the very best family stories. And you know what? I’m not ashamed of mine—actually, I’m weirdly proud of them. In the spirit of keeping it real, here are just a few of my greatest hits (and yes, my kids will never let me forget them): 1. The School Drop-Off… On a Pupil Free Day After having baby number two, I was deep in the newborn trenches—sleep-deprived, slightly delirious, and grateful for any help. My mother, bless her, stepped up and offered to take child number one to school. The only problem? It was a pupil free day. The school was closed. We both missed the memo, and my poor kid stood at the front office wondering why he was the only one there. (Sorry, mate. I’ll share that fail with Grandma.) 2. The International Ai...