RESOURCE HUB

Read, listen and understand big feelings.

Articles and ideas from my Substack, The Treehouse, on emotional regulation, play and story.

ARTICLE

Children grow older, they don’t grow skills.

12 MARCH 2026 · ARTICLE + AUDIO · 5 MIN LISTEN

They won’t grow out of it

“It’s just a phase” is something many parents hear. This piece looks at why maturity isn’t the same as competence, and how to tell when it’s time to look for support.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Emotional regulation is a skill that has to be taught, not outgrown

Difficult behaviour is a skills gap, not a character flaw

Frequency, intensity and duration help you tell a phase from something that needs support

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ARTICLE

Underneath the hard scales there is a dragon who is scared and confused.

29 AUGUST 2026 · ARTICLE + AUDIO · 5 MIN LISTEN

How to talk to my seven year old about anger

Emotions are abstract for children. Meet Argo, a dragon who struggles with big outbursts, and see how story, colour and character can open up the conversation.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Colour is an easy first step into emotional language

Choosing a character shows you where a child is without needing words

Asking what’s happening in the character’s world takes the pressure off the family

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