The stories

Parents’ experiences of Love Bombing

STORY 1 Two nights away – single mother

A son who replicates his father’s anger attacks: Sean, aged 12

STORY 2 Two nights away

Hostile rejection of mother: Tanya, aged 4

STORY 3 One night away

Short-fused son, fussy mother likes clear rules: Todd, aged 6

STORY 4 Two awaydays

Fear of separation from mother: Sam, aged 3

STORY 5 One night away

Scared of groups, scared of losing toys: Gina, aged 3

STORY 6 Two nights away

Self-loathing, meltdowns: Tim, aged 9

STORY 7 One night away

Waking 25 times a night: Jess, aged 8

STORY 8 One night away – single mother

Hyperactive and violent: Kim, aged 7

STORY 9 One awayday

Hyperactive, insecure identical twins: Claire and Loki, aged 4½

STORY 10 24 hours at home – single mother

Perfectionism, mild OCD, locked down emotionally: Mark, aged 11

STORY 11 Five weekends of two nights away

Autistic, prone to meltdowns: Sara, aged 8

STORY 12 Morning half-hours

Defiance: Dawn, aged 9

STORY 13 An hour or two of LB, several times a week

Temper tantrums: Mick, aged 8

STORY 14 Two hours, fortnightly

Sibling rivalry: Seamus, aged 3
Estrangement from mother: Paddy, aged 7

STORY 15 LB as part of everyday life

Neediness and truculence: Greta, aged 3

STORY 16 LB play sessions

Easily distressed: Jeff, aged 4

STORY 17 Two nights away

Talented, rebelling against school and underachieving: John, aged 13

STORY 18 Two nights away

Made nervy and angry by parents rowing: Mary, aged 10

STORY 19 An awayday – single father

Self-loathing, tantrums, overeating: Sheila, aged 11

STORY 20 One night away

A dyspraxic, self-hating and meltdown-prone identical twin: Tina, aged 7