Penney Hames, MA, trained first as a journalist and later as a clinical child psychologist. She deferred any practical application of either skill until after a lengthy research and development phase conducted on her own two children, Beany and Richard, and simultaneous years spent writing for the NCT’s various national publications on the experiences of parents and babies. She is co-author of the NCT Complete Book of Baby Care and author of Toddler Tantrums. Penney Hames has represented the NCT on the All Party Parliamentary Group on Parenting, and now combines writing with child guidance work in Hampshire.