Up In The Night
The child that has recently learnt to walk presents parents with a new nocturnal challenge,
Romeo and Juliet: V, iii
and often comes armed with a store of unlikely excuses:
Macbeth: II, ii
Much Ado About Nothing: III, ii
The Tempest: II, i
Insisting on your ‘right to rest’ is vital if you want to continue to offer a high level of care:
Antony and Cleopatra: IV, xxii
The Demanding Child
Some children can be incredibly demanding, even at a young age:
The Winter’s Tale: IV, iv
Don’t allow yourself to be dictated to by such a child,
All’s Well That Ends Well: II, iii
and be prepared to suffer the hurt of unkind words:
The Merry Wives of Windsor: I, i
Henry IV Part 1: II, iv
The Tempest: II, i
Supermarket Tantrums
Lots has been written about supermarket tantrums but one of the simplest techniques is still one of the best:
Much Ado About Nothing: IV, i
The Importance Of Quiet-times
Bringing up children can be an exhausting business – don’t feel guilty about insisting on a bit of peace and quiet once in a while:
King Lear: I, iv
King Lear: V, iii
Keep It Serious
Being laughed at by a three year-old while administering a rebuke is a clear taint on your authority, and will need to be answered:
Henry VI Part 1: II, iii
Dealing With Hatred
Being told that you’re hated is an unfortunate but almost inevitable part of parenting:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: III, ii
Giving some advance thought to how you might respond may ease an otherwise distressing interchange:
Coriolanus: I, viii
Maintain A Firm Stance
Refuse to countenance crass attempts at regaining your favour,
The Tempest: I, ii
the more so when the fall from favour has been great:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: III, ii
Avoid Rash Sanctions
When you’re faced with behaviour that needs to be challenged don’t be too hasty to hand out a sanction. Take your time . . .
Titus Andronicus: II, iii
. . . you might come up with something you wouldn’t otherwise have thought of:
Titus Andronicus: V, iii
Antony and Cleopatra: II, v
King Lear: I, iv
Avoiding The ‘No’ Word
Try to avoid becoming one of those parents who’s forever saying ‘No’ to things, there are alternatives:
All’s Well That Ends Well: II, iii
Hamlet: I, ii
Stoicism
Introducing your child to philosophy at a young age can help them come to terms with difficult concepts such as loss and bereavement:
Julius Caesar: II, ii
A Death In The Family
The death of a much-loved family pet may provoke some difficult questions:
The Taming of the Shrew: IV, i
As grown-ups it will fall to you to find the appropriate words:
Henry IV Part 2: V, ii