Claire Potter - Author

Welcome to the Circular Economy The next step in sustainable living

Getting the Little Blighters to Behave

They're squealing for a packet of strawberry squiggles in the supermarket... refusing to put their coat on even though it's below freezing outside... squabbling over who gets the cup with the kangaroo on it... or running around with their pants on their head when they're meant to be putting their pyjamas on. Let's face it, life with kids can be exhausting and exasperating. Sometimes you can find yourself nagging, negotiating, battling and bellowing your way through the whole day. Surely it's not meant to be this hard, you think. Roll on bedtime! Here, in one little book, is everything you need to know to make your day-to-day life as a parent easier. Based on in-depth interviews with child psychologists, it gives you techniques, tactics, tips and tricks that research shows actually work. The clear, practical, punchy advice tells you exactly how to deal with your child's unwanted behaviours and shifts the dynamic of your relationship so your child not only co-operates but wants to co-operate in the first place. Finally, it will feel like you are on the same team! And that way, not only will your life be easier, but you'll be able to enjoy your child's company a whole lot more!

Getting the Little Blighters to Eat Change your children from fussy eaters into foodies.

Does your child decide they don't like a food before they've even tried it? Do they say 'Yuk' to foods they used to eat happily? Would they live off chips and ice-cream and never touch a vegetable again if given the chance? Are mealtimes driving you nuts? It's easy to think that children are naturally just fussy eaters. Yet, without realizing it, we are actually creating many of the problems ourselves with the things we do and say to our children around food. The right thing to do isn't always as obvious or as instinctive as you might think. Common habits like using pudding as a reward for eating the main course, or pestering them to eat their vegetables, actually encourage - not discourage - fussy eating! This little book tells you how to start again. It won't give you complicated child-friendly recipes or clever ways to sneak vegetables into meals - just easy-to-follow, easy-to-remember rules to help re-programme your child into a happy, healthy, adventurous eater. Recommended by a leading NHS Specialist Paediatric Dietician.

Keeping the Little Blighters Busy

Bursting with ingenious, inspiring, refreshingly different ideas that parents will enjoy as much as their kids! Does the idea of making a crocodile out of an egg box or fairy cakes with smiley faces leave you cold? Does the thought of another trip to the soft play centre or the swimming pool with a wave machine make you groan? Then this is the book for you! With 50 unique ideas for parents of children age 3 to 13 (and way beyond!) this book will energize your family life and engage your children's heads, hands and hearts. Take them on a Straight Line Walk or set them a Supermarket challenge. Try Lucky Dip Cookery or Pin in a Map Sketching. Turn even everyday routines like hair washing or laying the table into mini-adventures. Tried and tested on real children, these ideas encourage a sense of exploration, accomplishment, challenge, creativity, boldness and ouside-the-box thinking. They'll cost you nothing - or next-to-nothing. All you need is a playful attitude, a sense of adventure and perhaps just a tiny hint of mischief here and there!