Amy Pigott 
When the autumn months come around, it’s time the radiators go on and we start to hunker down. As our children start to get those autumn colds that seem to last for months on end, it can make us question if we’re giving our children everything they need. Sometimes it serves as a nice reminder to ensure we understand the essentials to give our children the tools they need to thrive and succeed in life:
A Safe and Stable Home
We all know that a roof over our heads is essential, but in the current climate where we are worrying about bills, it can be overwhelming to think about putting the heating on. We should think about ways to create a nurturing and comforting environment in ways that we see fit. If our children are going to school feeling grotty and snotty, let them come home to a nice warm bath and a comfortable, adequately heated room. There are companies such as Radiator Village that can help you find the right heating for your home. A safe and stable home is about that sense of comfort, and if our children don’t have that, we need to work on those physical components but also think about the next step.
Love and Support
The toughest thing to come to terms with in this day and age when we’re trying to give our children what they need is that we’re always fighting against time. Because so many of us have to take our children to breakfast club so we can go to work and we don’t see them until just before their bedtime, this naturally means that they won’t feel like we’re there for them. This can be an incredibly heartbreaking thing to feel. We can talk about the benefits of helping them to be self-sufficient and resilient, but we also need to prioritise quality time with them. No matter how little time is, if we can show our children that we care and provide a safe space for them to express themselves, this will be the best we can do.
Being the Role Model
Setting the example is something that we as parents need to come to terms with. Children learn by example, and when developing that psychological makeup that will colour their enactment of life, which peaks around seven or eight, we’ve got to think that up to this point, we give them the understanding of what we believe they should be by setting those templates ourselves. Of course, our children will also look to other people as role models and will naturally look at those people they have an emotional interest in but also will become inspired by other people in their lives, fictitious or real. If we can remember that we are the example that they will follow up to the “tweenage” years, in life, in productivity, and everything else, and we then let them find their own ways in the world, this is the best we can do.
It’s very difficult to think about how our children can fend for themselves, but this is why we need to remember that in order for them to thrive properly, sometimes going over the bare basics and reminding ourselves that these things are the most important will help them flourish and give us peace of mind.
