Raising Independent Children The greatest goal of parenting is surely to raise children who are happy and self-reliant. Of course, when your children are very young – they rely on you for getting around, food, protection and support. However, as your children grow up – they will depend on you less. Here are 2 important...

Tough Teen Topics: Alcohol “Tough Teen Topics” – From the desk of the Counsellors at SMS, we want to begin dialogue about challenging issues that face teens around the world, and especially in the UAE. Often due to cultural and legal issues, we avoid talking about some topics to prevent offense. However, we believe education for both parents...

Restorative Parenting – Tips & Advice As parents, we’ve all had that moment. With my daughter, it was when she was one-and-a-half years old. After my stern warning not to throw the sand, we locked eyes, and for that brief second, we both knew that she had heard my warning and had understood it. I...

‘Tis the season for exam preparation Exam season is approaching which could mean the excitement is building up at home and at school. For many families, there is always that little bit of stress that starts to circulate in the air just about now because although the winter holidays are almost here we need to...

Understanding Anxiety in Children Both anxiety and stress are internalised emotions which we all experience due to difficult situations, which normally passes after the difficult situation has passed. However, on the other hand anxiety disorder is more serve and acute form of fear and distress about potential harm or misfortune. There are different types of...

How to Communicate Effectively with Children Emma Freese, a Positive Education Teacher at Fortes discusses how to communicate effectively with children. A wise old owl lived in an oak The more he saw the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?...

A Quick Guide To Understanding Your Child Understanding your child is one of the most important things that you should learn as a parent. It is very helpful in becoming effective in guiding and nurturing your child as they grow and mature. You need to bear in mind that your child has a unique personality...

We’re moving abroad – should we take the children or leave them at boarding school? Prior to becoming a Head, my experience as a boarding housemaster and as a manager of boarding houses has given me a first-hand understanding of the trials and tribulations of this conundrum. Leaving your child at a boarding school is...