Articles from the author

Perhaps everything isn’t so bad. In fact, you could say that, historically, it is pretty good

If you get it right — and everyone gets it right some of the time — the payoff is better than gold

Raising children can be difficult, worrying and upsetting for all concerned — but life is about more than the pursuit of happiness

The sanitised version of the grandparent, all pastel meringue hats and buttoned braces, is fading into history

In our world of half-truths, powerful forces are rotting our children’s moral framework faster than their teeth

Writing stories is a craft that is crucial for life. And if the government insists, you can test it, measure it and use it in commerce, too

How much attention are we meant to give our children, anyway?

Without that loss and letting go, it would be like a plastic flower. Indestructible, but ultimately valueless

Instead of insisting they ‘do’ something or pushing them to make friends, let them daydream

To really find peace, you need to train yourself not to mind about stuff — and Zen philosophy can help

The collective store of trusted knowledge is dwindling, despite the so-called information revolution

I feel guilty when I can’t remember my children’s names, or lose my laptop, but my poor memory does have some positive qualities