Authoritarian, freewheeler or data wonk – what type of parent are you?

Is your kids’ bedtime data-led or boundary-free? Is the naughty step unused or well worn? Our guide decodes modern parenting

I used to be ashamed of being a fangirl. Now I see how joyous and creative it was

Lady Gaga was my idol, but I didn’t dare tell anyone. Now a new wave of books and films shows us why female obsession is such an important part of growing up

‘Everyone seemed at ease’: how art is making hospital visits less painful

Some of life’s hardest moments are spent in hospital, but two organisations are working to ease that with ingenious designs. Mina Holland explains how art has been a lifeline

Scientists find out the best way to soothe a crying baby

Walking around, then sitting down and holding baby for up to eight minutes seems to be the most effective technique

Colds, coughs, stomach bugs: why are so many of us getting ‘winter’ diseases this summer?

If it feels like you’re lurching from one illness to the next, you are not alone. But is it down to long Covid? The months of isolation during lockdown? Or just poor public hygiene?

It took catching Covid to get my children out of my bed, but I can finally sleep again

After seven years of sleeping together, this bonding exercise was difficult to stop, and now I’m glad we’ve made the break, says Guardian columnist Emma Brockes

Focus on coping, not curing: how to help an anxious child

Growing up in the age of anxiety is challenging for children and parents alike but there are plenty of ways to help young people to face their fears

Meal of a lifetime: what to eat at every age

From training toddlers to socialising septuagenarians – here are the ideal ingredients to eat healthily at every stage of life

The language of maternity is alive and well – so why not expand it to include trans parents?

The use of gender-inclusive language around childbirth is purely about respect, says Guardian columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

‘Enjoy it while you can’. Is there a more gloomy phrase to hear while pregnant?

Strangers are so keen to tell me my life as I know it will be over soon – thank goodness for those who have told me it will be OK, says Guardian columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

Crib sheet: experts issue advice for new parents to cope with sleepless nights

Durham University’s Infancy and Sleep Centre launches kit to help manage expectations and reduce negative thinking

US boy with uncombable hair syndrome becomes Instagram hit

Locklan Samples of Georgia has a rare condition that means his hair stands out from the scalp and cannot be combed flat

Kindness is strength. But try telling that to children

The belief is rife in our culture that this great virtue is essentially a consolation prize indistinguishable from weakness, says Guardian columnist Emma Brockes

‘My son cowers when a shopkeeper says hello’ – are the toddlers of Covid all right?

Babies born in the first lockdown are now turning two, and have only ever known a world of masks and isolation. What will be the long-term impact?

‘I thought: “Everyone knows you’re not a real mum”’ – the pain of parental impostor syndrome

Feeling like a fraud is bad enough at work but even more corrosive when it comes to raising a family. How can parents overcome damaging self-doubt?