From Surviving to Thriving: Rethinking Tough Parenting Seasons

There are days when parenting feels like a joyride… and others when it feels as though time is moving in slow motion and everything (and everyone) needs something all at once.

If you’ve ever whispered ‘This is too hard’ into your cup of tea or questioned whether you’re doing it all wrong, rest assured, you’re not alone.

Some seasons of parenting are tougher than others. And some kids, such as the strong-willed, sensitive, endlessly curious or high-energy ones, can make those seasons feel like a marathon with no finish line in sight.

But what if the problem wasn’t you… or them…What if the real shift was in how we understand the whole picture?

Challenging Doesn’t Mean Broken

At Amba Children’s Publishing, we’re passionate about publishing books that help families and teachers raise kids who thrive by better understanding them. That’s why we publish parenting books that dig a little deeper. Books like Tricky Kids, which remind us that challenging behaviour in children is often just misunderstood brilliance.

In this revised and updated edition, clinical psychologist Andrew Fuller offers a new way of looking at spirited or complex children not as problems to be solved, but as individuals with unique wiring and immense potential.

From the kid who refuses to sit still, to the one who argues every bedtime routine like a courtroom lawyer, Tricky Kids is a reminder that with the right support, every child can thrive and so can their parents.

This book is especially helpful for parents who:

• Feel like they’re ‘walking on eggshells’ around their child
• Want to understand their child’s intensity or emotional sensitivity
• Need tools that are practical, affirming and grounded in real-world family life

Instead of focusing on discipline and behaviour management alone, Tricky Kids takes a strengths-based approach, recognising that what’s seen as defiance or distractibility could be signs of creativity, determination, or emotional depth.

The Power of Playful Connection

Have you ever noticed how some families seem to have it all? Happy, well-rounded kids and parents who never seem tense, whilst others appear to be struggling just to get out the door each morning (yet their kids are so loved). It’s not about how much parents love their children. Every parent loves deeply! But not every parent knows how to connect in ways that build closeness, trust, and shared joy.

That’s where Andy McNeilly’s book, Connecting With Your Kids, shines. With a heartfelt foreword by Steve Biddulph, this book isn’t about rules or lectures; it’s a recipe book for good times.

In the introduction, Steve Biddulph writes:

‘Have you noticed that some families seem to be like a happy party just walking along, and others are kind of tense and awkward? ... Connection with our kids isn't some mystical thing, it's made up of shared activities and memories, often not the expensive ones but just stuff that happened.’

Andy McNeily, a long-time primary school teacher and dad, realised that many parents simply didn’t know how to have good times with their kids, not because they didn’t care, but because they were busy, overwhelmed, or had never been shown what a strong connection could look like.

The activities in this book are simple, accessible and real. They're designed for families who want to:

• Deepen trust and communication
• Create meaningful memories without needing to spend a fortune
• Break out of ruts, routines or disconnection

And because this book works like a recipe book, there’s no pressure to ‘do it all’. One or two ideas, tried at the right moment, can unlock joy and ease where things once felt strained.

Steve Biddulph puts it beautifully:

‘You'll get your money's worth if even one of these ideas takes off with you and your children’.

When You Feel Stuck

One of the hardest things about parenting tricky or intense kids is the stuck feeling. You’re stuck in the same power struggle every morning. Stuck in guilt after snapping. Stuck wondering why everything feels so much harder than it should be.

But stuck doesn’t mean broken. It just means it’s time for a shift.

Books like Tricky Kids and Connecting With Your Kids act as catalysts,  not because they’re filled with magic fixes, but because they help parents reframe the moment they’re in. They gently untangle that knot of worry, frustration, and uncertainty, and offer something practical to hold onto.

Sometimes, that looks like understanding why your child melts down at the supermarket (spoiler: it might be sensory overload or needing more agency). Other times, it’s trying a new way to spend time together,  like a simple outdoor game or creative project that shifts the mood and opens the door to connection.

You don’t need an overhaul. You need one good moment. And then another.

Making Time for Joy

It’s easy to get caught up in all the ‘shoulds’ of parenting: we should be reading more, eating better, getting outdoors, limiting screen time, teaching resilience, promoting independence and staying calm while doing it all.

But what if joy wasn’t an extra? What if it was the whole point?

The best part about the books we publish at Amba Children’s Publishing is that they bring joy back into focus. They remind us that good parenting isn’t about perfection or performance, it’s about presence. Take, for example, ‘365 Days of Play’ This book, created by play experts Dale Sidebottom and Paul Campbell, is packed with creative challenges, movement games, kindness missions and simple activities designed to help families reconnect, laugh and rediscover the magic of play every single day.

Presence is built through moments: laughing over a silly game, watching your child beam with pride over something they’ve created, or sitting on the back step and talking about nothing in particular. These are the things they’ll remember and the experiences that build a relationship you’ll both lean on in the teenage years and beyond.

When we prioritise connection over control and curiosity over correction, something powerful happens. Our kids soften, we soften, and those tough parenting seasons become a little easier to navigate.

You’re Doing Better Than You Think

Tough parenting seasons can make you question everything. But here’s the truth: your child doesn’t need you to be perfect. They need you to be present. To show up. To play. To keep trying.

The more we understand our kids, their brains, their quirks, their emotional world, the more we can move from simply surviving to something richer: connection, growth, and yes, even joy.

If you’re in the thick of it right now, take a breath. You’re not alone and you don’t have to figure it all out at once. One connection activity, one deeper insight, one shared laugh. It all counts! And if you’re ready to stop just surviving, to start feeling more confident, more equipped, and more connected, these books can help.

Explore Our Parenting Collection

Tricky Kids by Andrew Fuller
Reframe what it means to raise complex or spirited kids and learn how to help them flourish with clarity, warmth, and a psychologist’s insight.

Connecting With Your Kids by Andy McNeilly. Simple ideas to build trust, joy and closeness.

365 Days of Play by Dale Sidebottom and Paul Campbell is a practical and inspiring guide to bringing fun, connection and presence back into family life. Written by experts in play, it shows how simple daily activities, movement games and creative challenges can help children feel confident, capable and connected. Rather than focusing on perfection or ‘doing it all,’ the book encourages families to prioritise joy, laughter and curiosity, building resilience and stronger relationships along the way.

Browse Our Entire Range of Books
Written for curious, caring parents and teachers, grounded in research, compassion and lived experience.

Let these pages be your companions through the harder days and a celebration of the good ones, too.