Shirley Husband

I’ve been quiet on here for a long time, but I've been pretty busy writing books for children who feel things deeply - and looking after my own kids! I'm back because I want to talk about childhood anxiety, the healing power of nature, and stories that help little ones when they’re overwhelmed. It’s a subject that’s close to my heart, and something that I genuinely want to talk about! Come and find me here if you care about it too… 🔗 p.s. I have a new book out, plus a free activity pack for anxious little ones - the link’s in my bio. ☺️👆

A great reminder 💙

Love this so much 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙

How’s your week been? And how have the kids been? I hope it’s been a nice, calm one – and if not, feel free to share! Have a great weekend. 💙

This wee community is growing slowly but steadily. Thank you to everyone who likes, comments and shares! I’m determined to keep showing up here. 💙

A wee bit of anxiety in a child isn’t a fault to be fixed. It’s part of being human. We don’t have to remove every single worry. We just need to help them learn they can handle the wobbly bits. That’s a lifelong skill – and a great thing to start young. 🌱 💙

I’m thinking about doing school and library visits again – this time with The Boy in the Bubble, which is all about big feelings and calm. Teachers and librarians… is that something you’d want? I’d really value your thoughts. 📚️ 💙

One recent report found that 70% of pupils said an author visit made them want to read more. And 2026 has been named the Year of Reading. 📚️ It feels like a good moment to get back out there – I just have to find the time! 💙

Before I wrote The Boy in the Bubble (and a couple of books featuring mascots for Scottish Premier League football clubs), I spent years visiting primary schools with my McCoo books. Hundreds of them. Honestly, I love kids. Those were some of the best days of my working life. There’s nothing like a hall full of wee ones with a hundred questions! 📚️ ☺️

What’s your one rule or wee trick for limiting screens at home that actually works? A real one – that just about works on most days! I’m collecting the best ideas to share with other parents. 😄 👇️

All that information at our fingertips is a real double-edged sword. But it's also how we find help we'd never have found otherwise. Here are a few UK ones I recommend: 💙 YoungMinds Parents Helpline – free – 0808 802 5544 💙 Place2Be – great on school support 💙 MindEd for Families – free advice online

Here’s something we don’t say enough…It’s not just the kids who are overwhelmed by digital life. It’s us too. The endless buzzing, the noise, never quite switching off. If you’re frazzled by it all (and I am!), you’re not alone. And you’re not doing anything wrong. 💙

I send out a wee monthly newsletter – research, tips, and stories from families and classrooms. No spam, no hard sell, I promise. Just good stuff, once a month. If you’re interested, the link’s in my bio. 💙

The thing is, we know so much more than our own parents did. They were working in the dark half the time. Brought up on a stiff upper lip mentality. We’ve got the research, the language, the understanding they never had. That’s a real gift – and we can use it. 🌱

People sometimes say anxiety is just a normal part of childhood. And they’ve got a point, a bit of worry has always been part of growing up. But our kids are struggling in such big numbers now... That’s not nothing, and I think we need to take it seriously. 💙

So here’s what I believe now. We can only ever do our best with what we know at the time. If you’re wrestling with whether to seek a diagnosis for your own child – you know them best. Trust that. Did you go for a diagnosis, or hold off because you thought a label wouldn’t help? I’d love to hear your experience. It might help other families. 👇️ 💙

When he was little, he had an assessment. But he was a good kid, not naughty at school, so I was told a label wasn’t really necessary. And you trust that at the time. You’re just doing your best with what you know. Looking back, I’m not sure it was the right advice. But I understand why we made the choice we did. 💙

My son got his ADHD diagnosis at 19. Only recently. But I always knew. He was my first, and it was the early 2000s – ADHD wasn’t talked about the way it is now. Still, I could see something was there behind the anxiety. I’ve been thinking about whether getting that label sooner would have changed things for him. 💙