Somewhere around the teenage years, home can start to feel like a hotel your child checks into to eat, sleep and charge their phone. They are out with friends, shut in their room, or both. For a dad parenting on his own, that quiet can hit hard. The good news is that you have more influence over it than you might think. Teenagers go where they feel relaxed, welcome and left alone just enough, and you can build that at home. What is going onPulling away is part of growing up.

Somewhere around three, the questions start and do not stop. Your child's imagination takes off, and with it come new fears, invented friends and some very big questions about family. What is going on at this stageLanguage and thinking are growing fast. Your child is starting to understand that other people have their own thoughts and feelings. A vivid imagination makes pretend play rich, but also makes the dark full of monsters. This is also the age when many children first

Your child is almost an adult. They want the freedom to make their own choices, and they are facing big decisions about exams, work and where life goes next. What is going on at this stageOlder teenagers are learning to run their own lives, with exams, jobs, relationships and plans for the future. They want to be treated as adults, but still need a safety net. Children of solo parents sometimes worry about leaving their dad on his own, which can quietly shape their choices. H

The child who wanted to tell you everything may suddenly want the bedroom door shut. This is normal, and it does not mean they need you less. What is going on at this stageThe move to secondary or middle school, puberty and a growing need for privacy all arrive at once. Friends start to matter more than family, and moods can swing fast. Questions about their mum may also come back, now with more depth and sometimes more anger. How to spot it* Closed doors and one word answers

Between one and two, your child goes from wobbly first steps to running off in the supermarket. They want to explore everything, yet panic the moment you leave the room. Both are signs of healthy development. What is going on at this stageYour child is learning that they are a separate person from you, but they do not yet understand that when you leave, you come back. Words are only just arriving, so frustration comes out as crying, throwing or pushing. The Harvard Center on

The twos have a reputation, and it is partly deserved. Your child wants to do everything themselves, right now, and the gap between what they want and what they can do is where tantrums live. What is going on at this stageYour child's drive for independence is running ahead of their skills and their self control. Language is growing fast, but not fast enough to explain everything they feel. The part of the brain that manages impulses is still very immature, so a tantrum is no

Starting school is one of the biggest changes in a young child's life. They are learning new rules, making friends and holding it together all day, which often means falling apart when they get home. What is going on at this stageYour child is entering a structured world with rules, routines and lots of other children. Fairness suddenly matters enormously. Friendships start to feel important, and your child begins to notice how they fit in. Holding in their feelings all day a

The middle years are often calmer. Your child can reason, follow rules and take on real responsibility. The challenge shifts to how they see themselves compared with everyone else. What is going on at this stageYour child is building their sense of self through what they are good at. They compare themselves with friends constantly. Many ask for their first phone or online games in these years. Puberty can also start earlier than many parents expect: the NHS says it typically

The teenage years bring late nights, strong opinions and decisions that can make you hold your breath. Your job changes from being in charge to being the steady adult they can always come back to. What is going on at this stageThe parts of the teenage brain that respond to reward and excitement are very active, while the areas that handle planning and impulse control keep developing into the mid twenties, according to the US National Institute of Mental Health. Teenagers are