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The line between being a supportive grandparent to being a hovering, overly involved grandparent can be blurry. London (PA Media/dpa) – You’ve probably heard of the term helicopter parenting – but what about a helicopter grandparent? “A helicopter grandparent is someone who’s really involved and might struggle to step back in terms of parenting duties,” says psychotherapist Amy Bojanowski-Bubb, BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy) member. “They might offer frequent advice and override their children’s parenting decisions. “In terms of the helicopter analogy, it’s that hovering behaviour of always being there and not stepping back.” Although this behaviour is usually unintentional and comes from a place of love, it may not always feel helpful or supportive to parents. Bojanowski-Bubb has highlighted six common signs of helicopter grandparenting and has offered some advice about how to navigate this dynamic. 1. Step into parenting mode too quickly “One example of being a helicopter grandparent could be that they’ve reached to pick up or soothe their grandchild before the parent has even had a chance to respond to a situation,” says the psychotherapist. 2. Criticising parenting choices in front of the grandchild “They might correct a parent’s choice in front of the grandchild and might say something like, ‘Oh mummy doesn’t know what she’s doing, granny will do it properly‘,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “This could be perceived as undermining.” 3. Constantly offering unsolicited opinions “They might give a running commentary on the routine of the grandchild and constantly offer their opinion of what they think is best,” notes Bojanowski-Bubb. “For example, they might say, ‘He’s tired or she needs a jumper, or I wouldn’t feed them that’.” 4. Ignoring or bending house rules “Another really common sign, which I think a lot of grandparents do because they want to spoil their grandchildren, is constant ignoring or the bending of the house rules in terms of things like treats and sweets, screen time and even bedtimes,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. 5. Being defensive “Sometimes, if parents are trying to set those boundaries and a grandparent then gets really visibly hurt or defensive and says things like, ‘Oh, I was only trying to help’, I think that’s a really clear sign, too,” says the psychotherapist. 6. Constantly wanting updates “Constant asking for updates, photos or video calls and wanting that reassurance when they’re not present can be another sign,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. What often drives this type of behaviour? “I think there’s often lots of emotional drivers to this kind of behaviour,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “Firstly, it could be driven by an anxiety about safety or the wellbeing of their grandchildren. I think this can be especially true if the grandparents raised their children in a more risk-averse era. “Also, some grandparents may struggle with this new sense of autonomy in their adult child as they become a parent themselves. “I also think there is also this prevalent fear for grandparents about becoming irrelevant and replaced and a fear of being forgotten about in a new big family system. That can be especially true if a grandparent’s sense of purpose is tied strongly to caregiving.” She adds that sometimes these behaviours can come from a place of unresolved guilt. “They might have an unresolved guilt about their own parenting years,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “For example, they might think, ‘Oh I didn’t get it right back then, but I can get it right now and can do better now’ and then push extra hard to heal that unresolved guilt.” Tensions can also arise around generational clashes. “In terms of emotions, discipline and independence around parenting, all of these things have changed over the years and this can cause generational clashes,” highlights Bojanowski-Bubb. What impact can helicopter behaviours have on family dynamics? “For the parents, they can can feel undermined by their own parents and this can really erode their confidence as parents,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. “Having a helicopter grandparent can also create tension between partners and lead to building resentment. “Meanwhile, from a grandparent’s perspective, they might feel rejected and hurt when boundaries are set because they have invested so much emotionally.” The grandchildren may also be impacted. “In these situations grandchildren can actually get really confused about who’s in charge because all these authority figures are saying different things and then can struggle to know what the real boundaries are,” says the psychotherapist. What advice would you give grandparents on how to navigate this situation? Ask questions “Asking explicitly, would you like my help or would you like me to listen, can sometimes be really helpful because often parents just want to feel heard,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. Take a pause “Just taking a pause before stepping in can be good,” says the psychotherapist. “Stop and ask yourself, am I being supported here, or am I actually just taking over?” Support parenting decisions publicly “Even if you disagree privately about your child’s parenting decision, I think it’s a good idea to support your adult child’s decisions at least publicly in front of other family members and grandchildren,” recommends Bojanowski-Bubb. Respect boundaries and accept a degree of discomfort “It can be a really tricky situation, but sometimes it can be helpful to respect the boundaries and accept the discomfort of what stepping back might look like,” says Bojanowski-Bubb. The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Maintaining gym consistency after the New Year hype fades requires strategies that transform motivation into a lasting habit. London (PA Media/dpa) – At the start of January, many of us are fuelled by New Year’s resolutions and hit the gym with enthusiasm and energy. However, as the months roll on, it’s completely natural for that initial surge of motivation to fade. The reasons why this happens is multifactorial says Dr Robin Chatterjee, consultant in musculoskeletal, sports and exercise medicine at the Chelsea Outpatient Centre, part of HCA Healthcare UK. “First of all, the idea of completely changing your lifestyle from doing no exercise and eating a lot to suddenly going to the gym regularly might sound good, but the reality is that it requires commitment, time and money,” reflects Chatterjee. “Secondly, we are still in winter and the weather is dark, cold and miserable, so the motivation to get out of the house and go to the gym might not be there. “Also, once people break one resolution, they tend to break all of them.” To help you bounce back from this, here are some useful tips on how to stay consistent, safe and motivated in your gym workouts for the rest of 2026. Seek professional advice Don’t be afraid to seek support. Professionals such as personal trainers are there to help you work towards those long-term goals and can help you stay on track. “Instead of going to the gym and just randomly using the machines without knowing what you are doing, I would recommend seeking advice from a medical professional or a personal trainer who can make sure that you are doing the exercises in a safe manner,” recommends Chatterjee. “They can also help you set up a plan of goal-directed exercises and support you through that.” Slowly implement progressive overload “Doing too much too soon can have consequences,” warns Chatterjee. “This is an extreme example, but if you want to run a marathon and start from doing absolutely nothing and then run your heart out, you’re likely to get some sort of strain or tear because your body isn’t used to doing that amount of exercise.” Instead, he recommends implementing progressive overload gradually. “Start off with a low weight that you’re comfortable with and increase the number of sets and reps with that and then you should start notice incremental increases in your strength,” advises Chatterjee. Focus on your technique “If you don’t use weights or the machines in the right way, then you’re likely to get an injury, so I would recommend seeking advice and sticking to one routine and perfecting your technique and then slowly building up what you’re doing from there,” advises Chatterjee. Focus on the mental benefits instead of fixating on the aesthetics “Don’t expect to get big muscles very quickly, because going to the gym is all about the long game,” says Chatterjee. “You won’t physically feel any different for a long period of time, but you should start to feel mentally and emotionally better straight away as a result of the endorphin rush that you get from exercising.” Make your training varied and social “When we do things in groups or in pairs, we tend to be more successful in our outcomes and than if we’re doing it individually, so I would recommend going to a class or getting your friends or family involved,” suggests Chatterjee. “Having somebody to keep track of what you’re doing and to cheer you on can be really helpful.” Remember to have rest days “A rest period is really important,” says Chatterjee. “If you do too much too soon, you’re going to end up with an injury. Whereas if you do it in a tailored, structured manner with appropriate rest periods, while still maintaining a regular amount of strength training, that’s going to be your best chance of success.” Try to go to the gym at out-of-peak hours “To avoid the busy crowds, consider maybe going to the gym early in the morning or late at night or during school time if you can when there will be less people there,” suggests Chatterjee. “Or maybe change the particular gym that you go to, to one that’s less heavily populated.” Focus on the health benefits “Apart from building strength, going to the gym is great for our overall health,” says Chatterjee. “Think about the energy you’re burning, and the positive impacts it’s having on your blood pressure, cholesterol and your mental health.” Remember that the gym is for everyone “There’s often this assumption that the gym is full of beefy guys and gym bunnies, but the reality is that lots of different people go to the gym,” says Chatterjee. “Lots of elderly people, women, kids and people who that aren’t particularly in shape go to the gym because we all need to be exercising. Gyms are designed for people from any walks of life.” The following information is not intended for publication pa dpa coh

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

Berlin (dpa) – There are two simple rules for getting real crunch out of oven-baked kale chips. Leave the oven door slightly open while baking so moisture can escape. Don't take the kale out too early, even if it's starting to look lightly crisp. The thicker fibres may still hold moisture that will leave them chewy rather than crisp. Here, we go through the steps to making kale chips together with a velvety lemon yoghurt dip. With its mild lactic acidity and fresh citrus notes, the slightly sweet dip is a perfect counterpoint to kale's savoury, bitter and more nutty notes. Ingredients for two portions of kale chips: 260 g fresh kale 4 tbsp olive oil salt pepper 150 g Greek yoghurt 1/2 organic lemon 1/2 tsp honey Method: Wash the kale thoroughly, spin dry and pat as dry as possible with a clean kitchen towel. Cut out the thick centre. Tear the leaves into pieces about 10 x 10 cm. Preheat the oven to 130 degrees Celsius (fan). Line a baking tray with baking paper. In a large bowl mix the olive oil with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Add the kale and, with clean hands, massage in the oil so all leaves are coated. Spread the kale on the lined tray without overlapping, fanning pieces out if needed. Bake one tray at a time for about 20 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar (you can try wedging a wooden spoon in the door) until crisp. Do not bake more than one tray at a time or excess moisture will keep the chips from crisping. For the lemon yoghurt dip: Wash and dry the lemon, then finely grate about 1/2 tsp of zest. Stir the zest into the yoghurt and season with a little sugar. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn ueh yyzz n1 xlt cwg nhr

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)