On October 1st, 2025, the world lost one of its most beloved voices for animals, children, and the planet. Dame Jane Goodall, renowned primatologist and conservationist, passed away peacefully at age 91 while on a speaking tour in California. Her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees reshaped science—but her influence reaches far beyond the jungle. For parents, educators, and caregivers, Jane Goodall’s life offers profound lessons in empathy, observation, and the power of gentle connection. 🧠 Parenting Through Observation, Not Control In the 1960s, Jane Goodall entered the forests of Tanzania with no formal scientific training, just a notebook and an open mind. She watched, listened, and waited. Her patient, respectful approach revealed that chimpanzees—once thought to be primitive—used tools, expressed emotions, and formed deep social bonds. This mirrors what many of us strive for in parenting: to observe rather than impose, to understand rather than control. Goodall’s m...

  I travelled alone for the first time to Ipswich for the Children and Childhoods Conference, hosted by the University of Suffolk. The Open University provided me with a scholarship to attend. This post will provide a synopsis of Professor Helen Lomax's and Professor Alison Clark's keynote addresses for each day. Playful arts-based methods for child-centred research and knowledge exchange during times of global crisis Professor Helen Lomax's presentation, 'Playful arts-based methods for child-centred research and knowledge exchange during times of global crisis,' was discussed. Morgan Jones et al. (2020) suggested that policymaking is limited when children are excluded. When researching this topic, Helen came to the conclusion that using a creative method would allow children to express themselves and that their voices would be plural rather than singular, and that these voices would contain the experiences of those around them. Given the covid-19 pandemic, the ques...