Parenting Consultants - do you know any?

[0606]

I am researching parenting consultants - gurus you can call or have an appointment with to help you through any problems. Does anyone know of any?? It's for a mag article. Tracy Hogg would have been perfect (baby whisperer to the Hollywood babes) but she has sadly died of cancer. Has anyone replaced her?? I've looked up Penelope Leach but I don't think she does private consultations, likewise Gina Ford (although she may be a bit controversial). Could be someone in US as well. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[gingerninja]

I think they're all likely to be controversial if they advocate one rule for all. The exception would be some of the AP types like Dr Sears.

The likes of Gina Ford et al haven't had any children and personally I don't think that makes her best placed for telling parents how to parent. It's easy being a parent when you haven't got children.

[0606]

Thanks - I've emailed the DrSears website although again, I'm not sure if they do private client consultations.

[gingerninja]

Perhaps you should do a feature on mumsnet then. Who better to give balanced (on the whole) advice, for free, in real time and with the knowledge that they're real and have been there.

MN certainly saved my sanity in the early days whereas Hogg, Ford and friends did everything they could to ruin my self esteem. People don't need consultants they need friends.

[TheBlonde]

www.theparentpractice.com/

[grockel]

Try Angela Isles at www.islespc.co.uk, uses similar approach to Dr Sears based on attachment. She told me it was important to have routines that work for me, not to be a slave to someone elses routine.