For parents after separation · Children Ages 9–16
Help your tween or teen feel secure, settled and connected to youas they adjust to life between two homes after separation.
Photo: MStudioImages / Canva
An online parent community
Join our community of separated parents and get practical tools to understand your tween or teen’s emotions, make changeovers easier and stay connected. Find downloadable guides, ideas to try at home and guidance from an occupational therapist, so you have somewhere to turn when you’re unsure what to do next.
Some days the smallest things can feel so heavy
New routines. Different expectations.
A lot for them to take in.
The bag by the door. The quiet drive home. The bedroom door that closes before you’ve had a chance to ask how they are. It’s often the everyday moments that leave you wondering what your child needs.
The bag still isn’t packed.
You’re trying to get out the door without another last-minute scramble. They’re looking for a charger, or struggling with the thought of leaving.
They head straight to their room.
You’ve been looking forward to seeing them. They barely say hello. Do you give them space, check in or try again later?
You’re not sure what to say.
They miss Mum or Dad. They say something that hurts. Or they say nothing at all. You want to keep the conversation open without putting them in the middle.
You don’t need another list of things you should be doing. You need somewhere to start. Two Homes & Thriving brings together clear guides, useful tools and conversations about the moments parents actually face.
“You can’t take away every challenge your child faces. But you can help them feel understood, supported and secure as they settle into their new normal.”
Start with what you need today
Help for the next changeover.
And the days in between.
Open the guide that fits what’s happening at home. Use a checklist before they leave, try a gentler way to reconnect when they return, or find words for a conversation you’ve been putting off.
The library covers newly separated families, changeovers, understanding your teen, everyday life across homes and looking after you.
The Next Changeover Kit
A packing checklist, a settling-in plan and words to try when something gets tricky.
Finding Your Feet
A practical place to start when you’re newly separated and working out what everyday life looks like now.
When Your Teen Won’t Talk
Ideas for listening, respecting their privacy and keeping the door open for conversation.
Everyday Planning
Simple tools for meals, routines and keeping track of the days together.
For mums and dads
You’re finding a new way to be a family.
You don’t have to find it alone.
You want your child to feel secure, loved and connected to you, even when everyday life looks different now. But knowing when to give them space, what to say or how to reach them can feel hard.
Here, you’ll find ideas to help you connect and other parents who understand the quiet house, the difficult goodbyes and how much the little moments together matter. A place to ask questions, share what’s working and feel less alone as you find your way.
Join our communityA community with children at the centre
Some days, you need
support for you, too.
Maybe changeover was hard. Maybe the house feels too quiet after they’ve gone. Or something finally worked and you want to tell someone. There’s room for all of that here.
Ask an honest question without needing to have it all worked out. We keep children at the centre, respect different family situations and focus on what might help next.
- Talk with other parents navigating two homes.
- Find discussions about changeovers, connection and everyday life.
- Submit questions for Hayley to consider in written posts or short videos.
- Use the library at your own pace.
Hayley responds to selected themes. Individual replies and a fixed Q&A schedule aren’t promised.
Meet Hayley
I know how much
the little things matter.
I’m Hayley, an occupational therapist and mum of three. I bring my OT knowledge, my own experience of separation and my childhood experience of family separation to this community.
My OT background shapes the way I look at everyday family life: what’s making a routine difficult, what helps a child feel comfortable, and how to give them more choice as they grow. Sometimes that starts with a quieter first evening home or making dinner together.
I created Two Homes & Thriving to give parents somewhere to find that kind of help, alongside others who are working through life across two homes.
General parent education and peer support. The community does not provide individual occupational therapy or personalised clinical advice.
Join Two Homes & Thriving
Start with the next
thing your family needs.
Putting your child first as family life changes.
You don’t have to work everything out today. Start with the next changeover, the first evening back or the conversation you’re not sure how to have. Find something useful, try it at home and come back when you need more support.
For parents supporting their child across two homes after separation, wherever you live.
Your membership brings the resource library and parent discussions together in one place.
An invitation to join us
Founding membership
Now open for the first 100 members
- Practical guides and downloadable resources
- A community of like-minded parents navigating parenting between two homes
- Opportunities to submit questions for Hayley
See membership details before joining.
A few things you might be wondering
Before you join
Is this for newly separated parents?
Yes. There’s a place to start if you’re newly separated, as well as help for families who have been living across two homes for a while. You use the same library and community.
Does my child join the community?
No. This is a parent community. Some resources include optional activities or pages you can offer your child privately. Children don’t need to take part or share anything in the group.
Does the other parent need to join?
No. You can use the guides and ideas in your own home. Start with the things you can influence, such as routines, the home environment and how you respond to your child.
What’s available now?
Written guides, downloadable resources and parent discussion spaces. Start with changeovers, finding your feet after separation, understanding your teen or everyday planning. The library will grow over time.
Can I ask Hayley a question?
Yes. Members can submit questions in the community. Hayley chooses themes to answer through written posts or short videos. Membership doesn’t include individual therapy, personalised clinical advice or a guaranteed reply.
Is it only for mums?
No. The community is for parents supporting their children through life across two homes, including mums and dads.