Parenting in 2026: Social Media, Self-Care & Why We Need Each Other More Than Ever

As we head into January, I had the absolute privilege of contributing to the Parenting Magazine with the Belfast Telegraph, sharing my thoughts on parenting predictions for 2026. It was such a brilliant opportunity to have a voice in that space but if I’m honest, it also got me thinking… deeply. About where we’re heading, what our kids are navigating, and how much pressure mums are carrying into this next year.

One of the biggest topics that keeps coming up and will only get louder in 2026 is social media.

I actually love what Australia has started to do. Their move to restrict social media access for children under 16 has sparked a global conversation, and rightly so. It’s bold. It’s protective. And it’s asking a question many of us are already wrestling with at home: Are our children really ready for this world online?

Because let’s be honest social media doesn’t just “exist” in our kids’ lives. It shapes their moods, their confidence, their behaviour. Have you noticed it? Do you feel like it controls your child’s mood some days? Makes them more reactive, more cheeky, more grown-up before they need to be? Or do you ever catch yourself thinking… were we this exposed at 12? Or have 12-year-olds had to become something totally different now?

There’s growing clinical evidence backing up these concerns too. The American Psychological Association has highlighted links between excessive social media use in young people and increased anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep disruption and emotional regulation difficulties particularly in children under 16 whose brains are still developing.

That doesn’t make us “anti-tech” mums. It makes us aware mums.

And the thing is we’re not meant to figure all of this out alone.

One of the most powerful things about being surrounded by other women, especially other mums, is how much we learn from each other. A coffee with another mum can be therapy. A quick chat at the school gates can ground you. Even just knowing someone else is thinking the same thoughts can lift the weight. Community matters and we forget that sometimes when we’re rushing, surviving, or feeling a bit low.

Which brings me to self-care the thing we talk about endlessly and give ourselves barely any of. As mums, we are usually the last on the list. But the truth is, we’re the most important ones to look after. You cannot pour from an empty cup and most solo mums I know are running on fumes while still showing up every single day.

That’s why I’m so excited to share that this month, we’ll be collaborating with Ashley Thompson of Ashley Thompson Skin, who will be running a dedicated wellness group just for our Mums Club community. This will be a monthly space focused on meditation and breathwork gentle, accessible, and designed especially for mums who are finding it really hard to carve out any kind of self-care. No pressure. No perfection. Just a safe space for us.

2026 doesn’t need mums who are burnt out and barely coping.It needs mums who feel supported, informed, connected and reminded that they matter too.

So I’d love to know how do you feel about social media and your children? Easy? Exhausting? Something you’re constantly negotiating? Let’s keep the conversation going… because parenting is changing, and we deserve to navigate it together 💛

And before we wrap up can we talk mum shopping for a second?Because let’s be honest, we need clothes that work for real life.

Right now, I honestly can’t beat Mango and Zara affordable, easy to wear, and you can throw together outfits that work for school runs, coffee dates and work meetings. Bonus points for being able to grab something for the kids while you’re there too.

For workwear, I love mixing Zara and Mango staples with a bit of Reiss when I want something more polished corporate but still comfortable, grown-up but not boring. And of course, it’s all about the accessories to pull it together (because a good bag and earrings can save any outfit).

So tell me where are you mum shopping at the minute?What’s your go-to for affordable, feel-good outfits that actually fit into busy mum life? Let’s share the love (and the links 😉).

Love Fiona

TSMC x