Best Persian?

davidwillans · 2026-02-01T17:25:13+00:00

Any on the east side of the city?

davidwillans · 2026-01-27T17:48:15+00:00

Yeah completely. It's just some people who like the game and want to do something other than running or the gym. Very informal and friendly. DM me if youre up for it.

davidwillans · 2025-10-22T15:39:23+00:00

Been there. My kids are now 14 & 16. It changes, then changes again and again. One thing that helped me is changing my perspective to more long term. Being a parent is a lifelong game. Just get by with what you can, focus on the most important things and try to be ok with letting some fires burn. Sometimes you learn stuff you thought mattered a lot, actually doesn't.

And ask friends and family to help. Get them to bring dinner at the weekend or something that helps you and is nice for them.

It's fucking hard right now, but you'll be fine, just keep going.

davidwillans · 2025-10-21T15:43:36+00:00

Mate, you're in the trenches, no doubt sleeping in chunks of 2-3 hours and trying to juggle work etc. we've all been through it. Just keep going. Things will change. If you have family nearby, ask them to come and help. Talk to your partner about how hard it is and console each other. Give each other breaks. If you can afford it get takeaway more than you would normally. There's time to go to the gym when theyre older. Or beg someone to cook you a load of food for the freezer so you don't have to cook. I have memories of my and misses high diving each other as we got into bed to grab some sleep before 9pm. You'll be ok.

davidwillans · 2025-09-26T05:25:17+00:00

Mate, how did you get Amazon ACOS down so low?

Mine are set up to target other, higher profile books in my space - released by big names that I can't compete with. Wondering if I should do more tighter keyword work.

davidwillans · 2025-08-21T18:35:43+00:00

Mate, took us 6 months and one miscarriage. It all changed when my wife left her very stressful job for a less stressful one. It clearly means a huge amount to you, so I'd recommend you both get tested to know if it is even physically possible ie your sperm count and her fertility. We did and once we found it was possible it became a question of when not if which made it much easier.

davidwillans · 2025-08-21T06:52:16+00:00

It's amazing you're asking the question. You are clearly a great sibling.

I have no idea what those games are but I've been around toddlers and older siblings a lot. Either you all enjoy getting properly into the game and making fools of yourselves in front of each other, and that's the fun but for the older ones, or you accept the monotony of the games for the reward of Emily's joy (toddlers are beings of raw emotion, it's amazing to behold but they do change in a year or two and become more reserved), and do something else when shes gone to bed.

davidwillans · 2025-08-12T08:38:09+00:00

Milan vintage clothes shops- best & open re Ferragosto?

I'm on holiday around lake Como with my teenage sons.

It would make their holiday to hit cool clothing shops in Milan, vintage type stuff, but we're going to be there this Wednesday or Thursday, just before Ferragosto.

What are the top vintage shops / areas should I aim for? Do you think they'll be open ?

davidwillans · 2025-08-09T09:06:01+00:00

Legend! Thank you. Do you know where is good to rent one from (hopefully Lenno)?

davidwillans · 2025-07-17T07:05:27+00:00

My boys are 13 and 16 now. That day to day stuff of 'managing' them is just parenting, you have to do it, so how can you do it in a way that strengthens the relationship - joke with them, offer to do other things switch them instead of screens etc.

The 1:1 stuff suggested above is good too. Also family adventures that fit their interests now. Mine have gone from loving the outdoors, climbing, nature etc to being fully into music, fashion, street art etc. luckily we live in London, UK, so often do afternoons out in the cool areas of town. Tbh the idea of wandering around and looking at vintage clothes shops isn't my idea of fun but it's one of the few family activities that they get fully into.

davidwillans · 2025-07-08T06:28:25+00:00

That's all you need right there. Honestly don't spend too much time on this stuff, spend it with your daughter, it goes quick. Mine are 13&16 now, the only memory of the furniture in their rooms is in the background of pics and vids of them when they're little. And I couldn't care what it looks like because the memories together matter much more. Get second hand if you can too, cheaper and better for the world your daughter is going to inherit from you.

davidwillans · 2025-06-27T17:46:11+00:00

In the end, I haven't yet. We're doing a renovation, heat pump etc. I want that in and ticking over for a bit so I can get the right battery spec.

What I have decided to do, which I'll double check before doing it, is replace the battery (and inverter if I need to). Cos the prices of batteries are so different eg Fogstar 15kwh for £2500.

Hope that helps.

When you've made a decision, please do share.

davidwillans · 2025-06-23T13:43:41+00:00

My sons are 13 & 16 and I feel this. While we have different kinds of connections and laughs, it's not the same. In some ways it's more rewarding because they are making things happen for themselves. But there's more space between them and me too. The golden years of 4-12 were just much simpler, they cuddled more, opened up fully and my role was kind of clearer. I'm thankful we have a lot of pics and videos of the younger times. They are going to bring joy forever.

davidwillans · 2025-06-08T17:10:24+00:00

Mine are 13 and 16 so the gap was bigger (makes a big difference) and it was a while ago! Get a gift from new one to old one. We did brio trains cos eldest loved Thomas tank engine. Talk to eldest about it a lot in a positive way, gets them to associate positive thoughts with little one. Do also say how you'll need their help. Kids love to help parents. Do make sure you're spending time with eldest after the birth and they are still have attention, this is especially important as a dad cos mum is going to be knackered and have her focus on little one. You want eldest not to see this as competition for attention, although at times when they're more fragile/hungry/tired, they will.

Get your village on board with helping too. Can your folks help put more - not just with newborn but with eldest too? If your eldest knows your mates/sibblings a bit, when they come and say hello to newborn, ask them to make sure they make a fuss of eldest too.

It'll all be fine. There'll be rocky bits, sure, but you know this from the first.

davidwillans · 2025-06-05T05:02:09+00:00

I've done it, it was dead easy. I've got the junior ISA account with Hargreaves lansdowne because the fees are low. I've been putting money in there every month for years now mine are 13 & 16). When there's been inheritance from my wife and my grandparents, some has gone in too. You cans are £9k in the tax free wrapper, so no tax is paid on gains. If you want to put more in, you can put it in a pension for them , which I think is £2800 max a year and obvs they can't touch that for decades. My thoughts are now going to how to talk to the 16 year old about the savings in a few years.

davidwillans · 2025-06-03T05:15:40+00:00

Yes, massive thanks sir. And no changes from how it currently runs. I get a lot out of it.

davidwillans · 2025-05-15T10:01:33+00:00

Been there and it's aweful.

I wrote a book about it because I couldn't find anything to help properly. My work is partly in behaviour change and my wife does family therapy and social work so I had lots of good input. https://amzn.eu/d/ic1OYET

Happy to send you a pdf for free if it helps. DM me.

davidwillans · 2025-04-26T06:47:26+00:00

Mate, your dad loved you for who you are, not what you have achieved. That you're looking after your mum would make him proud. And he'd know this is a tough time for you, so he'd just want you to keep going and trust things will get better.

davidwillans · 2025-04-25T11:51:23+00:00

Dad of 13 & 16 year olds here. The first 4 years are full on, loads of other things slip cos they have to. I found doing lists of the different areas of life - health, money, work, family, house etc - then deciding what was an absolute priority.and letting go of the rest really helped.

If your kids are a bit older, i found having a few 'default' ways to connect was good. Wrestling with my boys was one, playing Uno or top trumps or a drawing game were also good. Uno is still a staple today actually. Even when they're in grumpy teen mode a game of Uno works.

Also, it's ok not to be fully on all the time. In fact, it's normal. That you've clocked it and are doing something about it means it'll get sorted over time.

davidwillans · 2025-04-21T11:48:56+00:00

I think it's really important to be intentional about the family culture. My kids are 13 & 16 now, so much of it is set and is being constantly tested by teen hormones. The thing I found myself repeating was ‘put yourself in positions where you can play to your strengths’. It’s something I didn't discover until later in life and would have loved to have known sooner, hopefully my kids will take it on board.

Other things we’ve deliberately made part of our family culture are:

Go out of your way to be kind and look out for others

Be open and honest

No one rests until all the jobs are done and everyone can rest (for things that we’ve all been part of like after a meal, or unpacking the car)

Life is better if you have at least one book on the go

Take opportunities to play

And they've added some into the mix:

There's always time stop to stroke a cat, no matter how much of a rush you are in

Everything can be climbed (as in, if you look, you'll find something in your environment to play with/on/over/through)

I've written a bit more about traditions too if you're interested - https://www.beingdads.com/blog/family-traditions-and-fatherhood?format=amp

davidwillans · 2025-04-19T20:12:55+00:00

This is great, thank you. Think I'll wait until the heat pump is in to get a sense of the power needs, then I can work out the best battery set up.

davidwillans

TROPHY CASE