Family affair

Since Covid allowed me to spend more time with my kids (I am now able to look back at it with rose-tinted glasses!), I feel ever more entwined with them. With a new flexibility at work, I’m continuing to be a more present parent, which, in turn, has made me – and my girls – more emotionally balanced. I often reflect on how the past few years will have shaped their personalities, because if there’s one thing we know, it’s that our family is one of the biggest influences in carving who we become.

This is a theme we explore at length in this, our family issue. On page 35, A Mother’s Love is a poignant reflection on how we’re defined by the relationships we have with our mothers, and in How Dysfunctional Is Your Family? on page 54, therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab unpicks the most common behaviours she sees and gives advice on how to navigate them (I challenge you not to find your own family reflected in these pages!). In our partnership with the Mental Health Foundation this month, on page 162, Stephanie Foo discusses her Complex Post-traumatic Stress Disorder diagnosis – and subsequent healing – after suffering an abusive childhood – and we explore the link between nutrition and brain health in Good Mood Family Food on page 152.

Spring is most definitely in the air – finally – so we’re celebrating the season with a delicious Easter menu on page 114, vegan sweet treats on page 138 and, for the less virtuous among us, posh chocolate eggs on page 147. Turn to page 108 for some charming Easter crafts, to be enjoyed with kids or solo!

Fashion is also a foray into brighter days with our Road Trip story on page 80, urging you to cast off those layers in favour of faded florals and khaki shorts; and in beauty, we share our favourite bright buys on page 98 and the new manicure of the moment on page 100.

Finally, don’t put down this issue until you’ve read Doing Time on page 46. It’s a very useful deep dive into how much time we truly need to feel content and the best way to manage our minutes more meaningfully. Whether you choose to spend all that new-found time with your loved ones or blissfully alone,

I hope you have a wonderful month.

An unexpected two-piece. Shirt, around £300; shorts, around £230, both Hunter Bell NYC TOP: Relaxed vibes (page 80). ABOVE LEFT: Editor Sarah’s daughters, Coco and Sylvie. ABOVE RIGHT: Easter place settings (page 108). RIGHT: Easy home updates (page 134) Smells of mimosa and sunshine! Hortosa Scented Candle, £55, Verden Looking for the perfect present? Treat a loved one to a red subscription. turn to page 68 for our great offer. A grown-up coin (and credit card) purse. Cross-body card case, £260, Smythson Spring boots to wear with everything. Boots, £359, Penelope Chilvers x India Hicks

For fruit, pastries… or Easter eggs? Bowl, £125, Sharland England