Bex Cooper, Director, on Parenting, Peace not Pressure, and Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize

We are into the final leg of the school year, and by this stage, doesn’t it feel like a long journey, for parents and kids alike? If you have children taking exams, my thoughts are with you all. Our son is taking his GCSEs- how? It doesn't seem 5 minutes since he was taking his 25-metre swimming certificate!

He is a pretty mellow young man, and doesn't tend to get stressed, something we are all more vigilant about spotting than ever, with the increasing range of pressures kids face these days, from schoolwork to peer and insidious online "influencing". We have found having someone just sitting nearby to share the pain of revision helps keep him focused, so peek into our home at the moment and you are likely to see either Neil or myself looking blank as he asks us to test him on some pretty incomprehensible (to us) English quotations! Studying with him though has inspired me to take up my studies again so I am currently investigating which course to undertake next - watch this space…

Running Crossbank Dental Care, we hope to have set a good model of "work hard at something you enjoy, pursue your passions and take time to enjoy life". Whichever path our children choose to follow will have our blessing, as long as it is a positive choice.

Luckily our daughter in year 8 still has a year to go before she has to make some life-affecting decisions: which GCSEs to take. Were you lucky, or focused enough to know your career path when at school? Mine took winding turns through law, to employee relations, to running a busy dental practice! But I am thankful for that richness, drawing on different elements of my varied training and experience every day to help me operate and relate better.

Luckily our youngest has a few more years before such concerns (so engineer ranging from making anything go faster to creating tree-houses, or basket baller are still on the table depending on day and mood!). All three are enjoying the fun elements of year end: sports days, school trips, prize days, proms. Looking at the “mum and dad taxi service” records, our daughter definitely has a more vibrant social life than we do! But she is very happy scouring Kendal’s excellent charity shops and dress agencies; good for the pocket, sustainability and finding unique, quality outfits.

Taxiing the children feels like the only time Neil and I are sitting down at the moment! The practice is busy, with more patients discovering our unique focus on individualised care. With over half of the population apprehensive about dental treatment, up to a severe phobia for around 17% of us, our calm, “undentist-y” ambience, unrushed patient journey, and of course wonderful, understanding staff are turning these stats around one patient at a time!

A game-changer for many is sedation. This gentle process doesn’t “knock you out”, but creates a deep sense of calm, enabling many patients who have avoided the dentist for years- decades even- get the life-changing treatment they deserve.

We never stop striving to do more, so we are taking our Green Small Business Certification and Green Impact for Dentistry Gold Award one stage further, driving for “B Corp” accreditation. This verifies a business meets the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. Preparing for the rigorous impact assessment process is not only keeping us busy, but great inspiration to continue our drive to use business as a force for good in visible actions, not just ideas or words. We are in it for the long haul.

We have also just submitted entries for the Cumbria Business Awards. Being shortlisted would be lovely, as much for the recognition that we are following the right path, and inspiration to drive further, as the undoubted warm glow it would give both me and the team (who all work so very hard).

We have a way to go yet; keep your fingers crossed for us, and we will let you know!

Bex x