Credo: Tanya Byron

Clinical psychologist, 41

I believe...

My heart lies in my clinical work. I would give up the TV work and the writing, but I could never give up treating patients.

Video games and the internet are not necessarily bad for children. Any kind of play is a form of learning but we need to overcome the digital generational divide so that parents are able to understand the risks and prepare their children for them.

Children need balance in everything. In the same way that you shouldn't let a child eat only junk food, they shouldn't spend a whole day indoors in front of a computer.

Our risk-averse culture is damaging our children. We are so afraid of letting them play outdoors that we prevent them from learning how to navigate the real world.

Parents and children who are very similar have the most fraught relationships. Children reflect back your darkest parts.

Spending an evening with my female friends is worth 10 years of therapy. I'm rubbish at analysing myself and them, though. When you work in a difficult area of clinical psychology, such as child protection, you need a robust mechanism to separate work from the rest of your life.

I enjoy working with adolescents most. The combination of childlike naivety and their struggle with independence and some very adult issues is fascinating.

My father had a huge influence on my choice of career. As a film and TV director he was obsessed with character, so I grew up analysing human behaviour with him.

The person you marry should be your best friend. My husband is nothing like the guys I dated before but he's the best bloke I know.

Appearing on A Bucket O' French & Saunders was terrifying. Trying to be funny with two of the funniest women on the planet is not a good idea.

Confidence is the key to good parenting. You just need to feel sure that if you have love, respect and simple boundaries you'll get through anything.

'Your Toddler Month by Month' by Dr Tanya Byron (Dorling Kindersley, £16.99), is out now