Families often fall out but Dr MAX PEMBERTON’s advice to parents is to always keep the door open

Finally, after weeks of speculation, we now know that Prince Harry will be present at the coronation.

There were many who felt that given his behavior over the past few months with his tell-all book and Netflix series, neither he nor Meghan should have been invited in the first place.

Few people would have blamed King Charles for snubbing his youngest son. When you criticize your family in such a public way, there must be consequences, right?

It couldn’t have been easy for him to extend an open hand to Harry, given all the pain he’s caused.

But my experience treating patients who have endured toxic family breakdowns has firmly convinced me that the king made the right decision.

It is true that scoring small points can be satisfying in the short term, but in the long run it is doomed to pile misery upon misery. To start the healing, someone has to be the first to reach out.

Over the years I have seen many parents and children get into arguments, sometimes over serious matters, sometimes over something minor.

A report published by the charity Stand Alone found that one in five families will be affected by alienation at some point. Money, jealousy, and partner disapproval are common reasons for family breakups.

When a family breaks up like this it can cause pain on both sides and – despite Harry’s belief that only his ‘truth’ is the right one – there are usually two sides to a story.

Of course, there are times when I would fully support someone who runs away from their family and turns their back on their parents. I have heard stories of horrific abuse and neglect and in these cases the parents have totally failed and I understand why some would find it easier to build a life without them.

But that’s not what we’re talking about with Harry and Charles. For all his faults, I truly believe that the King did his best given all the conflicts and difficulties he himself faced with his troubled relationship with his own father and his divorce from Harry’s mother, Diana. He clearly loves the son whom he touchingly calls his “sweet boy.”

Reconciliation after a bitter outburst is never easy for either side, especially when one side flatly refuses to accept their part in the dispute.

But my usual advice to the parent is to keep the door open for their child after an estrangement. I will gently tell them that it can indeed be difficult and they may find the idea humiliating, frustrating or unfair.

But essentially it’s up to them to be the bigger person because taking responsibility is what parents do and that doesn’t stop when kids grow up themselves.

Loving someone unconditionally doesn’t mean you have to compromise on everything. It is indeed vital that you find your limits and stick to them.

However, it is a parent’s job to always make sure their child knows that no matter what has been said and what has happened, they are still there.

Keep inviting them to things like birthdays and Christmas, even if the gesture isn’t acknowledged.

People are sometimes astonishingly proud. They often prefer to break off a relationship rather than try to make peace and risk being humiliated and rejected.

Still, it’s the parent’s duty to make sure there’s always a way back for their estranged child when they’re ready. And if it backfires, they’ll never regret not trying.

I am reminded of the parable of the prodigal son. Regardless of your creed or religious affiliation, it’s a very good story about a father’s love for his son and how, despite bad behavior, he is celebrated when he returns.

Of course, this story is meant to be a picture of God’s love for humanity, but it is also a good example of what unconditional love looks like between parent and child.

No doubt King Charles made mistakes (what parent hasn’t?), and Harry no doubt still holds a grudge, but by involving his son in one of the most important days of his life, he has shown himself to be a good father.

All we can hope is that in time Harry will be able to see it too.

19 is too young to get married!

Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown has announced that she is engaged at the age of 19. Not too long ago, 19 seemed like a normal age to get married.

Now it seems recklessly young. Perhaps we are living longer now and have the luxury of extending adolescence. From a neurological perspective, this is probably a good thing.

A part of the brain behind the forehead, known as the prefrontal cortex, is the seat for anticipating and judging the consequences of behavior. Evidence from brain scans is that this area is the last part of the brain to fully form and still develop into a person’s 20s.

With an immature prefrontal cortex, teens can understand that behaviors are dangerous or wrong, but they lack the hard wiring in the brain to process these thoughts.

This is why young people make good army recruits, because the prefrontal cortex that assesses risk is still immature (and why the majority leave in their mid-twenties – because the risk assessment part of the brain is now developed).

Just because a teenager looks like an adult doesn’t mean they have the mind of a teenager.

Nurses have rejected the latest five percent wage offer and further strikes now seem likely.

I worry that this, coupled with young doctors’ strikes, could send the NHS even further with patients inevitably suffering. I understand the nurses’ complaint.

They are the backbone of the NHS but their earning potential does not increase significantly with years of experience and despite being highly skilled and knowledgeable.

This is very different from doctors in training, whose salaries rise particularly once they are fully qualified as GPs or consultants.

Dr. Max prescribes… jewelry for hearing aids

Research shows that it typically takes ten years from the onset of hearing loss symptoms to seeking help, because sufferers are afraid of appearing ‘old’.

Designers like Gucci have been making eyewear for a long time, but the same hasn’t happened with hearing aids, has it?

Well, love your ears – a hearing aid/jewelry collaboration between Hidden Hearing and Deafmetal aims to tackle the stigma surrounding hearing loss and hearing aid wear. Visit doofmetal.store.

Parents have criticized a Leeds primary school after it banned pupils from playing games involving physical contact due to a high number of ‘incidents and minor injuries’.

But isn’t this kind of roughness important for growing kids? We cannot wrap them in cotton wool – in fact, we know that this approach is actually bad for their development.

Studies have shown that rough play helps children regulate, understand and manage their emotions. Aren’t these all essential life skills that schools should encourage?