Category Archives: Confidence

What to do (and not to do) when children are anxious

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Dr Clark Goldstein, as part of the Child Mind Institute, gives valuable tips in this article explaining how to respect an anxious child’s feelings, without empowering the fears.  The goal is to help children escape the cycle of anxiety, rather than trying to protect the child from the fears.  Instead of trying to remove the stressors, the child should rather be taught how to tolerate his/ her anxiety and still function despite being anxious.   In the long term, children are thus better able to cope with daily life stressors.

Further information on the basics of child anxiety, and what the symptoms are, can be read at   https://childmind.org/guide/anxiety-basics/  , also published online by the Child Mind Institute.  This guide will help parents to distinguish between normal anxiety and the types of anxiety where professional help is needed to optimally support the child.  

The Child Mind Institute is an independent non-profit organisation in the United States, that shares its resources freely, to help children and families struggling with mental health and learning problems. 

https://childmind.org/article/what-to-do-and-not-do-when-children-are-anxious/

 

Summer Holiday Speech Therapy ideas

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Cute toddler boy and his young mother watering plants in the garden at summer sunny day

It’s so important for your child to learn through experiences. Take the opportunity this holiday to engage with your child, expanding their vocabulary, targeting their articulation and having fun whilst learning and bonding together. Here are some easy ideas to incorporate language development through daily activities. We hope you enjoy them during this festive season! 

https://www.speechtherapytalk.com/summer-speech-therapy-ideas.html

Some additional ideas:

https://www.speechtherapytalk.com/holiday-speech-therapy.html

7 Ways to help your child develop positive self esteem

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Children, with learning and attention problems, tend to find it more difficult to feel positive about themselves.  This is due to the fact that self-esteem is affected by how capable you feel.   These children have to work harder to perform academically, and they often struggle in social situations as well.  

Amanda Morin (teacher, author and early intervention specialist), shares some specific ways through which a parent can help his/ her child to develop a positive self-esteem.  She strongly encourages a growth mindset (as opposed to a fixed mindset based on negative thoughts and statements), as well as viewing mistakes as learning experiences

https://www.understood.org/en/friends-feelings/empowering-your-child/self-esteem/7-ways-to-boost-your-childs-self-esteem

Reading and storytelling with babies and children

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Suitable for 0-6 years

Why reading is important for babies and young children. Help your child get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills. learn to value books and stories. spark your child’s imagination and stimulate curiosity. help your child’s brain, social skills and communication skills develop.

An easy-to-read article giving reasons for reading to your children from babyhood upwards.  It also gives ideas for different ways to read and tell stories, and has links to age-specific articles, with examples of relevant books that you can read to your child.

https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/play-learning/literacy-reading-stories/reading-storytelling