Category Archives: Self esteem

Mindfullness for children

Posted on by

In an article for the New York Times: Well,  David Gelles explains why mindfulness is such a powerful tool to teach your children.  

Mindfulness is a technique that encourages you to focus on the present moment in an accepting non-judgemental way, using your different senses to explore and appreciate the moment.  It is a proven way in which to decrease anxiety and promote happiness.  Gelles explains how mindfulness helps and also why early habits can already encourage the development of skills like self- regulation, judgement and patience.   He furthermore describes ways of being mindfully present in your child’s life, from infant stage through to the adolescent years, as well as why this is so important.  

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/mindfulness-for-children

Building a secure attachment bond with your baby.

Posted on by

A secure attachment bond teaches your baby to trust you, to communicate their feelings to you and eventually to trust others as well.

As the baby connects with you the baby learns to  have a healthy sense of self and how to be in a loving empathetic relationship.

A secure attachment causes the parts of the baby’s brain responsible for social and emotional development, communication and relationships to grow and develop in the best way as possible.

Read more about how to build this bond.

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/parenting-family/building-a-secure-attachment-bond-with-your-baby.htm

7 Ways to help your child develop positive self esteem

Posted on by

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

Posted on by

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