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I’ve just finished listening to 5 podcast episodes on Pipa Gordon’s The Parenting Podcast, that focus on children’s emotions and mental health. They offer insightful and practical discussions on how we can best support our children. Pipa Gordon begins with the suggestion of a simple strategy for raising mentally healthy children:
A – Be AVAILABLE and aim to truly connect with your children
B – BUILD them up – celebrate them for who they are
C – CARE for ourselves so that we can care for others
The episode with Dr Dominique Thompson gives such a clear perspective on why we are seeing a rise in poor mental health in young people - possibly the best conversation I’ve ever heard on the subject. She outlines that from her perspective as a GP, young people are presenting a huge fear of failure and feel judged 24/7, which has led to a rise in perfectionism and competitiveness. She offers really practical advice for parents, addressing issues like screen time, sexting and how to have open conversations. If you’re going to listen to just one of these episodes, make it this one.
Being a huge fan of Mandy Saligari (I could listen to her all day) and Michael Rosen, these episodes were a joy to listen to. Mandy says with such clarity that we need to keep our own emotions in check as parents and be aware of how our own feelings impact how we parent our children. I highly recommend her TED talk, ‘Feelings: Handle Them Before They Handle You.’
Having recently published ‘Michael Rosen’s Book of Play!’ , Rosen reminds us how important play is, not only for developing imagination and creativity, but for building and nurturing the child/parent relationship. Play allows us to fully connect with a child and to be in the moment.
Lastly, Steve Biddulph’s interview lets us reflect on how our busy modern lives might be impacting our relationships with our children and he offers practical ways to get that crucial time back. His books, ‘Raising Boys’ and ‘Raising Girls’ have been worldwide bestsellers.
If you enjoy podcasts, I urge you to invest some time in these.
Booking now available for the Adult MHFA training course in April 2021
I spoke to BBC Radio Oxford about why Children's Mental Health Week is important during the pandemic.
A review of Dr Marc Brackett's 'Permission To Feel' and why I think it could be a game changer in schools.
I spoke to David on the Breakfast Show about how families can look after their wellbeing during half term.
How can we have a balanced discussion of Netflix's 'The Social Dilemma' with our young people?
I spoke to Lilley Mitchell on BBC Radio Oxford about the ways in which we can look after our mental health post lockdown.
I spoke to David Prever on the Breakfast Club about how parents can prepare for the reopening of schools.
10 tips for parents and families on preparing for the reopening of schools.
