Teach your child to like themselves →

October 10, 2024 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Appreciation, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Confidence, Decision Making, Education, Emotional Intelligence, Empowerment, Family, Gratitude, Independence, Kindness, Parenting, Perseverance, Positive Behaviour, Problem Solving, Resilience, relationship, Role Model, Self-Esteem, Self Confidence, Stress, Well being

One of the keys to success is helping children accept and like who they are. They need to believe they deserve kindness and good things in life. Gail Smith shares why it's essential for parents to teach their kids self-acceptance and self-worth.

Let’s look at some ways in which life can be easier for our working mums. →

August 29, 2024 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Emotions, Empowerment, Experiences, Family, Finding Help, meditation, Mental Support, Mindfulness, Mother, Parenting, Problem Solving, Relax, Sleep, Stress, tasks, Well being, Personal Time, Work life balance, Delegate, Good Enough, Meal Planning, Meal Prep, Boundaries, Break

Mothers, it's important not to underestimate the value of personal time. Balancing family responsibilities while staying calm and rested is no small feat. Though there's no one-size-fits-all solution, it's worth considering ways to make life a bit easier. Parenting shouldn't feel like an overwhelming burden on top of managing home and work. Gail Smith offers practical steps to help you navigate those hectic school weeks with a little more ease.

Why it is important to monitor the mental health of your child →

August 14, 2024 by Gail Smith in Achievement, Activity, Anxiety, Appreciation, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Gratitude, Learning, Parenting, Safety, Self Confidence, Starting School, Support, teenager, Well being

In today's complex world, children face an overwhelming influx of information from social media and other sources. It's crucial to ensure their happiness and sense of security during the early years to build mental resilience. By being present, listening well, and working together to solve problems, parents can foster resilience and reassurance in their children. Gail Smith emphasizes the importance of monitoring and supporting your child's mental health.

Helping your child navigate social challenges at school →

June 05, 2024 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Decision Making, Discrimination, Education, Emotions, Experiences, Family

Social challenges at school are a normal part of growing up. When your child navigates these situations well, they grow in both intellectual and social maturity. Encouraging your child to stay optimistic and believe in their ability to overcome social issues is crucial. Here are some tips to help them understand that there are many ways to work through social challenges.

Understanding difficult behaviour

February 14, 2024 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Decision Making, Education, Emotions, Family, Finding Help, Learning, Parenting, Problem Solving, Stress

Parenting can get tricky, especially when dealing with difficult behaviour. Check out Gail Smith’s suggestions on handling those challenging moments with your child.

Building stronger relationships with your child →

January 31, 2024 by Gail Smith in Activity, Anxiety, Appreciation, Behaviour, Children, Communication, creative, Decision Making, Education, Experiences, Family, Friendship, Memories, Personality, Parenting, Sleep

Explore these simple suggestions with Gail Smith to enhance the task of building better relationships with your child. The Primary Years.

Nurturing Your Child's Well-Being: A Guide for Parents to Cultivate Hope and Resilience →

January 05, 2024 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Appreciation, Children, Discrimination, Emotions, Experiences, Family, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Self Esteem

With the challenges children face today, from academic pressures to social media’s influence, fostering their mental and emotional health has never been more important. Read on for some strategies and insights to help you in this enriching yet challenging endeavour.

Managing anger around children.

December 07, 2023 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Learning, Mother, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Stress, Worry, Father

It’s a natural part of life to feel anger. We need to understand that a child can often misinterpret our anger and will often take on much of the blame when we have a meltdown. Managing our anger around children is the best way to ensure your feelings do not overpower your child. Our angry outbursts can sometimes lead them to shut down and to avoid being in our presence.

Read on for some thoughts on how your anger can influence your child.

Teach your child to have a go and to be a risk taker

December 06, 2023 by Gail Smith in Appreciation, Anxiety, Activity, Achievement, Children, Communication, creative, Decision Making, Education, Emotions, Experiences, Finding Help, Friendship, Gratitude, Happiness, Independence, Learning, Positive Behaviour, Problem Solving, Potential, Raising Boys, Raising girls, Stress, tasks, Worry, Values

I know it’s hard if there are risks, but, teach your child to have a go and to be a risk-taker. Read on for some advantages of this.

Managing anger in children

December 06, 2023 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Children, Communication, Confrontation, Experiences, Happiness, Personality

It’s natural for children to feel angry on occasion. Here are some tips to help manage this.

A happy child makes us all feel the joy of youth.

December 01, 2023 by Gail Smith in Appreciation, Anxiety, Activity, Achievement, Communication, Experiences, Emotions, Friendship, Gratitude, Happiness, Memories, Parenting, Personality, Positive Behaviour, Problems, Problem Solving, Raising Boys, Raising girls

Read on for 5 basic needs to help your child feel content.

Children: Dealing with traumatic war news stories

November 11, 2023 by Gail Smith in Children, Communication, Parenting, Trauma, Anxiety

Children can easily feel distress and confusion and have a sense of hopelessness when they see some of the graphic scenes of people and children suffering. It is important to be on the same page as their teachers when explaining war to your children.

Do you ever feel like you have hit rock bottom as a parent?

April 03, 2023 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Emotions, Finding Help, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Problems, Relax, Stress, Worry

Everyone experiences moments like these as a parent. Here are a few tips to keep positive and that making mistakes is all part of parenting.

Dealing with a child’s fears

January 18, 2023 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Family, Positive Behaviour, Stress

Here are some parenting suggestions to help children work through and potentially overcome their fears.

Keeping the stress level down is a great asset as a parent

December 08, 2022 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Emotions, Family, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Relax, Worry

Stress is a natural part of life, especially when you're a parent. Here are a few ways to reduce your stress level for yourself and your child.

Dealing with stress in children

September 12, 2022 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Children, Parenting, Stress

Here are some suggestions on keeping your children’s stress levels at bay or at least contained in a manageable package. However, we recognise that stress factors operate around us all the time. Developing tactics to deal with them is the key.

Finding ways to help a child’s anxiety

August 27, 2022 by Gail Smith in Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Anxiety

Children can feel anxiety, just as adults do. Anxiety is the feeling where we worry, we feel anxious and we can have a sense of dread. Here are some tips to help your child work through anxiety.

The importance of the child feeling safe

August 04, 2022 by Gail Smith in Children, Communication, Family, Parenting, Stress, Safety, Anxiety

Children have a right to feel safe. The importance of feeling safe is critical to a healthy society and mental health. Small steps can be used to help your child feel safe and secure and small things can make them feel unsafe, even in their own home. Read here for some parenting tips and considerations.

Children who find school a struggle

July 03, 2022 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Children, Communication, Education, Experiences, Mother, Parenting, Problem Solving, Stress, teacher, Worry, Father, Family

Many children have times when they feel they are struggling not just with school but also with friends, home issues, siblings, etc. Children can and do have down times. If your child is struggling, read here for some tips.

Keep the conversations alive and frequent with your child

February 14, 2022 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Children, Communication, Emotions, Parenting, Worry

Read here for pointers to consider wayst to help your child process through the days, weeks, months and terms ahead at school. Children will always want to do the right thing and will be anxious if rules are broken or the messages unclear. They will then begin to feel vulnerable and anxious about what to believe. Gail Smith, The Primary Years.