Early Childhood Archives – Page 3 of 3

We’re Launching in the UK!

9th January 2017

We are delighted to announce that BEST Programs for Kids will launch a UK division in March 2017. We are going global!! BEST Programs 4 Kids UK will initially be spreading the word about Highway Heroes to primary schools. Later in 2017 we will introduce Little Highway Heroes for the childcare and pre-school sectors. The…

Cartoon child ready for school but hugging mother and crying

Don’t go! – When children (and parents) find separating difficult

5th January 2017

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Parenting, Wellbeing - Emotions

Anyone who has worked with children has witnessed the anguish of a child who does not want to let a parent leave. Commonly referred to as separation anxiety, the child’s behaviour can range from tearful and clingy to anger and outrage. The response may also be more internalized, appearing as distant and disinterested. Whatever the…

young boy at a table looking disappointed, being comforted by father

Not all kids get awards – coping with disappointment

13th December 2016

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Parenting, Wellbeing - Emotions

Yes, it’s that time of year when schools are winding down, closing up and finishing off. In the past 2 weeks many schools have hosted Graduation Events – primary and secondary at which children achieving a certain academic outcome are awarded and rewarded. This can be a devastating time for some children who have given…

Stop Playing the Parent Blame Game

6th December 2016

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Parenting, Wellbeing - Emotions, Wellbeing - Society

That “helicopter parent” is depleting her child’s initiative. That “unsupportive parent” never monitors his child’s homework. That “irrational parent” never listens to reason. That “enabling parent” lets her child get away with everything. That “invisible parent” never shows up and obviously doesn’t care. Sound familiar? Our entire society is quick to judge parents, and those…

Teacher scolding a school child who is teasing another boy

I think my child is a bully

9th October 2016

Claire Orange

Bullying, Early Childhood, Parenting, Wellbeing - Social

Surely, this is one of the most difficult things for a parent to accept and admit – the fact that their child engages repeatedly in socially difficult behaviours that cause hurt to their peers. What are the common misunderstandings and misperceptions of bullies? Generally, these children are portrayed as: Physically bigger and more dominant that…

Four children smiling at the camera with thumbs up

Let the children play

6th November 2015

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Parenting, Wellbeing - Educators, Wellbeing - Learning, Wellbeing - Social

Play is a fundamental aspect of developing skills for life – here’s just a few skills that children learn as they play – that become part of their life toolbox: Language skills Creativity and the ability to pretend Fine and gross motor skills Motor sequencing and planning Cognitive planning and problem solving Social skills –…

Kitten looking up from underneath a table - sometimes you need to look at life from a different perspective

Intent is everything in (children’s) mental health

25th October 2015

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Wellbeing - Emotions, Wellbeing - Society

“Teasing isn’t cool – ever! Why would you teach a child to scale teasing into Cool or Cruel Teasing?” This is a sensational topic and often discussed as we talk about the difference between teasing and bullying and the differences in teasing. And it certainly takes some time to wrap your head around why we…

Rewiring the human brain – let’s start early

8th October 2015

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Parenting, Wellbeing - Educators, Wellbeing - Emotions

It’s the middle of a work day for me. Half my clients have been in and I have half to go. And what am I thinking about that? Well, there are two very obvious patterns of thinking that I might engage in. Here’s the first: As I sit here looking out the window I think…

Sad blond girl sitting alone as girls talk and whisper behind her

It’s the little things that are the big things

6th October 2015

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Wellbeing - Emotions, Wellbeing - Learning, Wellbeing - Social

In children’s mental health, it is often the little things that are the big things. Let’s take anxiety, for example. Children can have school refusal behaviours and when you dig down they might be anxious about: going out to play and finding a friend having to eat everything in their lunch box before playing knowing…

Why is optimism the cornerstone of a lifetime of good mental health?

23rd September 2015

Claire Orange

Early Childhood, Parenting, Wellbeing - Emotions, Wellbeing - Uplifting

Why is optimism the cornerstone of good mental health? Reivich & Shatte (2002) tell us that, “It is thinking style that determines your level of resilience… to bounce back when adversity strikes.” The lottery of life is not always fair or just in what it deals us. And we have the choice to take the…

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Early Childhood