As our children return to school after this long unusual break, we’re thinking a lot about what’s most important for their learning and development. Living through the uncertainty of this global pandemic has created a whole raft of challenges. I’ve certainly felt the emotional strain of it, and I know I’m not alone.
In online therapy sessions with children I’ve seen how they too feel the weight of worry and confusion. Even for my children working on simple speech targets, we’ve had to also dedicate time to explore the bigger picture and help them express their worries. None of us can focus, learn and progress if we aren’t also able to be honest about the things weighing on our hearts.
In this video, I share some of the ways I’ve been approaching these conversations with children, including some practical tips for actively teaching emotional vocabulary.
Sharing how we’re feeling is a huge act of bravery! So, I just want to honour you if you’re engaging in this with your own kids or the pupils in your class. It’s no easy thing to create a safe space for people to be able to share their honest thoughts. Check out this blog post for more thoughts on how we can dig into uncomfortable conversations.