‘Talk’n’Tips for Sticky Bits’

Kids come without an instruction booklet and parenting can be full of ‘tricky bits’!

We just wanted to thank the fantastic group of parents currently taking part in another of our parent groups in schools. Run by a Family Learning Mentor and Educational Psychologist, these have been very well received by school communities across the city. In 1.5 hour sessions during school time (and either immediately after drop-off or before school ending for convenience) the current programme has covered:

• Getting a good night’s sleep
• Get up and go! … Morning routines
• Yuck! – fussy eating; reasons and ‘work-arounds’  

In March, we also have 3 follow-on ‘drop-ins’ with the family learning mentor where parents/carers can book in either an individual session or form a group to discuss their concerns and get ideas. Parents and carers can attend all sessions or select particular areas that they may find difficult.

We can also deliver sessions on:

• Reading and writing … when it doesn’t come easily
• Where’s the goldfish? – manging loss and bereavements big and small
• Out and About! – shopping, family outings and holidays

We design each session to respond to the needs of each group as far as possible. Using key strategies and experience drawn from evidence-based parenting programmes, our group participants tell us that they gain a wide range of benefits, learning from each other and developing their sense of competence and confidence in their parenting role. We work on building the strengths that families already have, problem-solving together, sticking with what is realistic and ‘doable’, acknowledging it’s not easy, generating hope and helping everyone to see that there really is no such thing as an ‘Instagram’ family.

Recent comments include:

• “It was just brilliant to hear that I did know what I was doing, that the things I was worrying about were quite typical. With just a few tweaks, I am now calmer and so is my daughter!”
• “After just one session, I managed to get my daughter (and her sibling) to school on time for the first time in ages. Even better, it was quite easy … just slight changes to the routine I already have!”
• “It really gave me time to think, and to get ideas from other parents who had lived through similar problems and come out the other side!”
• “It reminded me of what I already know but have forgotten or given up on. I feel I can now make more changes!”

If you are interested in running one of these groups for your school community, please contact Sharon Thomas (MAST) 07458 305006 for further information and detail.