5 Fun Confidence Building Activities
Here at the Confidence Builder Club we're always looking for ways to promote confidence. This can be done at any time, we don't need to wait until our children are feeling anxious about a specific situation or circumstance. We can help increase confidence steadily through their every day activities to minimise the occurrence of anxiety when they do find themselves in more challenging situations.
Overcoming School Refusal
Unless you're very lucky you will have experienced that ‘Sunday night feeling’ at some time in your life. That feeling when you know the fun of the weekend is over and you need to go to school or work tomorrow. Most of us wake up on Monday morning knowing that although we can think of a million things we'd rather be doing, going to school or work is inevitable so we're able to (albeit reluctantly) get up, get ready and get on. For some however, Monday morning brings about even worse feelings and the closer they get to the school gates the more terrified they feel.
Do you know your child’s model of the world?
Have you ever been in the situation where you don't understand what you're expected to do? Someone has explained something to you briefly and you know you need to carry out a task but you don't actually know what it is?
What did you do?
What would you do if you were 9 years old?
What would you do if you were 9 years old and in front of a crowd of over 100 people?
The NSPCC report record number of calls about terrorism.
The Times and the NSPCC joined forces to release a video to help parents talk to their children about terrorism. This was prompted by over 370 young people contacting Childline to discuss their concerns following the Paris attacks in November 2015.
Kids on the move
This week I've had the joy and stress of moving house and I feel like the whole process has been a military operation and has involved some of the more challenging feelings. I've spent time with Frustration, Sadness and occasionally with Panic this week. (If you'd like to know more about the characteristics of these feelings, check out the feelings basket characters). Part way through the move I wondered if this process would have felt easier for me if I'd been more familiar with moving as a child, or if it's the same challenging experience for everyone.
Holidays are coming!
Forget Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, nothing says ‘Christmas is here’ to me like the Coca-Cola ‘Holidays Are Coming' advert. When you hear the unmistakable sleigh bells or see the beautifully lit wagons sweeping around the country roads, what feelings does this invoke in you? Maybe it's panic because you haven't started your Christmas shopping yet, or dread as you think about the complexity of Christmas day plans or it may simply fill you with pleasure rooted in the familiar magical sounds and the memories of childhood. Either way, I'm pretty sure it stirs up some feelings for all of us.
Mental Health concerns for pupils have increased by 53% in one year!
I recently read an article in The Independent entitled ‘Head teachers say mental health issues among children are a growing problem in schools’
Summer holiday’s – no thought of school? Probably not!
(Prefer to watch the video? Click here)

How was your day dear?
How often do you get monosyllabic answers from your child when you ask the question ‘How was school today?’ You're pleased with your nice ‘open’ question, so why do you feel you're getting such a poor response?