Browse published articles attributed to Jeni Hooper, with full-archive search.
Despite the common myths about friendship, children don't need to have lots of friends to feel secure and content. What most children want are one or two close friends and a wider circle of occasional playmates. So what do children learn from their friendships and how does this help them to become self reliant and independent? 1) Making their own funr
Wanting to be popular and accepted by others is a need that goes deep; it may be hard wired as part of our evolutionary survival strategy. We automatically seek out a safe space and a social group where we feel relaxed and accepted. Children are more vulnerable than adults and their need for protection and support is clearly visible whenever they feel uncertain. This makes the peer group a powerful need and a strong influence for good or otherwise as children seek out acceptance and are fearful of rejection.
We recently had World Mental Health Day, a great reminder of the importance of supporting all those who are affected by depression, anxiety, stress and other mental health issues. It set me thinking about the need to talk about wellbeing and wondering why it is still a faintly awkward thing to do.
Have you a one year old at home? Do you wonder if your older children can understand the little one’s needs? Here are some ideas of what it might be like to be that age again so you can enter a one year olds world and see it through their eyes.
All parents want their children to be popular. We want them to be confident and relaxed in company and to be able to deal with a whole variety of people. We can’t always be there with them to show them how to do it. Even when they are quite young and playing with friends, there will be times ...All parents want their children to be popular. We want them to be confident and relaxed in company and to be able to deal with a whole variety of people. We can’t always be there with them to show them how to do it.
I have been working with a group of early years professionals in my role as a Child and Educational Psychologist, they are a campaign group who are working together to raise the awareness of good early years practice. Over the past few months we have been debating and researching best practice in nurseries and kindergartens around the world.
Each time you praise your child for positive behaviour at home 3 important things happen: 1. Praise draws your child’s attention to that behaviour as a valued skill/achievement showing that this is something you consider worthwhile e.g. “well done for reading your book on your own” sends a message that independent reading is not easy and needs to be worked at.
Children love to play and become totally absorbed in games they choose for themselves. Everyone agrees that play is important for young children but once children reach school age it can become crowded out by a busy timetable of structured activities and homework. But play is not just a time filler and it has a continuing important role to play in a child’s development throughout childhood and beyond.
Motivated people do get better results there’s no doubt about that. Motivation probably counts for more than ability because persistence, effort and problem solving are key skills to overcome challenge and stay focused on your goals. So where does motivation come from and can you help children to become motivated? The short answer is yes and here are 5 strategies to help you fire up your child’s enthusiasm.
Every parent wants the best for their child. How we lead and guide our children throughout their childhood is a blend of instinct, experience and planning. We often struggle to describe how we do what we do. However, as a parent you are likely to have a signature style that guides your relationship with your child. You may recognise yourself in one or several of these pen portraits.
Successful Learning in Seven Simple Stepsr By Jeni Hooper Chartered Psychologist All parents want their children to have happy, successful lives. Once you have chosen a good school, what else can you do? Here are seven steps to successful learning you can use to help your child to do their best at school, without turning your lounge into a classroom.
The Importance of Play By Jeni Hooper, Child Psychologist and Parent Coach Children need at least an hour a day of unstructured, independent play where they make it up as they go along. This is the conclusion of recent studies looking at the importance of play. The importance of play for healthy development was taken for granted in the past but never researched because it was assumed that every child did get plenty of time to play.
• Has your life has taken an unexpected turn because of separation or divorce? • Are you unsure what to expect from the future? • Are you feeling drained? • Are your children irritable or having mood swings? • Is communication in the family not as good as it used to be? • Do you want to make ... • Has your life has taken an unexpected turn because of separation or divorce? • Are you unsure what to expect from the future? • Are you feeling drained? • Are your children irritable or having mood swings? • Is communication in the family not as good as it used to be?r
Modern life is fast and highly stimulating, we are bombarded by information and are tempted by endless opportunities which create increasingly high expectations of what we should do and achieve. Many adults thrive on this adrenaline-high lifestyle. But have you noticed how many children are far ...Modern life is fast and highly stimulating, we are bombarded by information and are tempted by endless opportunities which create increasingly high expectations of what we should do and achieve. Many adults thrive on this adrenaline-high lifestyle.
What Children Need to be Happy, Confident and Successful is being identified by the research evidence emerging from Positive Psychology. This research focuses on giving children the tools they need to manage their lives successfully. I believe that when you prepare children for adult life you need to build up the inner child's strengths, skills and resilience. More like lighting a fire rather than filling a bucket.
It makes a big difference to wellbeing when you learn to think optimistically. When bad things happen it is natural to be upset. What you feel is automatic but you can learn to control what you think about the situation and what you do next. When you think and act positively it helps get you past the bad feelings. Let’s think about what happens when someone says something which hurts us. We feel low and that can spoil our day. It can be hard to escape those horrid negative thoughts and makes you more likely to believe what has been said is true.