To coincide with half-term week, Words Matter has launched a valuable new resource, Three things to avoid saying to a child when…, created in collaboration with Dr Fiona Pienaar, a leading child and adolescent mental health specialist, coach, and former teacher with over 30 years of experience. Dr Pienaar, currently Senior Clinical Advisor at Mental Health Innovations (MHI)/Shout 85258 and formerly Clinical Director at Place2Be, brings her extensive expertise to this helpful guide.
The new resource highlights common phrases to avoid when speaking to children in different, often charged situations – such as when they are angry, sad, fearful, disappointed, jealous, or overwhelmed – and offers constructive alternatives that help nurture a child’s emotional development rather than harm it.
Children’s brains are built in response to the relationships they grow up with and warm and encouraging words are essential building blocks children need to thrive. Sadly, many adults are unintentionally using harmful language unaware of its lasting and profound effects on a child’s self-esteem and mental wellbeing.
Jessica Bondy, Founder of Words Matter, says:
“We can all have moments when we get overloaded and say things we later regret. As parents, carers, and educators, it’s important to respond to children with care and understanding. They are still learning to regulate their thoughts and emotions, and the way we communicate with them can either build them up or knock them down.”
ENDS