Sometimes, children get scared of meeting new people and doing news things, they can feel the flutter byes tickling their tummy. Sometimes children can feel nervous, so they don’t feel like going out to play with their friends and experiencing new things.
PARENT CORNER:
Children may need lots of encouragement to speak up about their worries. Sally Izon, Place2Be counsellor, shares her three tips for helping them to do so:
- Try something new – ask children to do something that will push their physical and emotional selves, this could be in drama, music or sport, for example.
- Talk positively – encourage children to use positive language rather than focusing on what they can’t do. Turn this language around and get them to talk positively about how they can be brave.
- Have a sense of adventure – encourage children not to focus on the outcomes as much, but rather on the process of doing something new.
It’s really important that children are given the opportunity to express themselves and ask questions. One way to do this is having a worry box at home where they can write down their worries as this may encourage them to express how they are feeling and open up.
Visit www.place2be.org.uk for more helpful hints and tips.
