Home advantage
A HOST OF CELEBRITY MUMS AND DADS ARE OFFERING THEIR PARENTING TIPS TO FAMILIES STRUGGLING AS SCHOOLS REMAIN CLOSED
WITH UK schools expected to remain closed until June, there are growing concerns that many families face increasing challenges as some restrictions on movement remain in place.
A series of eight short films offering parenting tips was launched this week entitled Families Under Pressure (familiesunderpressure.org), featuring the voices of a host of well-known parents including Olivia Colman, Rob Brydon, Holly Willoughby, Danny Dyer, Sharon Horgan, Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Romesh Ranganathan and Shappi Khorsandi.
The tips are based on decades of research from the UK’s leading experts and rooted in the experience of NHS teams working with families and feedback from parents.
This comes after Government research released last week revealed that four in 10 adults (44%) said home-schooling was putting a strain on their relationships in the household, and a further 46% said their own wellbeing had been affected under lockdown.
The short videos, accompanied by fun graphics, offer easy tips for stressed-out parents to follow.
Oscar-winner Olivia Colman explains the importance of looking after yourself and staying connected with others, in the first film.
She advises: “Sometimes as a parent it can feel like whatever you do, you’re just not good enough.”
And she suggests what you can do to stop these feelings getting on top of you.
“Avoid comparing yourself to others,” she says.
“Look after yourself, so you can look after your child.”
Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke, Professor of Developmental Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, from King’s College London who recognised a need for the initiative, says: “We are hearing that many families are struggling with restrictions.
“This comes as no surprise as research shows that bored and worried children are more likely to play up and cause disruption, and frustrated parents can over-react to these challenges.
“Very quickly, these sorts of behaviours can escalate and lead to the breakdown of relationships and exacerbation of problems.
“The idea for Families under Pressure came when I was thinking about how my poor old mum might have coped with me in this situation, as I was quite a handful as a child. What advice would she have found helpful?
“These tips were originally intended to support families dealing with pressures of ADHD and other behavioural challenges but are relevant for families facing the current challenges too. I am sure that having well-loved and recognisable parents narrating and a digestible and shareable format, will really help at a time when it is needed most.”
Also invoved in the project are South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Maudsley Charity.
Bruce Clark, Clinical Director Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust says: “As mental health professionals, we are committed to supporting young people and their families, who we know are looking for advice and support at the moment.
“Parenting plays a vital role in developing resilience and good mental health in young people, and it’s vital that families have access to the right information and resources in order to do this, particularly during times of crisis.
“The films and website provide families with useful and practical advice that can be easily implemented at home to help support the new challenges we are all facing.”
The eight episodes provide tips and advice on:
■ TIP 1: Keeping positive and motivated – Olivia Colman.
■ TIP 2: Making sure everyone knows what’s expected of them – actor and comedian Sharon Horgan explains how to introduce simple rules that can be applied to everyone in the household.
■ TIP 3: Building your child’s self-confidence and trust in you – actor and presenter Danny Dyer talks through advice on how to ensure your children know they are valued.
■ TIP 4: Getting your child to follow instructions – comedian and actor Rob Brydon provides advice on ensuring your child listens when you ask them to do something.
■ TIP 5: Promoting better behaviour – athlete Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill offers advice on building good behaviour through rewards.
■ TIP 6: How to limit conflict – TV presenter Holly Willoughby explains how to implement a plan that will help avoid situations that can result in conflict.
■ TIP 7: Keeping calm when your kids act up – comedian Romesh Ranganathan shows parents how to take a moment to collect their thoughts when things start to erupt.
■ TIP 8: Using sanctions carefully – comedian and author Shappi Khorsandi explains how to deliver sanctions carefully, calmly and consistently.