Purple Giraffe Play Therapy

21/12/2023

Share this 🫶 The greatest gift we can give our children at Christmas is our presence, not presents.

I love the idea of going right back to basics and just focusing on spending time together and having a bit of fun.

One of my favourite memories of Christmas as a child was my mum coming home from a 12 hour nursing shift on Christmas Eve.
I remember her coming in the door, discarding her bag on her way into the kitchen, then getting right down to making the Christmas chocolate log cake - our Christmas Eve tradition.
I remember being worried that she would be too tired to make the cake when she got home from work and then being so delighted that she had the time and energy to do it.

✨✨It's the simplest of things that create the happiest of memories✨✨

What do you remember about the Christmases of your childhood?

FOLLOW Catherine Hallissey Psychologist for more

11/10/2023

11/11/2022

Phrases every boy needs to hear growing up 💙

💪🏼 Want more ideas on how to raise a strong and confident man? Check out our animated programs to help build resilience and grit at https://gozen.com/allprograms

23/08/2022

Have you a little one starting school or preschool this September?

Remember the most important thing for children at times of transition is our calm reassuring presence. We can validate their feelings by acknowledging any big emotions without judgement or expectation about what they ‘should’ be feeling. Just listening to their feelings helps, as the fear of separation that they feel is very real to them. Your connection with your child is the most important support you can give!

But as we lead up to school start, we can also put in place some rituals which can help at times of separation. Here are three small but very effective ways to support those who might struggle a little with separation anxiety.

Matching Love Hearts:

Draw a little heart on your wrist, and a matching one on theirs. If they are missing you during the day, or just feel the need to connect with you, they put their fingers on the little heart. They will feel their pulse, like a reassuring heartbeat, when they touch their wrist. Let them know that you will press your love heart if you are missing them. You can also add a spray of your perfume or aftershave to their wrist, as another little connection to you.

Pebble in my Pocket:

Find two very similar pebbles, gem-stones or crystals. You keep one in your pocket and the child keeps the other in their pocket. Tell them that any time they feel a little nervous or are missing you they give their pebble a little squeeze. It is a very concrete reminder of their connection to you. [Some alternatives to a pebble that they might like to keep in their pocket are a little photo of mum/dad/family, or a hankie with your perfume/aftershave on it]

Worries in My Pocket:

Talk to your child about any worries they have about starting school. Write the worries down on pieces of paper. Then you put the pieces of paper in your pocket. Tell your child you are going to carry their worries for the day while they are in school, so they don’t have to carry them alone. This can really help to ease any fears they may have.

I would love to hear if you have any other tips that have worked for you in the past.

Best of luck everyone!

03/03/2022

Imagine if every boy knew this ❤️

14/01/2022

For anyone who has had a challenging parenting day today ❤ remember what is important: connection not perfection!

Kiss them goodnight, remind them of your endless love, and give your heart a rest, because not every day can be easy, and we will have days that wear on us. Be gentle with yourself, be gentle with your children, and just try again tomorrow ❤

20/12/2021

Edited to add: Thanks to a lovely CTC graduate I now know that the original poster was Thank you for this gem and thank you Siobhán for letting me know. I look forward to following .

I saw this over on page and wanted to share too as I think it is such an important post. I had a look to see if I could find the original poster but haven’t had any luck yet. Christmas can be a very special and magical time for children, but it can also be extremely overwhelming. Little people can feel all the big feelings at Christmas time, from excitement to disappointment and frustration. Add in an increase in sugar and a reduction in sleep and BOOM, big behaviours can easily appear!! As always, it is so important that us big people support them in navigating the feelings and the behaviours. And please, please remember to respect children’s body autonomy, consent begins in childhood. Swap out “Give Granny a hug” to “Do you want to give Granny a hug?”…. and respect their choice, whatever that is!!! Be gentle with yourself and your little and big loved ones this festive season x

26/02/2021

https://youtu.be/dPUW1t9Gu4s

The Kissing Hand is written by Audrey Penn, illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak and read by Barbara Bain.School is starting in the forest, but Ch...

12/02/2021

I’ve lost a year with my kids battling over school and I’m done.

My seven year old and I were in the midst of our usual asynchronous day battle. I had his writing homework in my hand from school. He’d written several full, well-thought-out sentences.

But he won’t do the same for me, at least not without a fight.

I told him he didn’t have to write about his best day like his teacher asked, he could write about his worst. He could write about whatever he wanted as long as he wrote a few sentences.

He said he’d get in trouble. He said he was doing a bad job in first grade. He was on the brink of tears but didn’t know why.

And it hit me.

Instead of getting frustrated and pushing the assignment, I sat down with him at his desk in his superhero bedroom.

I said “you won’t get in trouble and you can’t fail first grade. In fact, you’re kind of a superhero yourself.”

He sat up in his chair just a little and looked at me with disbelief.

I said, “Do you know that no kids in the history of kids have ever had to do what you’re doing right now? No kids in the history of kids have ever had to do school at home, sitting in their bedroom, watching their teacher on a computer. You and your friends are making history.”

A visible weight lifted from his seven year old shoulders, “What does that mean?”

I told him it means I haven’t given him nearly enough credit for rolling with the punches. I told him how proud I am of him and his friends. That kids this year are doing the impossible and they’re doing a really great job.

I apologized for not saying it sooner and more often. A little tear fell down his cheek.

We’ve thanked everyone from healthcare workers to grocery store employees but we haven’t thanked the kids enough for bearing the burden of what we’ve put on their shoulders this year.

We’ve said kids are resilient, and they are. But they are the real superheroes in this whole scenario for having ZERO say in their lives but doing their best to adjust every day.

We closed his school-issued laptop and spent the rest of the day playing. This was supposed to be temporary and here we are a year later still trying to hold our head above water.

This is our home and I won’t turn it into a battle ground anymore over something we can’t control. Something that no longer makes sense.

Hug your little superheroes today and don’t forget to cut them the slack we’ve given everyone else.

Join me in the trenches at Christine Derengowski, Writer !!

24/08/2020

With schools starting to reopen this week and next, I’m sure a lot of children and parents/carers may be feeling anxious and uncertain. Here’s a social story that might be able to help...