Erica Strydom: Educational Psychologist

24/03/2025

24/03/2025

The Mindful Corner 💗

24/03/2025

24/03/2025

Understanding dyslexia 💜

24/03/2025

When we normalize the human experience for our child, we remove the secrecy and shame that can so often lead to negative mental and emotional health.

Talking openly & lovingly can change the trajectory and depth of the belief.

For example - "I'm not very good at making friends"

🍃 without talking openly, the child may decide - "there's something wrong with me"

🍃 with talking openly, they can discover - "I'm probably better than I think I am. Lots of other kids struggle with this sometimes. It's something I can get better at."

Here are some practical ways to talk openly and lovingly:

💛 “That's very normal for your age. Even though they may not talk about it, lots of other kids struggle with that as well"

💛 “I felt like that when I was your age...."

💛 “I imagine that would feel frustrating.... I want you to know that we love you & think great things about you..."

💛 “What other meanings could we make about that situation? Let's brainstorm them together..."

What are some other phrases you use to speak openly & lovingly with your child? 👇🏼

27/01/2025

Effective self-disclosure involves knowing what you value, need and want, appropriately telling others about your thoughts and feelings, and initiating action to get your needs met. You act assertively by communicating and acting honestly and directly in a way that does not violate the rights of others or block them from meeting their needs.

In Be Your Best, you will learn and develop your skill in communicating these four types of assertive messages, also called I-Messages.

https://www.gordontraining.com/personal-development-program/be-your-best/

09/01/2025

Children must be taught that conflict is normal in any relationship but not toxic or destructive.

09/01/2025

PET offers an alternative to win-lose methods of resolving conflicts and to compromise—Method III.

The core idea in PET is that parents have the right to get their needs met and, equally, so do children. Both must win; neither must lose. And the way to ensure that this happens is deceptively simple and straight forward—parent and child must commit themselves to search together until a solution is found that will meet their equally important needs, resolve the conflict, and preserve the relationship.

09/01/2025

Best wishes for the new year and exciting parenting adventures

Here's to a brand new chapter of joy, growth, and laughter with your little ones! 🎈

May the coming year be filled with bedtime stories, endless giggles, and those heartwarming moments that make parenthood truly special. 📚😄 Wishing you patience for the tantrums, wisdom for the tough questions, and an abundance of love for all the little victories. 🤔💖 Here's to the unexpected adventures, and the countless opportunities to learn and grow together as a family. 🌠👩‍👦‍👦

🌈✨

09/01/2025

Some important body safety rules for children

25/12/2024

The holidays are a time for family, and with the hustle and bustle of dealing with friends and extended family this season, it's easy to get distracted from truly spending quality time with your kids.The festive season is a great time to spend with your family, but it can also be stressful. The kids...