How can parents ensure their children thrive in lockdown despite pressure and stress?
The brand new parenting tool, Treasure Time, has recently launched an online course to help parents support their children's emotional wellbeing and behaviour during the coronavirus pandemic. Founded by Sophia Giblin and Nicole McDonnell, Treasure Time was created to put evidence-based play therapy techniques into practice to teach parents the value of keeping their children healthy and happy via the power of play.
Parents looking after their children during the current lockdown period are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the pressure of 24-hour care now that their children do not have the structure and routine of attending school. Not only this, but children are also having to deal with the stress of being at home and not being able to rely on the predictability of their routine. There is a huge amount of uncertainty right now about returning back to school and when children will be able to play with their friends again, so taking care of the mental health of both parents and children is more important than ever before.
Nicole McDonnell, the co-founder of Treasure Time, says, “I didn’t realise that I was trying to be so many things to so many people that I’d just become totally burned out by parenting. It wasn’t until I realised that the most important thing we can do, especially now in lockdown, is to bring our focus and attention back to ourselves as parents so we can be more available to attend to our children’s needs and give them a sense of security in these difficult times by being consistent, predictable and warm.”
Treasure Time's podcast, 'Growing Up Happy', launched last month with the aim of guiding parents through the 7 principles of treasure time, which are proven to reduce stress for parents and increase the resilience of their children.
To find out more about Treasure Time's online course and the resources available, visit www.treasuretime.co.uk where you'll find more information and guidance about how you and your children can improve your mental wellbeing together.