In this episode of "Just One Thing for Parents," host Bettina Hohnen delves into the crucial topic of building healthy resilience in children with guest Dr. Netali Levi, a clinical psychologist. They explore how modern parenting has rightly emphasized emotional support for children, but sometimes to the extreme of centering family life entirely around children's happiness.

Netali introduces the concept of "family-centric parenting," which balances the needs of all family members and encourages age-appropriate contributions from children. This approach aims to foster resilience by avoiding overprotection and allowing children to face and overcome challenges. The discussion offers practical strategies for implementing this balanced parenting style, highlighting its benefits for both children's development of coping skills and parents' well-being.

It’s a great episode for parents seeking to nurture emotionally healthy, resilient children while maintaining a harmonious family dynamic.

In our latest episode of "Just One Thing For Parents," I welcomed back Leonie Kenny to explore the challenges autistic children face in developing friendships and how parents can support them. Leonie delves into the complexities of social interactions for autistic kids, explaining how their weaker shared imagination, tendency towards black-and-white thinking, and reduced flexibility in interpreting others' behavior can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. She also highlights how social anxiety and sensory processing difficulties, common in autism, can overwhelm these children, affecting their ability to respond appropriately in social situations.

This insightful discussion offers parents valuable perspectives on why their autistic children might struggle with friendships and provides practical tips on how to nurture their social skills. Tune in to discover what parents can do to support their autistic child in navigating the often tricky terrain of friendships.

Navigating the ups and downs of children's friendships can be a source of significant anxiety for parents. Whether our kids are on the receiving end of unkind behavior or we're concerned about their own actions towards others, these situations often leave us feeling helpless. In this enlightening episode, I'm joined by Leonie Kenny, an experienced Speech and Language therapist, who addresses the crucial question: “What is just one thing parents can do to help their children to manage and develop good friendships?”

Leonie offers valuable insights, reminding us that friendship skills are learned, not innate. She emphasises the vital role parents play in this learning process. Key takeaways include the importance of allowing children to experience some social discomfort, learn from their missteps, and create space for them to problem-solve independently.

Whether you're dealing with friendship challenges now or want to proactively equip your children with essential social skills, you won't want to miss this discussion.

In this enlightening episode, Sheila Redfern joined Bettina for a conversation that delves deep. Sheila is an expert in an approach known as Reflective Parenting. She explains that we often find ourselves caught up in trying to change our child's behavior and forget to check in with ourselves, yet that's where the magic can happen. Sheila introduces the concept of "mentalizing," which is all about reflecting on our own feelings as well as those of our children to create deeper connections.

This episode was recorded the same week as the highly talked about Netflix series Adolescence. Sheila and Bettina observe through discussing this series that even the most loving parents can unintentionally slip into 'benign neglect' by not being curious about or engaging with their children's worlds. Sheila has some tried and tested ways to help parents begin to use this approach with their children. Ultimately, Sheila drives home the point that emotional regulation is essential for fostering positive behavioral change. By prioritizing our emotional well-being, we equip ourselves to better support our children on their journeys.

Please check out Sheila’s latest book “How Do You Hug a Cactus? Reflective Parenting with Teenagers in Mind” published in March 2024

In this insightful episode, Bettina is joined by psychotherapist Anastasis about how parents can effectively support teenagers facing body image concerns. Anastasis discusses the challenges of talking about bodies as kids grow, particularly in the teenage years in context of what is going on in the teenage brain. This can be a tricky conversation for parents to start and something many parents might avoid for fear of saying the wrong thing. There is often high sensitivity and even shame around their body for teenagers.

He advocates for normalising conversations focused on acceptance rather than pressure to 'love' one's body. He encourages parents to begin tentatively and start with observations, aiming to match where the young person is in terms of their privacy and openness. Try to avoid polarisation - talking about it all the time or not at all. This will be different for individuals, depending on their profile, whether there is neurodiversity present or sensory sensitivity.

He recommends parents talking about their own experience, both the pride they felt about their body as a teen and the challenges. All of this creates a supportive environment for their teenagers' body image journey.

In this insightful episode of Just One Thing, Bettina chats with Anne Ozsivadjian about the important journey that follows an autism diagnosis. If you're a parent navigating this new chapter, this conversation is for you.

Anne breaks down what to expect after your child receives an autism diagnosis, emphasizing the vital difference between a diagnosis and a detailed formulation that gives you a better understanding of your child's unique needs. She encourages parents to take their time processing the diagnosis and to tap into reputable resources.

You'll discover practical tips on how to communicate the diagnosis to your child in a way that feels right for their age and understanding. Plus, Anne shares valuable strategies for making your home environment more autism-friendly, ensuring your child feels safe and supported.

By the end of this episode, you'll have actionable ideas and resources that can help you and your child navigate this journey together, including ways to find professional support and connect with other families. Join us for this enlightening conversation and empower yourself with the knowledge to support your child every step of the way!

Many parents of neurodiverse young people struggle with how to support their children when they transition to University. It’s a huge step and a time when these these young people are quite vulnerable. Linda Philips is a Speech and Language therapist who specialises in this area and in this episode she answers the question - What’s Just One Thing Parents can do to support their neurodivergent child while they are away at university.

Linda highlights the unique challenges faced by university students with autism and ADHD as they transition and how parents can support them. She emphasizes the importance of regular check-ins for parents, shifting from giving advice to facilitating problem-solving through active listening.

We also cover strategies for building resilience, understanding individual needs, and fostering social connections through clubs and interests. Please have a listen and I know all parents will find some useful ideas from this episode.