Understanding Your Child’s Heart

Loading player...
It is easy to react to a child’s behaviour without stopping to consider what is driving it. But in therapy, we know that all behaviour is communication. Every action, word, or sudden change in mood is a child’s way of expressing how they feel and what they need.

In this episode, Lauren Edmunds explores what it takes to truly understand your child. Using ideas from character development and empathy, Lauren explains why parents and educators need to look beyond a child’s behaviour to understand what is really going on. She also explores the risks of masking, particularly in neurodivergent children and young girls who hide their struggles to fit in, and explains why feeling accepted for who they are is the foundation for building confidence, self-worth, and trust in themselves.
17 Aug English South Africa Education · Self-Improvement

Other recent episodes

Why Inclusion Starts Before a Child Joins In

How do we help children feel included when they struggle to join in? I n this episode, Lauren Edmunds explores why inclusion is about more than simply being present. She explains how giving children the time, space and support to participate at their own pace can help them build confidence,…
26 Oct 14 min

Making Learning Easy

Learning is about more than taking in new information. Children need time to process what they’ve learnt and practise recalling it. In this episode, Lauren Edmunds explores why children with learning difficulties may struggle to remember information and how screen time and distractions at home can affect their concentration. She…
20 Oct 12 min

Helping Children Manage Big Emotions

When a child loses control of their emotions, it’s easy to see it as bad behaviour. But as Lauren Edmunds explains, there’s a difference between a child acting out and a child who is simply overwhelmed. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) offers a useful way to understand emotional dysregulation and what…
12 Oct 14 min

Are We Accidentally Teaching Our Children They Can't?

We all want the best for our children, but what happens when our good intentions accidentally hold them back? In this episode, Lauren Edmunds explores the concept of “learned helplessness” and how stepping in too quickly to fix a bed, tie a shoe, or finish a task can inadvertently send…
28 Sep 6 min

Rethinking Screen Time: Connection Over Addiction

When parents struggle to get their children off devices, the usual advice is to set strict screen-time limits or use rewards. But when screens become something a child earns, they can end up becoming even more important, with the device taking over a bigger part of their day. Screens are…
14 Sep 22 min