Held at Narranga Public School (Aug 20, 2024) it was our biggest workshop yet!
40 workshop attendees and 62 Adult registrations.
This shows Challenging Behaviour is something we all need and want to talk about, with each other, with schools and with health professionals in the field.
We cannot wait to bring this workshop to Woolgoolga Public School on Wed Sept 18.
We were very grateful the very wise and lovely Gill Bright, Senior Paediatric Occupational Therapist, was able to join in the chaos of questions and keep the calm…
Gill is an expert in explaining what happens in a child’s brain when it has a melt down. It is a true stress response where uncontrolled behaviour and language shows itself, initiated by a structure in the brain called the Amygdala. This part of the brain watches over us for anything that might harm us.
Another part of the brain, the Prefrontal Cortex, normally controls our thoughts and actions, but this part of the brain takes a while to fully develop ( mid to late 20’s!).
The Amygdala can be activated in kids due to lots of different stressors: starting something new, feeling hungry, feeling misunderstood, problems with friends, losing a game, etc. And so, at the end of a long day at school facing a few of these stressors, it’s highly likely our child “Flips the Lid” soon after walking through the door.
Gill mentioned different ways of trying to not join the chaos when this happens, but to focus on staying calm. Movement, breathing, cuddling, being outside, etc can assist to regulate these intense feelings ( also for parents!).
Sleep support is vital for behaviour: Smiling Mind app, Music, Reading, Bath, etc.
Gill’s recommendations:
- Website | Michelle Mitchell
- Book – School Anxiety in Kids and Teens | Michelle Mitchell
- Podcast – An interview with Resilience – Emerging Minds
Nicola’s Book recommendation; Tricky Kids by Andrew Fuller
Next similar workshop in Woolgoolga: https://BehaviourWoolgoolga.eventbrite.com.au
