This article explores why digital detoxing is becoming a vital mental health intervention for youth, supported by evidence-based strategies, community initiatives, and the therapeutic role of professional counselling.

📊 The Digital Dilemma: What the Research Tells Us

The data surrounding screen time and mental health is increasingly difficult to ignore. Recent studies point to a clear link between excessive digital use and adverse psychological outcomes in young people:

• 📱 A 2025 Australian Youth Mental Health Study revealed that nearly 30% of youth experiencing anxiety or depression attributed their symptoms, at least in part, to social media overuse.
• 😟 According to Headspace, one in three young Australians report feeling anxious when they are away from their phones — a sign of growing dependency.
• 🌍 The World Health Organization (WHO) reported a 57% increase in sleep disturbances among teenagers aged 13–17 due to night-time screen exposure since 2020.
• 🧠 A study published in JAMA Paediatrics found that adolescents who use social media for more than 3 hours a day are at twice the risk of developing mental health problems.

These statistics paint a stark picture: while the digital world offers connection and entertainment, overexposure can significantly impair emotional regulation, sleep, academic performance, and social engagement.

🧠 Understanding the Psychological Impact

The effects of digital overload extend far beyond tired eyes or shortened attention spans. Young minds, still developing neurologically and emotionally, are particularly vulnerable. Common consequences include:

🔵 Increased Anxiety and Depression

The constant comparison facilitated by platforms like Instagram or TikTok can lead to negative self-image, low self-esteem, and heightened anxiety — particularly among teenage girls.

🌙 Disrupted Sleep Patterns

Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin production, making it harder for young people to fall asleep and stay asleep. Poor sleep quality, in turn, increases the risk of mood disorders.

🚫 Social Disconnection

Ironically, the digital “connectedness” can foster isolation. Online interactions often lack the emotional depth and facial cues essential for true empathy and connection.

🎓 Reduced Academic Performance

Studies show that multitasking with digital devices during homework or study reduces comprehension and memory retention.

🧘 The Power of a Digital Detox

A digital detox — intentionally unplugging from devices for a set time — has emerged as a simple but powerful tool for improving mental well-being. Here’s how it helps:

• ✨ Mood Boosting: Less time on screens allows for more time engaging in joyful, real-world activities that release endorphins.
• 💤 Better Sleep: Reduced screen exposure before bedtime leads to improved sleep hygiene.
• 🧩 Improved Focus and Productivity: Disengaging from notifications improves concentration and academic or personal performance.
• 🤝 Deeper Relationships: Time spent offline can rekindle in-person social connections and family dynamics.

✅ Practical Strategies for a Successful Digital Detox

Helping young people navigate digital detoxing requires empathy, structure, and creativity. Here are practical tips for parents, caregivers, and educators:

1. Set Clear Boundaries

Establish “device-free zones” at home — such as bedrooms, dinner tables, or family outings.

2. Schedule Screen-Free Time

Encourage daily periods of offline activity like playing sport, going for a walk, journaling, or doing crafts.

3. Use Tech Wisely

Install apps like Forest, Moment, or Google Digital Wellbeing to track screen time and build mindful habits.

4. Create a Digital Detox Plan

Start small — e.g., one tech-free hour each evening — and gradually build up.

5. Model Healthy Behaviour

Children mirror adult behaviour. Lead by example by setting your own boundaries around screen use.

6. Use Positive Reinforcement

Reward consistency in digital detox efforts with meaningful incentives like outings or quality time.

🏫 The Role of Schools and Community

Schools and community organisations are now recognising the importance of mental health literacy and balanced tech use. Initiatives include:

• Mindful Media Programs: Teaching digital literacy, cyberbullying awareness, and how to identify unhealthy digital habits.
• Device-Free Break Times: Schools that implement tech-free recesses report improved student interaction and focus.
• Workshops and Parent Sessions: Community programs helping families understand the impact of digital exposure and create collective strategies.

🤝 Vision Counselling: Supporting Youth and Families

At Vision Counselling, we are committed to addressing digital stress and screen overuse among youth in Western Australia. Our work is both clinical and community-focused.

Our services include:

• 🧑‍⚕️ Individual Counselling: Targeting digital-related anxiety, depression, and tech addiction.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Family Therapy: Assisting families in building healthier digital dynamics at home.
• 🌱Community Initiatives: Through programs like the Stirling Support Program, we’ve supported the local community for over 10 years with free counselling, outreach, and workshops.

To learn more about how Vision Counselling can help, contact us here.

Allotting equal time for your career, family, social life, and interests is something that many people can only dream of achieving. It’s even more difficult to attain for working women with children at home.

Despite the progress in society, women are still seen as the primary family caregivers, therefore they are expected to run the household and be in charge of childcare.

Still, many women are determined to stay in their respective industries even after childbirth — and that’s where the problem of imbalance begins.

This balancing act can be stressful, especially if you’re new to motherhood, but it can result in rewarding outcomes where you fulfil your duties as a mum and as a reliable employee.

Benefits of having a work-life balance

Understanding the importance of work-life balance is the first step to accomplishing it, followed by having and maintaining the drive to see this task through. Here are three positive effects that come with attaining a healthy balance between work and personal life.

1.     It helps you keep a present mind

If you ever caught yourself thinking about work while caring for your child or worrying about your house chores while in a meeting, then there’s likely an imbalance between your work and personal life. This inability to keep your mind present at home and work can cause you to spend more time attending to one of them while neglecting the other.

But when you achieve the right balance between these two aspects, you can stay in the moment and enjoy it as it happens. It will also help you relax when you need to and keep you focused when the situation calls for it.

2.     You’ll strengthen your relationships

Having and maintaining a balanced lifestyle means you can create a deeper and stronger bond with the people you love. It will also create a ripple effect in your career; when you’re happy with your personal life, a more positive work attitude is sure to follow. That also means you’ll have a better connection with your colleagues and superiors at work.

What’s more, as a working mum, you’ll foster your relationship with your children and be there as they grow. From getting them to their high chairs to moving them to the big kids’ table, you’ll get to see and be there for it all.

3.     You’ll have better physical and mental health

Overworking has a bad effect on your physical and mental wellness. If you tend to stay up late and get stressed due to an immense amount of work, you run the risk of over-tiring your body and increasing the chances of falling ill. It can even lead to serious health issues like heart disease, sleep problems, depression, and impaired memory.

On the other hand, having a sustainable work-life balance can limit these health problems and ensure that you’ll have the energy to be more active. It can also boost your mood, reduce stress, and improve your overall outlook in life. Having a healthy mind and body is especially important for a working mum such as yourself, so you’ll have the vigor to keep up with your children’s growth and activities

Tips to achieve a work-life balance

As a career woman and mother, long-term health and productivity are important to help you carry out your responsibilities at home and work. Both of these factors are highly dependent on your ability to strike the right balance between your work and personal life. Here are some ways you can attain this flow and prevent the possibility of neglect.

1.     Prioritize your duties

You can do so by listing all the things you need to do for the day. Making a list allows you to determine your most critical errands and reduce the risk of forgetting an important task. Keep in mind that duties like cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry will not move you forward with your career or make your life more enjoyable. Still, they are among your responsibilities as the adult in the house and they must be done to keep an organized home.

2.     Make time for yourself

Being a working mum can lead to self-neglect since you’ll spend most of your time taking care of others. This fact makes it all the more important to allot even just a short time for a well-deserved me time. Make time to pamper yourself and relax with natural skincare or attend a short exercise class to replenish yourself and ensure that you’ll have the energy to keep up with the demands of a career mum’s everyday life.

3.     Uphold your boundaries

The rough part about seeking true work-life balance is giving something up to accommodate other parts of your life. That could mean saying no when you’re asked to do a special work assignment or turning down the offer to volunteer at school events. However, learning to decline additional workload gives you more time to spend with your family while also letting people understand your boundaries.

4.     Ask for help

If you’re trying to be a super-mum, getting help is probably the last thing you’ll want to do. But the truth is, no one achieves a healthy work-life balance on their own. There is no shame in asking for a helping hand. In fact, doing so can help you get closer to the people who are just waiting for you to ask and even get more work done. It doesn’t make you a failure nor a bad mum — it makes you human.

Final thoughts

Work-life balance is an achievement that is very elusive, but not impossible. It takes a lot of time, compromises, and organization between you and your family. Everything will begin falling into place once you find the right rhythm and soon enough, you’ll start feeling better about yourself and improve your mental fortitude — all while fostering a stronger connection with your loved ones.

Not only do you have to maintain a healthy relationship with your children, but you also need to take care of their needs – both mental and physical. 

Now, we know that parenting is not like a game of Football with certain rules and guidelines. As a parent, you have to find a way to communicate with your child, no matter what the situation.

We’ve reduced legwork for you with some amazing tips for better parenting during the COVID-19 Pandemic. 

1. Family Time for Everyone 

This might not sound ideal, but COVID-19 has given us all a chance to reconnect with our family members, especially children. In our tight and hectic schedules, we barely make time for people we hold so close to our hearts. 

Being a parent, it is easy to miss so many moments of your child’s life while you are busy at work or they are at school away from you. And, we know that lockdown and restrictions are not an ideal scenario for your children to connect, so it is normal to feel overwhelmed when you are spending every minute with them. However, this is what you have got and you have to make the best of it. 

Here are some ways you can make the most of it: 

• Set aside the family time to spend with your children, it has to be separate from everyday meals or family activities that you do on normal days. If you have more than one child, it is better to set aside at least 20 minutes for each. It doesn’t have to be a regular activity; you can do it on alternate days. 
• Involve your child in the activities that you plan. Ask them what they would like to do in their 20 minutes’ slot. Make sure it is about them and not you, nor the whole family. Keep boundaries about the activities if you like, you can even keep some options for them. Again, it must involve their interest. 

Pro Tip: Have fun outside of the digital world. Read some books together, arrange a puppet show, or sow some seeds if you have to!

2. Managing Your Child’s Online Classes 

If anything, the pandemic has made parents busier than usual because of the whole transition from the physical world to the digital world. You might be feeling that you are the one dealing with stress, but your children are equally stressed too. They are away from their favorite teachers, friends, and school in general. If they have not been at their best behavior lately, it is a sign that they are upset. 

We understand that it is challenging for you and your children to stay on track with school assignments. First thing first: go easy on your kids and yourself. Know that you cannot control everything, but you can make it easier for everyone. And, here is how you and your children can manage stress and understand each other better:

• You are not alone in this and this is why you should reach out to other parents as much as you can. Write them emails, give them a call, or post it on support groups on social media if you have to -gather people who are going through the same. Exchange information, ask for tips, share your stories, and don’t shy back from telling your mistakes. This will help you in staying focused and positive. 
• Who knows your child as much as you do, if not better in some cases? Their teachers! Now is the time to connect with your children’s teacher ―the one they keep talking about after school. Before you reach out to them, keep in mind that they aren’t perfect either. It is the same for everyone including them since everyone has a margin of trial and error. Asking for an individualized learning plan can help your child better if they are struggling in a particular area. You can also request the teacher to share the child’s strengths and weaknesses to work upon them. 
• Set goals and a routine to achieve them. Objectives give your children something to look forward to and to stay motivated while a routine enables normalcy. Make your children feel that everyone (from teachers to parents) is involved in the process. Don’t go crazy with completion or timeframe to achieve the goals, it is about learning. You do not want to overwhelm anyone in the process. 
• Involve rewards to help your children understand the purpose better. It doesn’t have to be grand purchases, you can do something simple such as allowing them to stay up late once, watch a TV show together, or cook their favourite meal. 

3. Talk to Your Children About COVID-19

The more they know about it, the easier it becomes for both of you. It doesn’t mean that you have to share the stats with them or any stressful news. Just be willing to answer all their questions with meaningful information. If they have heard half-baked news, try to correct it. If it is something that they should not know, silencing is not the right approach. Talk openly about why they should not stress about it and tell them that you are there to protect them. On the other hand, if you don’t know anything, here are a few things you should say instead of sharing wrong information: 

• We don’t know it yet, but we will get back to you on this. 
• We are not sure about it yet, but we can learn together about it. 

Here are a few more tips for better parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Be supportive, honest, and positive around your children. If your children are worried or confused, create a safe space for them to share their feelings. Give them time to evaluate their emotions.
• Explain pandemics, epidemics, and other viral diseases with your children. It is the best opportunity for them to learn about medical sciences. 
• Tell them that COVID-19 has nothing to do with animals or the way someone looks. 
• Teach them compassion, sympathy, and care. Look for stories that involve heroes and front-liners. 

All in all, never stop growing or connecting with your children. 

Support for Parents

If you are needing extra support or someone to speak to, get in touch. We have Telehealth Counselling available if you are in isolation. Our counsellors are incredibly supportive and understanding of the challenges that we face as parents.

Stay safe! 

Our counsellor can assist with a range of issues including –

Managing children’s behaviour can be difficult for parents when it is a hot summer day as parents may feel pressured by their children to go to the beach or pool at the wrong time of the day. Remember to go before 10.00 in the morning or after 4.00 in the afternoon-slip, slop slap.

When children exercise endorphins are released; these chemicals are hormone-like substances that are produced in the brain, this in turn causes a general state of wellbeing. In just 10 minutes of exercise children will feel vigorous, their mood would have improved, and they will feel happy, and be hungry – too hungry to argue with their brothers and sisters.

If you would like further information on Perth counselling services or play therapy for children, contact us today.

Here are some tips to help you effectively deal with parent child conflict.

Question why your child is acting a certain way.

There are multiple reasons why a child may display problem behaviour such as:

• Being treated that way by other people.
• They are upset about something else and need help.
• They feel they are being misunderstood or their thoughts and feelings are being ignored.
• They want attention, warmth and empathy. However, negative attention may be better than no attention.

Don’t view the conflict as a battle of wills or a fight.

It is not about winning but rather communicating until the problem is resolved or a compromise is made. It is also important not to view conflict as being anyone’s fault. How you view conflict may unconsciously affect how you behave.

React appropriately to conflict.

Try to keep calm. If a child has broken a rule because they were upset about something else important, they need warmth and empathy, not punishment. If you are in a safe environment (for your child) and feel you are too worked up to respond appropriately it may be best to tell your child that you will come and talk to them once you calm down.

Don’t force a child to apologise.

Once a conflict has been resolved and the child feels their perspective has been understood they are likely to apologise anyway. A lack of apology may signal that you have not fully resolved a conflict with your child; they still may feel you have not understood their perspective. Some children may need you to lead by example and apologise first. Remember that children are still learning how to cope with emotions and conflict.

Avoid rejection and criticism.

Harsh criticism and insults during an argument can have a lasting negative impact on a relationship. It is important to stay calm, explain how you feel and why rather than harshly commenting on behaviour. For example, ‘You’re always late! You do it on purpose to make me angry! Why are you so nasty?!’ does not resolve a conflict and may damage a relationship. It is better to say something along the lines of ‘Why were you late? It upsets me because I worry when you haven’t come home by the time you told me’.

Be aware of your body language and tone.

Remember that you may be much taller than your child and you may accidentally use body language which can be intimidating or show that you are angry even if your words are not angry. Tone can easily give away how someone really feels, a child may not believe you understand them if you say you do but still sound angry. Some people naturally talk louder than others. You may feel you are talking in a normal voice, whereas, to an introverted, quieter child it may seem like you are shouting.

Resolving a conflict is not the same as ending an argument.

When a conflict is resolved both people feel their perspective has been understood and they come to a mutual agreement or compromise. Someone giving up in an argument and walking off or ignoring conflict altogether does not resolve it. Ignoring conflict can be just as bad as having a heated verbal argument.

Remember that all children want warmth and understanding from their parents even if their behaviour suggests otherwise. Make sure you show that you will love and support them even if you sometimes disagree and get annoyed at each other; don’t just assume they know this. If you feel you have an unusual amount of conflict with your child or that conflicts are not being resolved seek professional guidance.

If you would like further information on Perth counselling services or play therapy for children, contact us today.

Maybe, maybe not!

It’s hard to imagine when you are planning your family that two (or more) of your children might not get on with each other. Even if they do get on, most of the time, there may still be times when sibling rivalry rears its stressful head.

Sibling rivalry can be a cause of stress in any family and may involve

• Jealousy
• Poor / naughty behaviour
• Clinging behaviour
• Attempts to monopolise parents time
• Attention seeking behaviour

You may expect the odd squabble, but sibling rivalry can and does sometimes degenerate into physical altercations! This may cause distress for all the family and sometimes interventions like Family Counselling may be needed.

However,

Understanding why sibling rivalry occurs and how it can be managed within the family can reduce the stress that it might otherwise cause.

Why does it happen?

As the parent you are the most important person in your child’s life and sometimes they simply don’t want to share you with another, even if it is their own brother or sister!

Also,

Other things to consider may be

• Differences in ages. Children of different ages have different levels of understanding.
• Perceptions. Your child may perceive that a sibling is getting preferential treatment. This may not be the case but, it is their reality.
• Temperaments. Each child is different with their own temperament and way of reacting to and dealing with any situation.

Although sibling rivalry and some of the behaviours that come with it can cause stress, it’s not all bad. There are some benefits to their behaviour.

They may be learning or building

• Social skills
• Negotiating skills
• How to function in a family/team
• How to compromise
• Turn taking ability
• Conflict resolution

What can I do to help ease?

• Rules. Have family rules and expectations of behaviour, dependent on your child’s age.
• Consequences. Have consequences for unwanted behaviour.
• Model the behaviour you want to see in your children.
• Spend quality time with each child.
• Have routines. Routines give children structure.
• Cool down squabbles however –
• Don’t be overly involved in their interactions as this can increase fighting as a way of getting attention.

If you find, however, that you need some help with the stress caused by sibling rivalry in your family, try talking to a Counsellor or Play Therapist. These health professionals are able to help parents and children with skills to make living in a family easier and happier.

There might not be a 100% success guarantee preventing tantrums by using the strategies below but they can help you encourage good behaviour in your child and promote a more harmonious family life.

Using these from an early age on your child will be more likely to learn how to deal with overwhelming emotions in a productive way.

How to prevent a temper tantrum

Here are some of the strategies that you might want to try in your own family life:

1. Be consistent: Establish a daily routine so that your child knows what to expect. Stick to the routine as much as possible, including nap time and bedtime. It’s also important to set reasonable limits and follow them consistently.
2. Plan ahead: If you need to run errands, go when your child isn’t likely to be hungry or tired. If you’re expecting to wait in line, pack a small toy or snack to occupy your child.
3. Encourage your child to use words: Young children understand many more words than they’re able to express. If your child isn’t yet speaking — or speaking clearly — you might teach him or her sign language for words such as “I want,” “more,” “drink,” “hurt” and “tired.” The more easily your child can communicate with you, the less likely you are to struggle with tantrums. As your child gets older, help him or her put feelings into words.
4. Let your child make choices: To give your toddler a sense of control, let him or her make appropriate choices. “Would you like to wear your red shirt or your blue shirt?” “Would you like to eat strawberries or bananas?” “Would you like to read a book or build a tower with your blocks?” Then compliment your child on his or her choices.
5. Praise good behaviour: Offer extra attention when your child behaves well. Give your child a hug or tell your child how proud you are when he or she shares toys, follows directions, and so on.
6. Use distraction to change your child’s focus: If you sense frustration brewing, try to distract your child. Suggest a new activity or change location.
7. Avoid situations likely to trigger tantrums: If your child begs for toys or treats when you shop, steer clear of “temptation islands” full of eye-level goodies. If your toddler acts up in restaurants, make reservations so that you won’t have to wait — or choose restaurants that offer quick service.

If your child does have a tantrum please keep in mind that most children don’t throw a tantrum just to be naughty or manipulative – rather, the screaming is a symptom of the child’s anger and frustration when they don’t have the vocabulary to explain what’s really wrong with them. Therefore, staying calm and learning to identify what’s really bothering your child will help you to handle the situation quickly and effectively.

How to handle a temper tantrum

Here are some tips on how to handle a temper tantrum in your child:

1. Remain calm: Don’t throw a tantrum yourself. Children need a calming influence. If you can’t provide that you can’t expect them to calm down. Take a few deep breaths and wait at least a few seconds before deciding on a response.
2. Remember that your child’s tantrum is NOT necessarily a way to “get his way”, but could be the result of frustration, lack of needed attention from you, or even a physical problem, like low blood sugar, pain or digestive problems. The lack of a place to nap is a common cause of tantrums (ever notice how many kids you see having them around 3pm in stores! It is the time of afternoon when blood sugar drops after lunch and a small snack is often needed.) Schedule activities around your child’s needs. Having a set schedule with nap time included is greatly recommended.
3. Offer your child a choice of coping strategies: For example, your son wants ice cream, but it’s too close to dinner. Say: “Johnny, you’re really getting upset now. Calm down or you’ll have to go to your room.” You have given him a choice – either control himself or, if he can’t, retreat to a place where he won’t influence others. If he makes the right choice (to calm down), remember to compliment him: “You asked for ice cream and I said no. I want to thank you for taking no for an answer.” Conversely, have consequences and enforce them if he chooses to get upset. Guide him to his room and firmly insist that he remain there until he calms down, for example. This is easier with a two-year-old than with an eight-year-old, so the younger you begin the learning process the better.
4. Stem your own rising frustration level: Tantrums can raise blood pressure and stress levels in parents as well as children. If you really can’t handle a tantrum, make sure the child will be safe and spend a few moments away from him or her. A short break may have a calming effect for both of you. Get your spouse or other responsible person to look after the child while you calm down.
5. Try to determine the cause of the tantrum: Tantrums can be triggered by a number of things, and the cause of the tantrum should help determine your response to it. If a tantrum is caused by hungriness or sleepiness, you should feed the child or allow him or her to take a nap as soon as possible. If the tantrum is triggered by frustration or fear, you need to comfort your child. If the child feels ignored, spend some quality/quantity time with him, playing or reading, etc. If, however, your child is acting up because he or she can’t get his or her way…
6. Do not reward the tantrum: If the parents give in, tantrums become a launching point for the child—a way to deal with the world socially. If you allow yourself to be held hostage by tantrums, your child will continue to use them long past the age when they would otherwise cease. Even if the child is throwing a fit because he hasn’t received enough attention, don’t reward the behaviour now. Instead, resolve to make long-term changes to avoid future outbursts.
7. Take steps to prevent injury: Some children can become quite animated during a tantrum. If this occurs, remove dangerous objects from the child’s path or steer the child away from danger.
8. Explain to the child that you will talk to him/her when he/she calms down: This will help your child to understand that you are ignoring her because her behaviour is unacceptable, not because you don’t care about her. When the child calms down, fulfil your part of the bargain by discussing the tantrum and the child’s concerns.
9. Avoid trying to reason with any child who is in the middle of a full-blown tantrum, especially in a public place: Give him or her time to vent. Instead, give the child phrases to express the emotions that they are experiencing. Say phrases like, “You must be really tired after such a long day,” or, “You must feel frustrated that you can’t have what you want right now.” This not only will help the child verbalize this later, but shows empathy for their feelings without having to give in.
10. Discuss the behaviour with your child once the tantrum has ended: While there’s no use trying to reason with a child in the midst of a tantrum, you both can learn a lot by discussing the incident afterwards. Explain that the behaviour is unacceptable, but also make sure your child understands that you love him or her regardless. Try to discover the cause of the tantrum if you haven’t already, and take the opportunity to discuss better alternatives with your child.
11. Do not discipline physically e.g. by smacking your child: All it does is to convey three unhelpful messages to your child: 1- You are out of control. 2- Hitting is an acceptable behaviour. 3- Feelings should be suppressed and not vented (a toddler is expressing feelings in the only way they are able).

Dealing with tantrums can be enormously draining and stressful for parents. Don’t be disheartened and please don’t judge yourself as a parent based on how many tantrums your child has. Remember that all children have tantrums. Instead, focus on how you respond. Even then, give yourself plenty of leeway to be human and make mistakes.

Need support?

If you would like further information on Perth counselling services or play therapy for children, contact us today.

What do we mean by shared family meals?

• Nutritious home-cooked meals
• Enjoyed by all members of the family
• Shared at a dining table
• Technology-free (no television or mobile phones)

Sometimes you may not have enough time to home-cook a meal, and you may have a family take-out or go out to dinner instead. A family take-out, as long as it’s eaten together, can bring the same benefits (of course, a healthier take-out may be more beneficial).

Why are shared family meals so important?

Family meal-time offers a regular time when a family can spend time together. It is a great opportunity to enjoy the company of the ones you love and to continue to build your relationship with your children and loved ones. It can also provide a platform for you to understand whether your child, particularly during adolescence, is experiencing some emotional difficulty, and help you determine how you may assist them. Here are some benefits that family meals can provide:

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Physical benefits:

• Nutrition
• Meal regularity
• Decreased weight status
• Improved health
• Increased energy

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Psychological/Mental health benefits:

• Sense of belonging
• Sense of responsibility (especially if there are duties involved)
• Improved body satisfaction
• Greater ability to cope
• Improved mood
• Increased self-esteem

[/one-half]

Benefits for the whole family:

Coming together as a whole family unit after a day of pursuing independent activities, such as attending work and school serve, can:

• Provide structure and consistency to the day, increasing overall well-being.
• Create an overall sense of family unity, a sense of belongingness in the world and to establish a family identity
• Act as a platform for meaningful bonding time between family members by allowing meaningful conversation to flow which strengthens family ties. Each family member has an opportunity to share the happenings of their day, to share and express emotion through conversation which may provide stress and anxiety relief, and an opportunity to be heard by others and to feel like a contributing member of the family entity.
• Uphold unique family culture and tradition, by sharing a unique cultural dish of the family’s background, or to share a meal cooked by grandparents of the family and to pass those important traditional recipes down, which in turn strengthens family ties.

Benefits for children and teenagers:

Research has shown that regularly sharing family meals also serves to promote positive outcomes and serve as a protective factor in children and adolescent outcomes:

• The risk of developing disordered eating is reduced by 35%
• 12% less likely to be overweight
• Less likely to engage in delinquency and substance abuse
• 24% more likely to eat healthier foods
• Achieve greater academic achievement
• Have improved overall psychological wellbeing
• Report positive family interactions

Something to consider

It is important to note that the higher the frequency of shared family meal times per week, the more likely the family will reap the benefits of this experience. Sharing only a few family meals a week is better than none at all! Additionally, shared family meal time should be free from distractions that detract from sharing meaningful conversations such as watching television. The meal should be family-focused, ultimately aiming to strengthen social ties between family members and to foster an all important sense of unity and belonging. Lastly, the type of meal that is being shared does not affect the outcomes, as long as it is regularly shared. Dinner is commonly shared among families as this is a common time that all family members are present at home. However, if family members are mostly able to share breakfasts, this is as beneficial.

If you would like further information on Perth counselling services or play therapy for children, contact us today.

Things to Remember for Parenting a Strong Willed Child

• Children need love, attention and praise
• Children need boundaries, structure, and consistency
• Children need goals that are achievable
• Children need a positive safe environment with positive choices
• Ask yourself does my child need sleep, food, or more attention from me?

Focus on the positive: Most children like attention and often we attend more to negative behaviours (e.g., not listening) than to positive behaviours (e.g., adhering to expectations). If you see your child behave in a desired way, point it out to them.
Be consistent with consequences: In order to maintain appropriate behaviours, children must know that you will respond the same way under all circumstance. Remember children like to gamble, if it worked once in their mind it will work again.
Establish routines and adequate sleep: Children greatly benefit from structure and sleep is very important to your child’s physical and emotional health. Just think about yourself, when your day is off or you didn’t sleep well, life tends to be a little more frustrating. Children are the same way, except they also make your life more difficult.

What parenting techniques work best with strong-willed children?

• Less talk-more action! Since children with intense temperaments thrive on energy and parents become more energized as the lectures, begging, and arguing escalates, the most productive way to stop this cycle is to keep instructions short and clear.
• Let your child know what is expected and the consequence if she chooses not to comply. “Amy, you have to finish your chores before lunch or no swimming.”
• Follow through with stated consequences each and every time! Children are natural scientists and they will continuously test to see if consequences are consistent and predictable.
• Don’t nag. If your child knows what is expected of her, a simple gesture can get the message across. “Kay, (point to the sink), dishes!”
• Be your child’s cheerleader! Let him know that you believe in his capability to make good choices. Remember, negative messages are met with resistance and positive ones with compliance.
• Recognize when you have been caught up in the “negative loop”. Negative behaviors lead to intense responses, intense responses feed negative energy and so forth. Pretty soon parent and child have become accustomed to this behavior pattern and can’t see any other way to interact.

How to break a negative cycle

• Refusing to become involved in arguments and lengthy debates.
• Believing that things can get better.
• Seeing your child’s intensity and energy as a gift and not a burden. Strong personalities are often accompanied by intelligence, creativity and talents.
• Redirecting your energy towards recognizing and rewarding positive behaviors. Keep a daily log of positive behaviors and soon you will notice your child is not always misbehaving!
• Reducing the intensity of your reaction to misbehavior. Stay calm, frame your reprimand without ridicule or shame, and if need be, you can both take a “time out.”
• Finding something to share with your child which can pull the two of you closer together. Concentrate on activities that promote feelings of togetherness.

Learning a new way to interact and setting firm limits is not going to be easy on you or your child! However, the rewards will be beneficial for both of you as your child becomes more self-disciplined and successful!

Seeking professional help may assist if you have a specific issue or problem occurring with you and your children. If you would like further information on Perth counselling services or play therapy for children, contact us today.