The current COVID-19 crisis is creating unprecedented challenges at every level of society. The closure of schools and restrictions on movement for both adults and children mean that most families are going to face enormous challenges as they try and navigate new ways of living together. Bored and listless children are more likely to play up and cause disruption within the family. Frustrated and worried parents may over-react to these challenges. Very quickly these sorts of behaviours can escalate into repetitive cycles within families leading to the breakdown of relationships and exacerbation of problems.
Pointers on Parenting Under Pressure (POP-UP) provides parents with practical tips and advice to navigate these difficult times and help promote positive and cooperative behaviour within their families. There is a series of short and easy to understand messages presented in a specific order to provide a pathway to confident and effective parenting that will help to reduce conflict and promote good behaviour. They are based on the many years of experience of the POP-UP team in delivering parent training using the New Forest Parenting Programme. This is an evidence-based approach, supported by high quality clinical trials. Although put together in response to the COVID-19 crisis, they are equally valuable for all parents at all times living in high pressure and stressful situations.
The eight tips relate to:
- Keeping positive and motivated
- Making sure everyone knows what is expected of them
- Building your child’s self-confidence and trust in you
- Getting your child to follow instructions
- Promoting better behaviour
- Limiting conflict
- Keeping calm when your kids act up
- Using sanctions carefully
Read the full document, which expands on all of these points.
Information about the value of the New Forest Parenting Programme.
POP-UP team - Edmund Sonuga-Barke PhD FMedSci FBA, Johnny Downs MD PhD, Claire Ballard MSc (King’s College London), Margaret Thompson MD FRCPsy, Cathy Laver-Bradbury MSc RSCN, Jana Kreppner PhD, Hanna Kovshoff PhD, Sam Cortese MD PhD, Catherine Thompson MSc (University of Southampton), David Daley PhD (University of Nottingham).