Gentle Guidance - How to Understand, Inspire and Empower Your Kids (Paperback)

Parents, teachers, carers - whatever our role in a child's life, we all want them to thrive. There are many moments of joy in our relationships with our children: but what about those times we're faced with defiance, disruption and seemingly endless cycles of negativity? Miserable for the child and exhausting for those around them - and almost all completely avoidable. From everyday frustrations to more extreme manifestations, these behaviours may present differently but they are all rooted in one common thread: a need for emotional safety. When a child feels secure and truly heard, their behaviour is transformed. Marie Gentles draws on her decades of expertise supporting children across the behavioural spectrum, along with their parents and teachers, to show us how to establish positive relationships that bring out the best in our children. Using evidence-based research, case studies and her proven methodologies, this book shows you how to: * Establish connection, in order to give the emotional security every child needs to flourish * Take a step back to better understand the feelings behind the behaviour * Embrace even the most 'negative' of emotions * Actively listen to the child and in turn, be heard * See setbacks as positive learning and teaching tools With practical examples of how to prevent struggles before they emerge as well as detailed advice on resetting when you're fire-fighting one explosion after the next, this reassuring guide empowers parents and educators alike. Learn to equip children of all ages to deal with anything life throws at them, building their emotional security in the process - whether they are fifteen months or fifteen years, it's never too late to start.