Now this might seem a bit rich from someone who writes a blog every week about communication with children and young people, but in this column I’d like to touch on having faith in your own judgement, rather than stressing out about what you read is the correct way to do things.

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Last week I wrote about encouraging children to flex their inventive muscles, and exercise their ability for creative and imaginative thought.

My point regarding the inherent fear in spontaneous action or communication has been echoed in the continuing observation that our young people are developing anxiety around the mere act of talking to one another.

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It can be difficult for us grown-ups to understand how differently time is perceived by a toddler, a child, or even a teenager.

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This quote was given to me by a friend via a conversation on the ‘How to Speak Child’ Facebook page and it really struck a chord with me.
She wasn’t sure who it should be attributed to, and having conducted my own brief research (I googled it!) I couldn’t find any definitive answer to that query either. I did however find some contention around the issue. 

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How often do your children get to spend time alone without any outside stimulus? When was the last time they had to draw on their own resources to entertain and motivate themselves?

Timetables for children these days can be hectic; after-school clubs, the pressures of school work, social media and other screen-based activities all vie for their attention and focus. It’s not so often that they are left alone to their own devices free from these distractions. And the same is true of us.
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