What is Tuning Into Kids?
This is a parent education course designed by Dr Sophie Havighurst and Ann Harley, trialled and evaluated through Mindful at the University of Melbourne. Tuning Into Kids will show you ideas and techniques to help you teach your child the skills of emotional intelligence. It is not a replacement for therapy or counselling but it may give you increased confidence in dealing with the normal challenges of parenting children. Tuning Into Kids is focused on teaching you how to support your child’s healthy emotional development, and as a result, you may find gradual improvements in your child’s behaviour and in your communication with your child. The original course was designed as 6 sessions but we have condensed the material and made it conveniently available as online seminars – they are also interactive so participants can ask questions and discuss the material.
Some of the skills taught include:
- Better communication with children
- Better understanding of your child’s emotions
- Helping your child manage/regulate their emotions
- Reducing normal behaviour problems in your child
- Helping your child deal with conflict
Research has shown that if your children have strong emotional intelligence skills, they are more likely to:
- have success with making friendships and be better able to manage conflict with peers
- have better concentration, and more able to fulfil their academic potential
- be able to soothe themselves when they are upset or angry
- have fewer childhood illnesses because of lower levels of stress
- have more stable and satisfying relationships as adults
- have more career success as an adult
Evaluation of the Tuning Into Kids parenting course by researchers has indicated that children of parents participating in the course experienced significant reductions in children’s behaviour problems, and were more competent at using and exploring emotions with their children. Children of those parents also knew more about what they could do to regulate their emotions and successfully address difficult situations.
The course was found to be especially effective in helping parent children with behaviour or anxiety problems. Comments from past Tuning Into Kids participants are included below.
Who is this Parenting Course Suitable For?
The ideas and techniques taught in the parent education program are useful for parents of children of all ages, but are especially suited to parents of preschoolers and young primary school children.
Comments from past participants in Tuning Into Kids via happychild
“I wish that I had been aware of this concept earlier in my parenting – I can imagine how this would have benefited both me and my children! But never too late.”
” I found Tuning Into Kids fabulous because it offers insights into the hugely important ’emotional world’ of children. It is very practical in explaining the different ways kids’ emotions are commonly handled and then focuses on a helpful approach that makes sense, and makes those attempts to listen and understand kids a lot easier. Doing the program armed me with some ‘tools’ and left me feeling that I am contributing to my kids becoming more emotionally well-rounded little people. The online format was great and ran quite smoothly – easy to participate in and contribute if wanting to. Much more convenient for me to do (having a young baby).”
“Thanks so much Yvette, that webinar has given me lots of food for thought. I’m looking forward to trying some new conversations.”
“The webinars, in association with the notes provided were easy to follow. The content was easy to grasp and not to many technical terms were used that I did not understand or that I was not familiar with.”
“I found it to be a great guide to understanding my children’s emotions. I was oblivious to what easy changes could be made to have a closer and more open relationship with my children, Thanks again.”
“I enjoyed the workshops. I think it provided me with some new tools to help me deal with my kids’ emotions.”
‘I enjoyed Yvette’s presentation and communication style and look forward to putting it all into practice.”
“The presentation was clear, friendly and straightforward. Wonderful to explore the world of children’s feelings and emotions with a method of handling them which is not ’empty praise’.”
“Thank you so much for your time and empathy. This workshop has come at the perfect time. I have had a fantastic watershed moment with my son. I look forward to using emotion coaching to make our family a happier place.”
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