First Psychology blog

None of us wants to see a child unhappy, but the best way to help kids overcome anxiety isn’t to try to remove stressors that trigger it. It’s to help them learn to function as well as they can, even when they’re anxious. And as a bi-product of that, the anxiety will decrease or fall away over time. Remember: the goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety, but to help a child manage it. It is natural to feel anxious when dealing with changes to our usual routine – starting school is a good example of one of these changes. Often, your child won’t know the words to explain what they’re feeling, but if any of the following is becoming an issue, chances are your child is anxious about something: Being clingy and having tantrums  Not wanting to go out or spend time with their friends Worrying about things that they’ve previously not mentioned Complaining about ‘not feeling well’ We’ve developed six top tips to help guide your child through times of change and help manage their anxie...

Christmas is often seen as a time for families. And whatever shape and size a family is there are often complex dynamics involved in interacting within the family unit. Whether we come from a family we perceive as 'happy' or not, being a parent is not easy. We often come to parenting with preconceived ideas about how parenting and families should be. Many people struggle to shake off negative experiences from their own upbringing, which can come to the fore when we find ourselves parenting. Often parenting is as much about what we don't want for our children as it is about what we want. And our partner may have different views from us, to further complicate things. Counselling Psychologist, Flora Maclay who works with many children and families at First Psychology's Edinburgh and Borders centres has been scouring some well known parenting books for some of her favourite parenting tips. Top parenting tips "Once finished, forget it" Children forget...

We all know from our own childhood (and adult) experiences that being confident greatly improves our chances of happiness and success in life. So how can you tell if your child is confident and are you doing the right things to help boost their confidence and self-esteem? We look at three common myths about confidence in children. 1. Praise is always good right?  While it is true that praising your child is beneficial, overpraising is not. Tip: Think about how often and why you praise your child. Only praise them for real achievements and be specific about your reasons for praising them. 2. If my child can speak in class and make themselves heard, they are confident, aren't they? No, this is not necessarily the case at all. Children have different personalities and some children will be naturally quiet while others will be more outgoing. Tip: Look for other signs that your child is confident, such as them being able to express their needs and wishes in an assertive way....

Reading lots on social media today about the film 'Boyhood' due to its recent Oscar nominations. Boyhood is the ultimate film about a boy growing up - it was filmed over a 12 year period using the same actors throughout. This allows viewers to marvel at each and every change in the boy's appearance and character, as he grows up and reaches manhood. Of course, while the boy is really growing up during the film-making process, the film itself aims to represent the trials and tribulations of growing up.  We all know this comes with many highs and lows. There are birthdays and parties, holidays and new friendships, but there are also numerous instances of sadness, humiliation and loneliness along the way.  There is no doubt that while getting older is a beautiful and necessary process, it can be hard for children to go through the various stages of childhood and adolescence. We know this because we've all done it and no matter how happy your own childhood, l...