Author: Michael Grose

The current social isolation policy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has confined people to their family cocoons. Life for parents is very different now that we can no longer share the parenting load with relatives, friends and professionals outside the family home.

Parenting success will require you to quickly adapt to new circumstances, by replacing some of your current parenting practices with methods more in tune with close-quarter living. This may seem uncomfortable at first, as you may be going against some current beliefs that are in vogue. In effect, you may have to create a […]

Over the past few weeks, I have been speaking to many parents about the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health. Some have asked why one of their children is far more effected than their others, other parents are concerned that their child doesn’t seem at all concerned about the pandemic.

In my response to them I recall a metaphor developed by Dr Thomas Boyce where he compares children to dandelions and orchids. In it, Dr Boyce estimates about 20 per cent of children are “orchids”. They are the ones who are more sensitive and reactive to environments, […]

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing OK.

I’d like you all to know that Smiling Mind (an app that many of our students access) has just developed a special COVID19 initiative called Thrive Inside. This free program will help you stay calm and healthy in the physical constraints of your home, while remaining calm and healthy inside your mind.

If you already have the Smiling Mind App it will already be there as a program option. If you don’t have the app I’d strongly encourage you to download it. It’s suitable […]