I am still hearing from parents who tell me that when their child is unhappy at school or reluctant to go, the advice from professionals is to make home less pleasant. They’re told not to interact with them too much during school hours, to restrict their access to activities they enjoy. A book for professionals tells parents to create an atmosphere of ‘solitary confinement’ around their children if they don’t attend school. One parent I talked to was told to make their child put their uniform on every day and that they should sit in the front room alone with only their school books until it was 3.30 pm and the end of school.
I'm deeply saddened that this is the professional advice out there. Thank you Naomi for sticking your neck out. I hope others will too. All I can think to say is that if you're a parent reading this who is following this advice, please believe that there is another way that doesn't include taking away your child's safe space, and please join the webinar 🙏
It’s hard to imagine any scenario in which the right thing to do would be to make the child’s home environment - the place where we should be able to guarantee that they feel safe and loved - less pleasant.
My first thought was "what kind of a monster would follow advice like that?", but then I guess parents that do are desperate, made to feel up against it and suggestible. Let's hope that the discourse changes soon and these books are seen for what they are and pulped.
I'm deeply saddened that this is the professional advice out there. Thank you Naomi for sticking your neck out. I hope others will too. All I can think to say is that if you're a parent reading this who is following this advice, please believe that there is another way that doesn't include taking away your child's safe space, and please join the webinar 🙏
It’s hard to imagine any scenario in which the right thing to do would be to make the child’s home environment - the place where we should be able to guarantee that they feel safe and loved - less pleasant.
My first thought was "what kind of a monster would follow advice like that?", but then I guess parents that do are desperate, made to feel up against it and suggestible. Let's hope that the discourse changes soon and these books are seen for what they are and pulped.
I want to know what kind of monster gives advice like that.
I’m flabbergasted! This is shocking. How can they possibly think that the way to help an unhappy child is to make them even more unhappy at home?!
This approach could do untold damage to the child’s mental health. It’s disgusting.
What da... ?