This week I have again gathered THE BEST resources for tweens and teens that I can find. I have chosen the following categories:

• General parenting during COVID-19
• Purposeful conversations
• Things to entertainment 
• Things to keep tweens and teens moving 
• Connecting during isolation 
• Child protection during this time (PROFESSIONALS PLEASE READ THIS SECTION)

If you are a teacher or professional, I think you are a LEGEND. I can’t even begin to imagine the load on so many of you.  You are welcome to share or use this blog post within your communities, without asking my permission first. It’s there to support those in your care.

If you have a suggestion for next week’s list simply reply to this email. I’m on the other side! 

General Parenting: 

• Aha Parenting by Laura Markham is a wonderful resource at the moment. I encourage you to sign up to her newsletter if you haven’t. She’s practical and common sense.  Last week’s newsletter was all sorts of fabulous in one handy place. Click here

• Lisa Damore is producing some great content at the moment. Quaranteenagers: Strategies for Parenting in Close Quarters. This is a great article encourages us to offer compassion to our teens at this time. click here 

• Parenting author and educator @Maggie Dent steers you through how you can talk to your children about it. Listen here for more in a special bonus episode of the Parental As Anything podcast: https://ab.co/3bbphjQ

• My latest blog “Home will be the hero right now” shares my key messages for families during this time. click here

Purpose Built Conversations: 

• Dr Phil’s “Phil in the Blanks” podcast – Coronavirus: A Deep Dive Into The Pandemic. I though this was a practical, balanced and surprisingly light podcast, which young people would enjoy. It focusses on what hygiene practises really make the most difference and which don’t, which I feel is a key message for young people.

Things to Entertain: 

• Mo Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems (free video series).  This wonderful man invites you into his studio every weekday at 1pm to draw, doodle and explore new ways of writing. click here

• Rebecca Sparrow has collated a list of things for kids to do at home. Many of them are for younger tweens/children, but worth checking out. click here  

• Kookie Magazine – Edition 10.  If hours of indoor (unplugged) entertainment were ever needed for kids, it’s now …Meet the life-saving inventor Macinley Butson and brilliant percussionist Evelyn Glennie, interviewed by Kookie readers, as well as some rad girl animal lovers. Get top tips on how to fix things, try our super-easy energy ball recipes, learn how to make a terrarium, read uplifting advice from counsellor Cathy — and even more!  To order your copy of our UK edition, head to:  www.kookiemagazine.co.uk. Hop, skip, jump over here for our Australia edition:  www.kookiemagazine.com.au 

• Amanda Lu has been writing a gorgeous blog for teen girls called the “Teen Toolkit” for the last five years. There are a collection of fun thing to read, clean music, funny videos and mental health care tips. click here 

• GLOW WITH THE FLOW is an 8-Week Online Course for teen and pre-teen girls. The course teaches empowering and tangible tools so you feel supported when faced with challenges in and out of school. You will also learn other life-changing tools to build resilience and calm the mind so you feel more energised. You’ll also hear Gianna Lucas’ own transformative story and how it’s shaped who she is today. AND get excited because you will also learn about all things positive affirmations and goal-setting! From now until the 30th April, receive 20% off Gianna’s 8-Week Online Course! Simply enter promo code ‘GLOW20‘ to get the course for only $76.80. click here   

Things to Keep Moving: 

• Movement is super important for all of us at the moment. Your teenagers are probably already following the Zac Smith’s and the Bradley Martyn’s of the world. My young adult have just gone and brought a few cheap things like skipping ropes, resistance bands and light weights to get by.  Even things like a ping-pong table will go a long way at the moment. 

• These movement sites are more suited to tweens:
  • Go Noodle Engages 14 million kids every month with movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts. click here
  • Kid-friendly workouts. Choose from Strength for Kids, Agility for Kids, Flexibility and Balance for Kids, Warm-Up for Kids, Cooldown for Kids, Stand Up and Move for Kids, OR create your own custom kid workout. click here

Connecting During Isolation:

• Hopefully we can come up with more options than TIkTok!  Check in with your local interest groups to see if they are meeting online.  Dance groups, church youth groups and even the Girl Guides are exploring new ways of helping young people connect.  My newsletter next week will have more in this evolving space. I hear that Girls Guides are holding meetings online! click here

Child Protection:

• This is taken directly from WA’s Child Safety Services. Schools in Australia may soon close and children may be confined to their homes. For some children this means they may be forced to stay in homes were they may not be safe and may not feel safe. We encourage teachers and those of you who work with children to please revise “Networks” before this happens.  We want them to have a network of five trusted adults, chosen by the child who they believe will provide them with support, assistance and, if necessary, protection. We encourage a variety of people from a child’s life to be on their network. Ensure the Kids Helpline and 000 are on their network (up their sleeve). The network concept ties in closely with the second theme of Protective Behaviours, ‘We can talk with someone about anything, no matter what it is’. It encourages children to talk with specific people when they are feeling unsafe and need help. We also encourage children to practise accessing network members when they have good or exciting news to share.

          People on a child’s network must be: 
          Be an adult (or old enough to drive a car)
          Be Available
          Listen 
          Believe
          Assist, if necessary. 

          Teach children:
          Their network members’ phone numbers
          How to contact them
          How to call 000 and the Kids Helpline
          What to say on the phone

          Police 000
          Kids Helpline Official 1800 55 1800
          1800RESPECT 1800 737 732
          Headspace https://headspace.org.au
          Lifeline WA 13 11 44

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RELATED BLOG POSTS:

EDITION 1: TOP Pick Resources for Tweens and Teens. Last week’s special COVID-19 blog focussed on providing parents with resources to explain the coronavirus, boost resilience, support anxiety, and access sensory products and free, but fun educational content. If you missed it you can access it here.