What’s Going On Inside My Head?: Starting conversations with your child about positive mental health by Molly Potter
The low-down: Molly Potter’s introduction to mental health and how to keep a healthy mind is part of her series of books that aim to “help children navigate life’s tricky bits.” In this brightly coloured guide, she breaks the subject down into manageable two-page sections covering areas such as positive self image, relationships and the synergy between a healthy body and mind.
Best for: Vibrant illustrations by Sarah Jennings include thought bubbles that give pictorial insights into what might be going on in other people’s heads. These pictures are a great starting point for conversations with younger children, while there is enough well-written and clearly presented advice to keep older children captivated too.
The book is included in the Reading Well for Children booklist, a selection of books that have been chosen by leading health professionals to help children understand their feelings and cope with tough times. The booklist is targeted at children in Key Stage 2 (aged 7-11).
Thumbs up: Molly Potter has that special knack of being able to take a potentially complex subject and make it seem effortlessly straightforward.
Don’t miss: The guidance for parents and carers at the back of the book. It contains practical tips for developing resilience and supporting positive mental health.
- What’s Going On Inside My Head?: Starting conversations with your child about positive mental health is published by Featherstone, Bloomsbury Publishing.
What’s Going On Inside My Head – Pearls of wisdom
On helpful thinking
“Sometimes we think too much about what we’re not good at or we compare ourselves to others and decide we’re rubbish! This is never a helpful thing to do.”
Dealing with feelings
“Emotions are all part of being human and you can’t avoid them. In fact, trying to ignore them is not a good idea. Getting good at dealing with feelings helps to keep our minds healthy.”
Asking for help
“Help is a good thing. When we’re struggling, asking for help and getting it is a really smart thing to do.”
Forgiving yourself
“When you make a mistake, it’s important that you forgive yourself (and hopefully learn from it so you don’t make the same mistake again!). Forgiving yourself helps you keep a healthy mind.”
