I spent an entire school term working as a counsellor at a primary school. 19 kids on my roster. And what I learned sitting with them changed how I think about what parents need to know right now.
In this episode I break down the 3 biggest things I saw coming up over and over again:ย
screen time and what it is really doingย
why so many kids have stopped talking to their parents andย
why what your child is doing online is not as safe as you think.ย
I share what worked in my sessions, what I heard from parents and teachers, and how this experience has shaped what I want to do next.
If you are a parent doing your best and still feeling like something is off with your kid, this episode is for you.
๐ Books referenced in this episode:
โ The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary
โ Loving What Is by Byron Katie
โ No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz
Chapters
00:00:00 Three Things Parents Need to Know: Opening Insights from School Counseling
00:01:07 Welcome to the Confidence Chronicles and Episode 500 Celebration
00:02:58 Going Back to School: My Journey to a Bachelor's in Psychotherapy
00:05:30 Slowing Down to Speed Up: Structure and Systems in Business
00:07:15 Choosing the School: From Prison Work to Primary School Counseling
00:08:24 19 Kids and a Rotating Door: The Reality of School Counseling
00:10:35 Lesson One: Screen Time Is Destroying Our Kids and We Don't Know How to Stop It
00:11:55 The Vertical Video Slot Machine: Why Your Kids Need Phone Boundaries Now
00:13:58 Lesson Two: Communication Breakdown and Why Your Kid Won't Talk to You
00:15:19 The Family Meeting Rock: Creating a Culture of Communication at Home
00:16:42 Teaching Kids About Their Bodies and Strange Behavior
00:18:19 We're Not Really Strangers: Games That Build Family Connection
00:19:30 Lesson Three: Online Safety and the Roblox Problem Parents Don't See
00:23:01 Australia's Shocking Child Safety Statistics and Internet Dangers
00:23:58 Setting Boundaries: Being the Mom Who Checks the Chat
00:24:30 The 16-Year-Old Social Media Ban: Why Laws Won't Protect Your Kids
00:25:09 Teaching Life Skills: Mindset, Communication, and Emotional Intelligence
00:25:39 The Power of Just Being There: Why One Safe Adult Changes Everything
00:26:00 Abandonment Issues and Guilt: Processing My Own Childhood Wounds
00:26:38 How Kids Actually Want to Talk: Toys, Games, and Shoulder-to-Shoulder
00:27:31 Girls, Confidence, and Body Image: The Struggles No One Talks About
00:28:15 The Demand Is Overwhelming: Why Every School Needs a Permanent Counselor
00:28:36 High-Need Kids and Triage: Understanding Why Some Children Are Prioritized
00:29:06 From Prison Dreams to Kid Calling: Why This Placement Wasn't a Mistake
00:29:31 The Last Day Tears: Parents, Teachers, and Kids Saying Thank You
00:29:58 Did I Do Enough? Wrestling with the Need to Serve More
00:30:32 No One Knew I Was the Queen of Confidence: Being Someone to Those Kids
00:31:03 The Juggling Act: Running Kids, Family, Business, and Life
00:31:53 Single Parents Are Queens: Taking Off the Crown for You
00:32:18 Placement 2028 and What's Brewing: The Future of This Work
00:32:38 Keep Talking to Your Kids: Final Advice for Parents
00:32:47 Resources: Dr. Shefali, Byron Katie, and Pouring Into Yourself First
00:33:20 Join the 500 Episode Virtual Party: Thank You for Listening
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โ Becoming Magnetic: https://shop.thequeenofconfidence.com/collections/book
โ Follow Erika on Instagram: @thequeenofconfidence
โ Website: https://thequeenofconfidence.com
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