Supporting your child’s mindset is extremely important. Children experience feelings just the same as adults, they have feelings of frustration, excitement, nervousness, sadness, jealousy, fear, worry, anger, embarrassment and many more. The past year has had a huge impact on many people’s mental health, making some increasingly more anxious. Looking after your child's mental health There are a number of ways to look after your child's mental health. Below are 6 important steps that will help you to do this. ● Start conversation early and be open ● Watch for changes in behaviour ● Try doing things to encourage conversation ● Lead by example ● Promote healthy screen time habits ● Consult an expert if you need to Children love routine and structure so whilst it is important that we look after their fragile minds, it is also important that we remember to recognise and reward good behaviour as well as recognising and disciplining poor behaviour.

Reading is a key part of the national curriculum; it is an essential skill for everyday life. Research has shown that children need to be read with (or read to) every day for them to become confident readers. This will help them to include reading in their routine and begin to enjoy reading as part of their day. It is important to read books that are age appropriate to ensure your child’s confidence grows. Benefits of Reading Reading has several benefits for children, not only does it increase their imagination but it also enriches language and vocabulary while improving brain function and development. Regular reading also increases knowledge and information, helps literacy skills and develops creativity. Reading is a great way to reduce stress, improves concentration and help to sharpen your child’s memory. Reading Levels Reading books in school are split into reading levels/stages. Usually, your child will be given a reading level at school once they have been assessed but you can also use this simple test to assess from home. Book bands and levels are usually the same across all the publishers including Oxford Reading Tree, Bug Club and Collins Big Cat. This means wherever you shop you can ensure you are purchasing appropriate level books for your child to read from home.