Key Takeaways:

Importance of Grandparents: Grandparents provide emotional stability, a sense of continuity, and resilience-building for grandchildren.

Building Relationships: Key strategies include discovering the grandchild's interests, participating in their milestone events, and documenting family histories.

Respect and Boundaries: Grandparents must respect the parenting styles and boundaries set by parents to avoid conflicts.

Dealing with Technology: Collaboration with parents on screen time rules is essential, alongside encouraging non-screen-related activities.

Supporting Special Needs: Grandparents should educate themselves about neurodiversity and adapt their interactions to meet the needs of their grandchildren.

Notable Quotes:

"A key component of resilience is having an adult in your life that I've referred to as a charismatic adult, someone from whom you can draw strength." – Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg

"Your job as a grandparent is to celebrate diversity, to recognise that, for example, ASD affects one in every 100 Australians." – Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg

"The most important thing is to remain neutral. You can't take sides. You've got to prioritise the wellbeing of the children." – Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg

"What grandparents should never do is undermine parental authority, offer unsolicited advice, criticise parental choices." – Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg

"The birth of a grandchild results in a sort of heartfelt, unconditional love that actually is an equal sequel to what they felt for their own children." – Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg

Resources:

Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg’s Book: Grandparents

Click here to contact Collett or ask her a question or Click here to contact the Raising Teens team.

Collett is a psychologist, qualified teacher, speaker, and internationally published author, with 25 years' experience working in private and public schools, as well as in private practice.

Visit Raising Teens for more resources, click here for Collett's books, or join the discussion on Facebook.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

Support the show: https://hope1032.com.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Key Takeaways:

Gratitude's Impact on Well-Being: Practicing gratitude can significantly improve happiness, optimism, and even physical health. Collett references research showing that people who focus on gratitude feel better about their lives and visit the doctor less frequently.

Empathy and Mirror Neurons: Empathy is crucial for fostering caring relationships and is neurologically wired into our brains through mirror neurons. Learning to understand and share others' feelings can significantly enhance social bonds and personal growth.

Mindfulness Through STOP: The STOP acronym (Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed) is a practical tool for parents and teens to integrate mindfulness into their lives, helping reduce stress and improve emotional regulation.

Modeling Desired Behaviors: Parents and carers play a critical role in teaching these traits by modeling gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness themselves. Collett emphasizes the importance of adults demonstrating these behaviors consistently.

Practical Techniques: Collett provides specific, actionable strategies, such as writing thank-you notes, keeping a gratitude journal, and observing the physical manifestation of emotions through breathing exercises.

Notable Quotes:

"Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what we receive, whether it's tangible or intangible."

"True empathy involves being able to take the perspective of others."

"It's important for us to give empathy to people who think differently to us. That is true empathy."

"The most effective method for teaching empathy is actually to show them empathy."

"Practicing gratitude every day, just for a two-week period, actually pulls the brain out of negative thinking."

Click here to contact Collett or ask her a question or Click here to contact the Raising Teens team.

Collett is a psychologist, qualified teacher, speaker, and internationally published author, with 25 years' experience working in private and public schools, as well as in private practice.

Visit Raising Teens for more resources, click here for Collett's books, or join the discussion on Facebook.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

Support the show: https://hope1032.com.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About Hugh Van Cuylenberg and The Resilience Project

Purchase the GEM Conversation Cards from The Resilience Project

Key Takeaways:

Integrating GEM Thoughts: Practicing Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness can significantly improve mental well-being and resilience.

Parental Involvement: Engaged parenting and modeling resilience can positively influence children’s ability to handle life’s challenges.

Importance of Structure: Establishing family routines like shared meals and structured activities helps maintain connection and teaches important social-emotional skills.

Mental Health Awareness: Understanding that resilience does not eliminate struggles with mental health but equips one to handle them more effectively.

Adapting to Change: Being flexible and adapting parenting strategies to meet the changing needs of children and adolescents ensures better support and fosters resilience.

Notable Quotes:

"When I was with these kids in India, I saw them practicing gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness every day, and they were so unbelievably happy." - Hugh Van Cuylenberg

"I want my kids to experience life's ups and downs because I think they help make the highs so much higher." - Hugh Van Cuylenberg

"The best memories I have of childhood would not have happened if I had a device in my hand." - Hugh Van Cuylenberg

"My goal is to give teenagers those 36 months of their life back by keeping them off social media until they are 16." - Hugh Van Cuylenberg

"Practicing GEM—Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness—doesn't mean you won't struggle. It means you'll have the tools to handle those struggles better." - Hugh Van Cuylenberg

Resources:

The Resilience Project: theresilienceproject.com.au

Hugh van Cuylenberg on Instagram: @theresilienceproject__

The Imperfects Podcast

Click here to contact Collett or ask her a question or Click here to contact the Raising Teens team.

Collett is a psychologist, qualified teacher, speaker, and internationally published author, with 25 years' experience working in private and public schools, as well as in private practice.

Visit Raising Teens for more resources, click here for Collett's books, or join the discussion on Facebook.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram.

Support the show: https://hope1032.com.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.