I am Jeni Hooper a child psychologist and wellbeing coach working with families and organisations to help children develop their full potential. I specialise in Positive Psychology, the science of wellbeing. I developed the Flourishing Programme for children to boost wellbeing and make practical changes which get results. Contact me on 01962 889437 to discuss your coaching, training or workshop needs.
Confidence comes from within, it is based on knowing what you can do and remembering how you have succeeded in the past. Confidence must be based on accurate self knowledge. Offering false praise by telling a child you know they can do it, to build their self esteem, won’t help much unless it prompts a memory [...]
Do you know someone whose is concerned about their child? Here’s how you can help them, you do not need to know the answer to their problem but your emotional support will be appreciated. One of the rewarding aspects of being an experienced Child Psychologist is hearing news from past clients as their children mature [...]
In my positive child psychology practice I see children who are facing all sorts of challenges that make them sad, worried or insecure. This may be new because of some unforeseen event or may have been going on for sometime with little impact from what has been tried to date. Their families want things to [...]
The debate about parenting style is rarely out of the news. We have books about cultural differences: is the French emphasis on manners superior to the Chinese pursuit of achievement or the American pre-occupation with instilling self esteem. We are endlessly fascinated by what others do and books about parenting style provide the chance to [...]
The take up of free nursery places for 3 and 4 year olds is 95% and many parents will be alarmed that its benefits are being questioned by the government’s spending watchdog, The National Audit Office. Last week the N.A.O. explored the outcomes of making 15 hours of nursery education available. The good news is [...]
Children who shout out answers in class turn out to be the most successful learners according to a spate of articles in the press today. My heart sank as I suspect did 1,000’s of teachers reading this. Our common sense tells us this is only a partial truth. The story wouldn’t have made headlines unless it confounded [...]
Sometimes we feel stuck with a problem and can’t work out what to do. It is easy to tell yourself there is no way forward. This is your pessimistic inner critic talking. We all have one. This activity is designed to get past your inner critic and access your creative and optimistic self. It [...]
Is self-control important or is it a rather out-moded, almost Victorian concept, which has no place in the modern world? On the one hand it invites images of cold baths and self denial while in contrast we are reminded of the planning and dedication that goes into training to be an Olympic class athlete or [...]
Learning to succeed is the result of developing and using a set of specific skills not a matter of how bright you are. All children can improve their progress with these skills. Although measured IQ is rising with each generation ( around 3 IQ points per decade), educational standards are not rising at [...]
Happiness is a word we use easily and often to describe feeling good. Happiness is about feelings and emotion while the concept of wellbeing is a wider and includes our thoughts, relationships and our personal circumstances. Wellbeing is an important idea but it somehow doesn’t trip of the tongue in the same way. How is [...]
