Quirky Kid Clinic » Play

Importance of Play @ The Circle

Leonardo Rocker — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 21:48:23 +0000

Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed the importance of play and play time, with ”The Circle’ Presenter. You can find useful, practical and informative advice about parenting by visiting our resources page, – or discussing it on our forum.

Kimberley provided some tips for parents during the segment:

1. Observe your child at play and follow their interests.
2. Ask your child to explain the rules of the game.
3. Wear comfortable clothes and relax.
4. Give yourself adequate time to play.
5. Rid yourself of any distractions, eg: Blackberry or a chatty adult.

To view more information about the story, visit ‘The Circle Website’

If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media. View our media appearances to-date.

Birth order @ The Circle Kimberley O’Brien, our principal child psychologist, discussed the relevance of...
The Psychology of Play and Gift-Giving @ Sky News Kimberley discussed the topic of play and gift giving with...
The Importance of Cuddling @ ABC Radio Kimberley discussed the importance of cuddling with reporters at ABC...

Bullying

Leonardo Rocker — Sat, 08 May 2010 09:55:22 +0000

Bullying occurs when someone or a group of people cause psychological or physical harm to another person, or damage their property, reputation or social acceptance, on more than one occasion. Bullying can take on many forms. Direct bullying involves physical aggression and verbal attacks. Indirect bullying is more subtle and can include actions such as exclusion and ignoring, spreading rumours, embarrassing and humiliating others.

Bullying has also been reported to occur in internet chat rooms, and via email and text messaging – cyber-bullying. Children who are bullied experience real suffering which can affect their social, emotional and educational development.

New Anti-Harassment Laws will give legal protection for young people tormented by Bullying. The new legislations means young people under the age of 16 will be able to use sexual harassment laws to protect themselves.

How can I tell if my child is being bullied?

Does your child find excuses for not going to school, e.g. being sick?
Is your child tense, tearful and/or unhappy before or after school?
Does your child have unexplained bruises or scratches?
Is your child showing difficulties sleeping such as nightmares or bedwetting?
Does your child talk about not liking school or other children at school?
Have you noticed your child’s standard of school work declining?
Have you noticed a change in the usual behaviour pattern of your child?
Does your child have a lack of friends at school?

How can I tell if my child is bullying others?

Does your child talk about his/her peers in a negative or aggressive way?
Does your child have money, toys or other items that do not belong to him/her?
Does your child have difficulties getting along easily with others?
Is your child involved in a peer group that supports bullying behaviour?

What can I do if I am or someone I know being bullied?

There are many things you can do to deal with bullying and this includes trying to deal with it yourself, like ignoring the bully, hanging out with friends, and being confident.
If bullying does not stop, you should seek help. Talk to a friend, a family member, teacher or psychologist. Talking to someone will help you feel better.
Find out about your school anti-bullying policy. Not dough this has happened to many other people before and there will be a standard approach to addressed.
If bullying happens outside school – it can be useful to ask any witnesses to support you as you approach authority figures like bus drivers, police or similar.
It is important to deal with bullying immediately to reduce the likelihood of it reoccurring over a longer period of time.

How can the Quirky Kid Clinic help my child?

If you suspect your child may be experiencing bullying, or bullying others, please contact the Quirky Kid Clinic on (02) 9362 9297 to discuss the following options:

Individual counselling and therapy with one of our experienced Child Psychologists
“The Best of friends” and “Self Esteem” workshops for individuals and class groups
School-based intervention and support

Cyberbullying Research Presented by senior researchers from the UTS Health Psychology Unit,...
Cyberbullying What is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying refers to bullying that occurs through...
Child Therapy @ Today Show Kimberley discussed the Quirky Kid’s therapeutic workshops with reporters at...

Dolls with Disabilities @ The Australian

Leonardo Rocker — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 03:49:06 +0000

Kimberley discussed the topic of dolls with disabilities with The Australian reporter Carol Midgley. You can find out more about whether dolls with disabilities should be incorporated into children’s play, by visiting our resources page or discussing it on our forum.

The full article is available on the The Australian website.