Kimberley O’Brien and the Quirky Kid team are committed to contributing to various publications and media outlets on topics of interest to parents and families alike. Please enjoy this resource as an easy access database to all of our recent collaborations, interviews and publications.
July 2018 – October 2018 Update
Channel Ten News – Lessons for Life on the Changes of the NSW Curriculum on Mental health. Read the story here.
The Big Smoke – School refusal and the growing condition in our kid. Read the story here.
The Big Smoke – NSW Education Renewal
ABC Radio – Discussing the importance of healthy father daughter relationships (ABC Radio)
ABC Radio (Perth) – Discussing the impact on children of witnessing the recent violent incident during an AFL football match
Homelife Magazine – Giving Positive Feedback to Children
If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Dr Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media.
The Quirky Kid Team is looking forward to meeting with parents and professionals during our 2018 Open Day. This is a great opportunity to explore our inspiring clinical space, engage with our team and explore our products and programs for parents, professionals and schools.
Here is what to expect:
12:00pm Explore our clinical space, meet with our Quirky Kid staff and colleagues, and get close and personal with the Quirky Kid products, programs and resources.
12:30pm Chat with our CEO and Principal Educational and Developmental Psychologist Dr Kimberley O’Brien about her approach to child therapy and her vision for Quirky Kid.
12:50pm Enjoy the company of our Psychologist Belinda Nixon as she talks about the Best of Friends and BaseCamp programs and how you can take advantage of the materials at your home or school.
1:30pm Find out from our Psychologist Dawn Young about our clinical and assessment strengths and find the answers to your frequently asked questions including therapeutic approaches, day to day tips for health and well being and more.
In addition, you will have a chance to:
Ask questions from our team
Learn more about our employment and volunteering opportunities
Discuss more about our in-school and clinic-based services
Understand more about how we can support schools with clinical services and programs
Who Should Attend?
Parents and professionals are all welcome. Thursday 26th July, 12:00pm – 2:00 pm.
Address: Level 1, Unit 2, 83-85 Queen Street Woollahra NSW
Quirky Kid is a resident start-up of the iAccelerate program, which is a business accelerator and incubator facilitated and supported by the University of Wollongong (UOW). iAccelerate is the largest single University supported program of its type in the country, has supported more than 100 business start-ups since 2012.
Kimberley was one of the many distinguished guests present, including iAccelerate CEO Omar Khalifa and representatives from other iAccelerate resident companies – Me3d and Recovery Camp.
Kimberley introduced the important work we do at Quirky Kid and discussed out the journey from an initial start-up business to a successful publisher of therapeutic resources with clinics based in Sydney and Wollongong. Kimberley also reinterred the benefits of the iAccelerate for startups like Quirky Kid, including support and access to a network of like-minded business people
Additionally, Kimberley highlighted Quirky Kid’s vision of supporting and developing children’s social and emotional learning (SEL) on a global scale; introduced some of the Technology-Based products we are developing and discussed our research partnership with the University of Wollongong.
Greatness comes in many forms and is quite subjective depending on an individual’s age and abilities. For a child overcoming anxiety, greatness may be winning a public speaking competition or finding the courage to confront a new fear. For others, greatness may reveal itself through academic or sporting achievements, kindness, creativity or thoughtful leadership. In any case, discovering one’s unique strengths or passions is easier with the help of a caring coach, an attentive teacher, or a dedicated parent.
According to a recent survey of Australian students in Year 4 to 12, parents and teachers are the greatest influencers of a student’s sense of satisfaction and fulfillment (State of Victoria, Dept of Education and Training, 2017). Therefore, it is essential for parents and teachers to give sound advice on the subject of achieving greatness as defined by the child.
Leadership expert, Robert Kaplan (2013), developed a roadmap for reaching potential. In brief, he suggests greatness is achieved when we know our strengths, take the initiative and connect our daily actions to a clearly defined goal. For most children, defining a goal is easy but taking the initiative to make it happen is usually dependent on the adults around them. That’s where we come in!
Here’s what you can do:
Foster their self-belief. For example, if you know a child who aspires to be a professional soccer player, help them find a great coach or coaching clinic. For those with more left-of-centre skills outside the areas of sporting or academia, keep an open mind to the activities available that might help push their strengths to new levels. Show them that you believe in them and make it happen!
Research together. Show young people how to take the initiative by helping them to research and connect with experts in their field of interest. A child with a passion for making robots would be forever empowered if you showed them how to contact the Head Inventor at Battlebots. Imagine if they said yes to a Skype call?
Use a wide-angle lens. Think broadly when it comes to inspiring young people. Be proactive and organise a range of guests to visit your school to spark an interest in every child. These could include artists, refugees, adventurers or someone with a “diffability” who is pursuing a passion. You never know when inspiration will strike!
Set an example. Take on a challenge of your own and you will inspire others to do the same. Show some initiative and take steps on a daily basis to reach your goal. Share your journey’s highs and lows with the young people around you and make haste towards your destination.
Work together. Challenges aren’t meant to be simple, but staying focused on the task at hand is easier when those around you are doing the same. Achieve greatness among your classmates, family or friends and your success will be even sweeter!
Power Up:
Our online Performance Psychology program Power Up! has been specially created for kids who want to push their performance skills to the next level. Power Up! gives them the power to: build self-confidence, cope with the pressures of competition, overcome self-doubt and negative self-talk, set goals and make plans to achieve them and maximise performance in any chosen field.
References:
Kaplan, R.S. (2013) What You’re Really Meant to Do: A Roadmap for Reaching your Unique Potential.Ebook. HBR.
Right School-Right Place (2017) State of Victoria. Department of Education and Training (Vic).
We hope you enjoy this resource as an easy-access portal to all of our recent collaborations, interviews and publications. Kimberley O’Brien and the Quirky Kid team are committed to contributing to various publications and media outlets on topics of interest to parents and families alike.
Essential Kids – The problem with Prince George and his toy gun
If you have a story and would like to discuss it with us, please contact us to schedule a time. Dr Kimberley O’Brien enjoys sharing the best of her therapeutic moments with the media.
