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Last week we had a power outage that plunged our whole neighbourhood into darkness for the entire night. As we had no electricity or gas, we could only use the light of flickering of candles to help us manoeuvre our way around in the pitch dark. The positive side of this minor disaster was that there was no TV, no R&B or rap music, no popping sounds from the Facebook chat, no computers or computer games. There was only the sound of the wind blowing through the trees outside and the opportunity to see a crescent moon silently rising in an indigo-coloured sky not veiled by the city lights. It made me acutely aware of how intrusive our world of technology can be. Fortunately, many families have the opportunity during the summer months to spend some time away from their habitual urban lives.

Last Spring I was delighted to watch two robins in my garden, a mother and father, who were busily planning and preparing for the birth of their offspring. They were building an elaborate nest in my garden shed in the back of one of my old cardboard storage boxes. I felt honoured that they chose my shed as their venue for starting a new family. Planning and preparing are actually two very important cognitive functions that make up a group of what we call executive functions (EF). These advanced mental tasks include strategising, organising, setting goals, and paying attention to the important details that will help us achieve those goals.

Recently I became a grandmother and was surprised as my friends complimented me on my beaming smile and aura of radiance. At first I was dumbfounded by this new state of being; having never really relished the thought of becoming a grandmother. It used to conjure up images of being old, and the premise that old age is not valued or respected in our western society. This appears to be true especially for women who try to hide their age, are ashamed of their wrinkles and loathe the thought of being called ‘Granny’. I sought out others who have had this identity of grandparent bestowed upon them and there was a common theme that filled our conversations...

Last week we looked at some examples of individuals who have given credit for their achievements to others who made an impact on their lives. Today we will focus on how we can help the children in our lives to keep their minds open as they build their future and develop their self-esteem.

Do you remember who it was that dramatically changed your views and sent you in a different direction on your inspired journey? Thinking back there may have been one or two people or a handful, if you are lucky, who changed your life. Perhaps it started in childhood when someone took an interest in you and uplifted you in a way that it made a huge difference in how you viewed yourself and your own potential. In fact, that person believed in you when no one else ever thought of doing so. This had a life changing knock-on effect which set off an astounding chain of events, perhaps influencing you to discover your particular career path or life purpose.

A few weeks ago I went to a conference in California and met up with a colleague, Dr Pilar Placone, who I had not seen in over 20 years. After all these years it was delightful to discover that we had so much in common. In our clinical practice we resonated with similar interests in neuroscience and therapeutic approaches; especially parent-child attachment therapy and mindfulness. I felt very privileged to have been invited to one of Dr Placone’s parent classes. I watched how her program helped guide parents to a more connected state within themselves which created a deeper connection, a "felt sense" within their child. Mindfulness is a way of observing thoughts, feelings and sensory input in the present moment without reacting, distracting, or escaping from them, but rather learning to accept them in a non-judgemental way. The following article written by Pilar is about how the simple, yet powerful act of smiling can reduce stress and enhance the parent-child bond (no matter how old your child is)...

It’s been about a month since school started again after the summer holiday. Your child has changed teachers, or schools, and new ideas have set swirling in their minds. They have reconnected with friends and generally pass the day in a pleasant way that enriches them. For the parents of those kids who are content and settled, this makes life easier for them. For parents of children with special needs however, life is not so easy.

How do you make your children feel good about themselves so that they walk proud, feeling their own healthy power, with their heads high and their eyes shining?

Parents who have children with ADHD love them, as they are usually quirky, think outside the box, are straight forward with their feelings, energetic, charming, and creative. Parents also know that they can be demanding, fiery, and very difficult to raise. Sometimes parents can feel shattered and helpless and don’t know where to turn.