July Glimmers: Cherished Moments & Core Memories
Just like that, we're already almost two weeks into the school holidays! July has marked a significant milestone for my family as my eldest finished primary school (eek).
I've been on a bit of a work marathon to reach this point, and I can’t wait for some well-deserved family time together, interrailing over the next couple of weeks.
This is a roundup of what we have been up to in July:
Cherished Moments & Core Memories
A glimmer (tiny moment of joy) this month was joining my youngest on a school trip. These opportunities don't come around often, so I jumped at the chance!
What truly resonated was hearing her piano teacher share, how she still remembers a school trip with her granny from when she was a child. It's such a powerful reminder that these core memories truly stay with us and our kids, so whenever work and life allow, intentionally create that quality time with our families. With that in mind here are some simple tips from Laura to thrive and not just survive the holidays:
Sporting Success & Future Plans
This month has been packed full of sport! From Laura living her dream (though not playing, that would be next-level) watching tennis on Court 1 at Wimbledon, to various sports days, and my eldest dancing her heart out with her buddies in her dance show.
And of course, the Lionesses winning the Euros! What an incredible achievement that brought so much joy and positivity.
Sport for kids, especially when combined with our Happy Confident Kids tools, can bring such a positive impact. We even have some exciting sports news of our own coming soon with a new partnership – watch this space for more more.
Inspiring Insights: Our Student Placement
It was such a privilege to have a girl join us for three days on a placement from Kenilworth School. It was amazing to gain J’s fresh insights, benefit from her support, and give her a sneak peek into our world here at Happy Confident Kids.
J shared her views on "Should Kids Have Smartphones?" in our article:
As part of her placement, J came with me on at visit to Walsall, so we could map a family wellbeing route.
It was her very first time experiencing a canal, and it was amazing to see her reaction.
"Upon first arriving in Walsall, I was unsure about the location of the canal being so close to more industrial and run-down buildings, especially as other reservoirs and nature reserves I have visited were much more separate and isolated from busy centres.
However, as we walked along the path beside the canal, it was much easier than I thought to become immersed in the sounds and sights of the nature around, and I really loved hearing the sounds of the water and birds without any background noise of cars or traffic disturbing."
Alongside this visit, J also had the opportunity to join us on a school transition workshop and attend various meetings with schools and partners to see what goes on behind the scenes.
Navigating Transition From Primary to Secondary
July continued our projects helping primary school kids positively navigate the transition to secondary school, as we delivered a "family well-being" session. This was specifically for kids (and their families) who find attending school challenging. This particular workshop truly highlighted the power of nature to calm anxieties and build confidence, and the importance of creating positive core memories at school.
You can read more about this transformational session here:
Here's what J shared about her experience of starting secondary school and her advice for those following in her footsteps:
“For me, the main worry before starting secondary school had been making new friends and being able to fit into an entirely new setting with new people – a worry which lots of my friends and certainly nearly every other student had. It’s important to remember how new this is for everyone - both teachers and students alike are very supportive of the transition, having been in that position themselves, and being in tutors and classes with familiar people helps a lot to build connections over time without being overwhelmed.
Whilst the transition may seem a big, daunting jump from Primary to Secondary, I would reassure my younger self of how understanding the teachers will be to provide students with the time they need to adjust, and encourage any new Year 7s to talk to their teachers, especially their tutors, who are there to support them with any worries or concerns – they have helped students with this change year after year and will be more than happy to help!”
We're also working on a really exciting, long-term project with a Secondary school to take this impact to the next level. It's been taking over my evenings, getting this off the ground, and we can't wait to share it with everyone.
Project Playground: Bringing Play Back!
Our Project Playground initiative is in full swing, and we're really excited as we bring this together and start applying for funding. It was really cool at the weekend to speak to my niece and nephew about their views on playtime in schools. Their situation is very similar to many other secondary schools where they often have access to no activities or kit in lunchtimes. They asked me to get this initiative into their schools, which really reinforced why we're so excited about the next steps for this project. Imagine: circus skills, volleyball, football, waling routes, bringing joy and movement back to school playgrounds! If you're interested in supporting or getting involved, please reach out.
Canal & River Trust Well-being Maps Launched
A truly wonderful (super hot) day working with the Canal & River Trust, seeing families connect with nature by the water and launching the wellbeing map.
Alongside launching the map we also ran two FREE “family in the wild sessions”.
It was so lovely to be joined by a mix of families who all came together to enjoy quality family time. From making boats to sitting under a shady tree listening to Laura telling “the canals story”, it was an amazing oasis of calm at the canal with the backdrop of the city buildings behind us.
We can also confirm upcoming dates for the next FREE family well-being sessions:
Manchester: 29th August, link to book here.
Foxton Locks: 29th August at Foxton Locks, one of my favourite canals so far (booking open soon you can register interest here)
We’ve also started the training of eight Canal & River Trust education staff on how to integrate nature-based well-being into their offerings, you can read more about the map launch and educator training here:
Academic Updates & Boosting Confidence
July brought exam results for many students, including SATs. We know this can be a time of mixed emotions, and we're here to support.
Looking ahead, we're really excited to be working with a rockstar maths teacher, developing a new maths confidence workshop. Whether you're a teacher interested in delivering this program or a student seeking support to build your maths confidence, please register your interest here: hello@happyconfidentkids.com
Our Kids Coaching Community
Our one-to-one kids coaching community continues make a profound difference, providing tailored support that truly helps young people thrive.
Now more than ever, kids need support with their mental health, and we are so grateful to all the parents and schools who continue to reach out for help and our network of amazing kids coaches who provide support. We have some incredibly exciting news for those looking to join our mission as a Kids Confidence Coach:
We're partnering with an NLP training company to offer a new course where you will be trained both as an NLP Practitioner (teaching you the power of words and much more) and then a Happy Confident Kids coach. This means we can train coaches in a faster and more cost-effective way, so our tools can reach even more young people. If you've ever considered coaching kids and would like to work with us, please say hello@happyconfidentkids.com
As always, if you have a question you'd like support with, please comment below – we'd love to help!