Interview with Registered EuroPsy Psychologist - Dr Jill Jenkins
What is the philosophy behind Positive Parenting Plus?
We are a multidisciplinary group of developmental and mental health specialists for children who aim to work collectively in assisting children, parents, and schools.
Why was it started?
Positive Parenting Plus! Has long been a dream of mine – it was started to provide a collective approach to the challenges of childhood; whether these are small difficulties, or highly significant ones, having a group of professionals that can work together to advocate for children and their needs is a wonderful service for parents and communities.
What services do you offer parents?
We offer parent consultation, assessment, therapy, and school consultation.
What have you find are the main concerns among parents in recent times for school age children?
Many of the concerns that parents come to us about have been around for many years; learning challenges, giftedness, adoption issues, peer pressure, bullying, depression, anxiety…and many more, have been around for years and years. Some other issues are newer though; our technological world brings with it a whole new social system that children grow up in, and within that “world” several issues can emerge such as cyberbullying, exposure to age inappropriate information, and social exclusion from certain groups. Our world is also more mobile; many of the parents that I see have moved several times with their children. Grieving and transitioning issues are common issues seen. The team at Positive Parenting offers a team of experts in different fields,
How do you assess which therapy is suitable for a child?
Every parent comes in for an initial appointment, where a full developmental and family history are taken, in addition to a discussion of the current concerns and environmental stressors. The outcome of that initial appointment will help to decide whether a child requires a multidisciplinary assessment (which would then guide the direction of therapy) or whether their challenges, and the parents preferences, already indicate the right direction for intervention.
ADHD is an childhood illness which has been much talked about recently, what are the main symptoms and how do you go about treating them?
That is a really big question! There are books that answer that one! In a nutshell though, there are three different “types” of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); there is the Predominantly Inattentive Type, the Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type, and the Combined Type. ADHD Inattentive type is characterized by symptoms such as carelessness with schoolwork, difficulty sustaining attention to tasks, not listening when directly spoken to, not following through on instructions, difficulties in organizing tasks and activities, losing things necessary for tasks (i.e. pencils, books, etc), distractibility, and forgetfulness in daily activities. These symptoms must be present to some extent before the age of seven and must have a significant affect on the child’s ability to give-and-take. ADHD Hyperactive/ Impulsive Type is characterized by fidgetiness, leaving ones seat when they are meant to remain seated, running or climbing excessively in situations where they are not meant to, difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly, and being often “on the go” or acting as if “driven by a motor”. The Combined Type of ADHD is a child who exhibits symptoms in both areas of functioning. How do we treat them; there are a variety of behavioral and psychopharmacological approaches that can be taken to alleviate ADHD.
Can ADHD continue into adulthood if not dealt with effectively?
Yes, even if dealt with effectively – ADHD has a known neuropsychological basis. The strength of symptoms can lessen, and people learn coping mechanisms as they age, but the underlying challenges may persist.
Have you found much incidence of bullying among children from International families?
Bullying happens in all types of school populations. In some ways, international families are even more vulnerable to it. One model, for example, suggests that at the root of bullying is a need for children to develop a “pecking order” of sorts; if the children is in a school are constantly changing, this pecking order (in theory) would need to be constantly evolving.
What advice would you give to a parent who believes their child is being bullied?
That they react immediately and go to speak with their school principal or counselor. If they do not find solutions that they are happy with, seek other professional help. Bulling once started usually continues for some time and can hold long term repercussions for the victim (as well as for the “bystanders”)
What advice can you give a parent if they believe their child is the bullier?
I would suggest that they seek professional help for their child as soon as possible. Bullies have a much higher incidence of juvenile crime, violence, drug and alcohol use. Any child that is gaining power in the social setting by chronically hurting or humiliating another child is clearly stating that they have emotional challenges that must be tackled before they further escalate. May I also say that there is a third party in this equation – beyond the bully and the victim, is the bystander. Bystanders are the children who stand by and watch as other children are bullied. They hold a much more powerful position then they realize; research shows that 60% of the times that bystanders intervene, bullying stops. Bullying is a social behavior with social rewards. If bystanders are brave enough to stand up for victims, they could make a major different in the school climate. Bystanders also suffer long term consequences, by the way, when chronically exposed to bullying. Many will feel guilt long into their adulthood for never having had “stood up for” a child that they saw victimized.
How do you advise parents & children to cope with the transient culture which often forms part of their lives? What are the main effects transience has on children?
There are a lot of tips for parents on how to help their children through moves; many depend on the age of their child (come to the Moving Again! Talk in May to hear specific advice!). In general though, for children (and for parents!) the main issue in moving is loss. Even if our move is for the better, even if we know it will be great… we all still need to say goodbye. Often to everything (school, home, job, friends, religious institutions, food… our favorite movie theater) for international moves. That is a whole bunch of stress! And a whole lot of goodbyes. The secret is learning how to embrace the goodbye, to celebrate the time we had, and to incorporate it into our future and who “we are”.
Do you feel children suffer both emotionally and educationally when they enter into a schooling environment which is not in their native tongue?
Again, my personal belief is that this depends on the child’s age. It also depends on whether the parent speaks the language that the child is being taught in. If they do not, they will most likely find that it will alienate them for some extent to their child’s education; helping with homework and projects can be limited, as can be a feeling of community involvement.
If someone is interested in your services how would they best contact you?
Best to call over to Positive Parenting Plus! At 935-041-690 or to email me at jjenkins@telefonica.net
(February 17th 2010)
