The Maudsley Charity has created a series of bite-sized animations – ‘Families Under Pressure’ – for parents struggling with the lockdown, homeschooling and COVID-19 pandemic.
They’re narrated by some of the UK’s most famous parents including Danny Dyer, Olivia Colman, Rob Brydon and Holly Willoughby and inspired by mental health awareness week, held earlier this month.
The series of eight videos feature parenting tips and advice from leading clinicians based at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke, professor of developmental psychology, psychiatry and neuroscience at KCL, said: “We are hearing that many families are struggling with restrictions.
“This comes as no surprise as research shows that bored and worried children are more likely to play up and cause disruption, and frustrated parents can over-react to these challenges.
“Very quickly, these sorts of behaviours can escalate and lead to the breakdown of relationships and exacerbation of problems.
“The idea for Families Under Pressure came when I was thinking about how my poor old mum might have coped with me in this situation, as I was quite a handful as a child.
“What advice would she have found helpful?
“These tips were originally intended to support families dealing with the pressures of ADHD and other behaviour challenges but are relevant for families facing the current challenges too.
“I’m sure that having well-loved and recognisable parents narrating and a digestible and shareable format will really help at a time when it is needed most.”
Watch online https://maudsleycharity.org/familiesunderpressure/