Anxiety in children is increasing at an exponential rate all over the
world. Living with anxious thoughts is like having a monkey that's
constantly chattering inside your head. Parents and professionals agree
that early intervention is the key as childhood anxiety impacts on
development and learning.Strategies to build resilience and to encourage
persistence are highly valued in schools, higher education and the
workplace. However, the competitive nature of our world has led children
to believe that mistakes lead to failure, rather than leading to
learning and growth.Children need to know that its normal for people to
feel anxious, particularly when they are faced with something new. For
adults, it may be starting a new job, traveling overseas for the first
time, or meeting potential new in-laws! For children, it may simply be
to ask questions in class, trying to make a new friend or playing a new
sport. We can all develop personal techniques and strategies that help
to 'tame' our monkeys, as the method that works for one person, might
not work for another.Monkey Mind is a picture book designed to open the
conversation with children, parents and carers: Having a growth mindset
is when a person knows that mistakes are part of their learning journey;
it's how we grow emotionally as well as intellectually.