The Internet is like a puddle

Shona Innes and Irisz Agócs. (illustrator) 

Five Mile Press, Victoria, 2014

ISBN 9781760064167

For children aged 3-6 yrs

A cautionary tale

Don’t let the wide-eyed animals in “The internet is like a puddle” lull you into thinking all is calm. Expect a serious message. There are loads of fun things to do and games to play on the internet. Look out for a crocodile with plenty of teeth idling in the puddle but don’t be deceived. This book will help adults communicate a cautionary approach to internet time and start conversations with young children about safe internet play.

The internet can be a bit tricky

There’s lots of games and splashing fun to be had in a puddle, the water may appear to be shallow but can be deep and mirky underneath. In this picture book koala is absorbed stepping out with his mobile phone, rabbit and bear are on a lap top, ipad or ‘device’, mouse looks on holding a red polka-dot ball. The first inkling of difficulty comes when frog jumps head first into the pond, the internet can be “a bit tricky”. 

The first inkling of difficulty comes when frog jumps head first into the pond

Child-friendly story about online safety

Young children in many Australian families may not ask “what’s the internet?” Going online is just part of daily life. This little gem of a book is going to be helpful for adults wanting to create awareness about internet safety from a child’s perspective. 

Shona Innes, the author, uses words like “deep’, ‘stuck’, ‘trouble’ and ‘tricky’. Awareness is raised about safety and chatting to strangers, also health and wellbeing. Bears eyes droop from playing too long.

Feelings and reactions are explored, the internet is fun to play with and because of this it can be hard to say ‘no’. This validates feelings children may have if they are asked to say ‘no’ to the chance to dip into the ‘internet puddle’. It might seem unfair when ‘everyone else gets to play’.

Role of a parent or carer

Big bear holds Little bears paw at the edge of a pond. Duck is happily floating in the “puddle”. Then something doesn’t look right, a large crocodile with lots of teeth and a menacing smile waits in the pond with an inflatable purple floaty ring. The message is clear, a safe person needs to be there to make sure children don’t go in too deep and if this happens, they know what to do next. Notes for parents and teachers about technology use, setting limits and being internet safe are at the back of the book. Shona Innes, is a qualified clinical and forensic psychologist.

This book has engaging illustrations with thoughtful text and provides a wonderful means for communicating with children in a child-friendly way. It is one of several books from the Big hug series featuring expressive and warm animal illustrations and sharing emotional challenges.

Please get in touch if you would like to read The Internet is like a puddle, You are like you or Worries are like clouds. I purchased copies from The Children’s Bookshop they can also be purchased online. Recommended retail price is $14.95.

Crocodile, Freshwater Station, Cairns

More on internet, cyber or online safety?

World issues: Staying safe online is a recent book for primary students, with plenty of photos and accessible text.  Parents can link to Australian Government’s Office of the Children’s eSafety Commission, for guidance and strategies in the home, including managing technology. The publication A parent’s guide to online safety is available 5 languages. Life Education, visits schools to empower children and young people to make safer and healthier resources through education. Parents can find out about how to start conversations with their children.

Your feedback is valuable. Do you have any children’s 

resources that have helped explain internet safety?

Jillian Rattray

AWCH librarian

Email: Jillian@awch.com.au

November 2016

H is for Healthcare preparation

“…positive healthcare experiences for children shape their long term good health and wellbeing.” (1)

Why prepare for healthcare?
“It took me lots of work to get over my fear of dentists!” Rachel exclaimed. As a child, dental surgeries were “no go zones” with metamorphosis taking place. She became a scratching, biting “wild child”. Now a mother of three, family dentist visits are routine.

Does this remind you of a childhood experience? Healthcare professionals (HCPs), know something small to an adult may be traumatic for a child.

AWCH helps parents
AWCH was amidst an emerging “groovy” movement of international organisations in the 1960’s -70’s supporting emotional care of children in hospital. Others were Action for Sick Children, EACH and Children in Hospital Ireland, yeah baby!

Terrified children aren’t peeled from parents/carers during healthcare today. This is not something to blink at, for a long time parents have been involved in their child’s hospital care (Please don’t leave me film, 1979). AWCH put this best practice in motion in Australia, now seen as the norm, so much so that most people can’t recall it any other way.

AWCH educated parents in the 1970’s about healthcare preparation with AWCH Barwon branch launching a poster (1979), Is your child to be hospitalised? How would you explain to him?

AWCH Child Health Library has great reads for children on healthcare familiarisation including picture books.

Australian parent resources have evolved in the last few years:

• Help! my child's in hospital and book review. Link to Becky’s blog for parent perspectives.

• Everybody stay calm: How to support your young child through medical tests and procedures (1), and Four ways parents can increase their protective role  by Dr Angela McKenzie

• Protect your child from unnecessary emotional trauma from injections via The Paed Nurse eBook by Brooke Batchelor, there’s also the Paed Nurse blog. Brooke is an AWCH board member.

• Child life therapists are healthcare professionals helping children and young people cope with medical procedures and hospital.  Keeping kids needs in the picture, by Renee Campbell (Child Life Therapist) is for parents supporting their children through medical imaging.

• The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare, NPS Medicine Wise and AWCH partnered to create awareness for parents on medical imaging and kids. There’s now an App for parents and professionals.

Hospital familiarisation and healthy kids
AWCH WA runs Hospital Familiarisation Program (HFP). “Designed to prepare young healthy children for possible hospitalisation or visits to the doctor or dentist. The aim is to minimise anxiety, fear and misconceptions children may have about medical intervention.”

Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, Health education unit offers “Hospital Explorer Box: a play and learn resource kit for stage 1 students” (contact Schools Project Officer, Health Education Unit). Other community hospital incursions are available.

Thanks to the children who coloured in cut-outs
from Althea adding their colourful interpretation.

Preparing in an emergency?
One quarter of children in NSW visit an emergency department in a year. In an emergency parents may not pack a hospital bag especially not with their child’s help (children learn this way). Also stressed parents may not bring a toy, book, soft toy or comfort blanket. Going out usually involves taking a drink and snacks but in an emergency and chance of medical procedure, don’t give food or drink.  Parents can ask health professionals about medical procedures and become advocates for their child, taking a moment to ask questions if unsure. Parents are there to comfort kids.

If you liked this blog, you might also like The three little “P’s” - Playgroup and Peppa Pig which touches on one parent’s traumatic experience of hospital without preparation. We’d love to hear from you if you have related comments/experiences.

Jillian Rattray

AWCH librarian

http://Library.awch.org.au

October 2015

The three little “P’s” - Playgroup and Peppa Pig

Children were excited when Peppa Pig Goes to Hospital was the story of the day at one Sydney play group. There were about 15 children, mainly two year olds and pre-schoolers, who sat on the story time mat. During playtime they couldn't wait to put bandages on their dolls or teddies and one boy carefully bandaged his dinosaur’s tail. Craft was a lot of fun with Humpty Dumpty, both before and after the accident, some children preferred the ambulance craft. It was a bustling morning but there was time for children to select a book from our display and have a quiet read. A few did this.  There were over twenty books to browse or borrow and several parents commented about the range of books available.

Before the story, children were told, ‘When we go to see a doctor or nurse we can take a special toy or book and we will have our mum or dad or person who cares with us’. Peppa pig’s hospital room had a bright rainbow and after the story I commented, ‘We can always play and draw pictures when visiting the doctors or in hospital’.

The playgroup was well equipped with hospital play kits including stethoscopes, bandages and toy thermometers. If any toy was short of a bandage, a box of bandaids was within reach. One little girl showed me green dots all over her baby’s head. She and her mother had carefully placed bandaids over the middle of the baby’s head covering the ‘dots’. This was clearly a topic the kids related to.

I was the first of several visitors for term three with the theme, 'people who care for us'. The playgroup leader introduced the topic talking about doctors and nurses and the children sang several action songs about being sick, including ‘humpty dumpty’.

When the doll, teddy and dinosaur play began a brochure was handed out, ‘Hospital preparation for pre-schoolers – time well spent’. In amongst the fun I was hoping to convey to the children that when we are sick or hurt, it is not because of something we have done. Also if we are sick, doctors and nurses are there to help us get better and Mums, dads or the person caring for us will be there to give us a hug.

Whilst the children played, parents were reminded that fear of the unknown is an issue for young children and that pre-schoolers need reassurance. When we think of going to hospital, we think about the role of health professionals and may not stop to think about the role of parents. My take home message for parents was that their role is really important too. Parents and carers help their children cope with fear by being calm. Playgroup parents laughed at this point, recognising this is something easier said than done. I showed them two books Help! My child is in hospital and Everybody stay calm.

Before my voice faded into the general hubbub, my final point was that it is important to be informed and not to be afraid to ask if something is not clear. Parents can ask the hospital what resources are available to help prepare. The AWCH website and Dr Angela MacKenzie have many helpful links for parents and carers who want to prepare their children in different medical situations. A special mention was given of the wonderful free app designed for and with young children, “Okee in medical imaging”.

A chat with staff at a local pre-school followed. It was not long after I had arrived when a teacher pointed out the hospital corner, put together because of a child's recent hospital stay. The staff borrowed books to read to their classes and enquired about books for children with special health needs or those who have sick parents.

 One of the most poignant reasons for preparing children for hospital came from a playgroup mum. She shared an experience as a three year old child. She recalled how her parents said she was going on holidays. It was devastating to find this was misheard and that instead, her parents had said she was going to hospital. This became a traumatic experience and hard to get over. I finished the morning with a greater certainty that preparation is time well spent*.

Perhaps the three little ‘ps’ stand for – preparation, playgroup and Peppa pig.

Jillian Rattray

AWCH librarian
http://Library.awch.org.au
July 2015

*Dr Angela MacKenzie encourages parents to do their “homework” and be prepared.