As we are all aware, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of children and young people.
Although the Government has consistently highlighted the importance of ensuring that children’s psychological and social wellbeing is facilitated, it appears as if the need to catch up academically has had more consideration.
Young Minds have evidenced the need to remove the pressure from schools to deliver student wellbeing and mental health support by using external agencies where available. Moreover, students surveyed in their Coronavirus: Impact on young people with mental health needs reports stated that mental health support within their school had been reduced since before the pandemic and that they would like universal support to be offered.
Bearing this in mind, Adam McLachlan, a qualified primary-school teacher and Director of Mini Athletics Nottingham and Loughborough, has spent his lockdown writing a series of rhyming stories for educators to explore with their class on their return to school. Using the stimulus of sport, the tales highlight several key characteristics that we all need to overcome challenges in our lives.
The psychological aspects of resilience, positivity, motivation, self-esteem and goal setting are highlighted in the initial title, Marley the Mindset Champion.
“My son, Marley, has had so many setbacks throughout his life, particularly in his tennis journey. Despite this, he is one of the most positive people that you will ever meet, and he has helped my wife and I to become better people with his mature outlook on life. As he is an inspiration to us all, I wanted him to be the lead character for this story,” said Adam McLachlan.
Having worked at home and abroad in the primary setting, Adam has witnessed a lack of support for children in ensuring that they have a growth mindset and the belief that they can become anything they wish to in life.
‘The pandemic has put schools under immense pressure, and teachers are having to work so hard to ensure that their pupils are on track with their learning. Through these stories my dream is for classes to discuss how they can apply my character’s sporting journey into their everyday lives.’
With another publication in the pipeline, Adam wants to support schools with their mental health education and has developed classroom and physical activity lessons, themed around the stories, which are available for schools to use with or without his support.
“I want these stories to have a lasting impact. My life has been severely affected by my mental health in both a detrimental and positive way. It is only recently, that I have become able to speak openly about the childhood bereavement of my father and my previous feelings of inadequacy. I know that if I had the opportunity to develop my Champions Mindset at Primary School, I would have no doubt combated the obstacles that I have faced in my life more positively.”
Marley the Mindset Champion published by Nightingale Books is available from all online book shops from 25th February 2021. To pre-order your copy now go to https://pegasuspublishers.com/books/adam-mclachlan/marley-the-mindset-champion.