Earlier this year, The Guardian reported that ‘philosophy for children’ boosted youngsters’ marks. Success in apparently unrelated subjects like Maths and English shot up with regular teaching in fairness, kindness and bullying. These PSHE-style subjects are pursued doggedly until the end of secondary school, when they are abruptly docked. So if you want to supplement the PSHE lessons your children are doing in schools (and give yourself booster course), here are some ways you can integrate PSHE lessons into your daily family routine.
Debatabase
One of the best bits about PSHE lessons is that you can argue with your peers. Carry the discussion on from the classroom and re-introduce it into your home. The family dinner table is the prime time to hold heated debates. Debatabase provides an enormous list of controversial and fascinating questions which you may never have considered. Take a look, and form opinions about some of the most contentious topics of the day.
Philosophy
You don’t have to delve into the really hardcore questions (unless you’re into that kind of thing). But it can be fun to think about philosophical matters. When you’ve exhausted what Debatabase has to offer, you might like to move on to this list of philosophy questions.
For a little light-hearted relief, try these difficult philosophy games to test the inconsistencies in your entire life outlook.
Mindfulness
A large number of PSHE lessons are about looking after yourself, and there’s nothing like Mindfulness for helping people chill out. Mindfulness is shown to improve both physical and mental health, and has also been recommended by the NHS. The basic principle involves paying really close attention to the way things are: the sounds you can hear, the touch of your chair, the thoughts that are entering your head. You can investigate an online course here.
Happiness
There are other ways to be kind to yourself too. If it’s raining, you’ve lost your purse, and the cat’s been sick on the carpet, it’s probably a good idea to treat yourself to a hot chocolate with double cream. But even if your day hasn’t been as bad as all that, it’s still worth investing time in boosting your happiness. Here are some tips to make you feel good about yourself.
If you’re feeling a little less zen, you could consider taking up a hobby. There’s nothing like that drama club to take your mind off things.
Old-school PSHE questions
PSHE lessons typically revolve around two main topics, Exercise and Drugs. Extend your horizons a little with these additional suggestions. Decide which is the best form of government, make some changes to save the planet, and educate your teenagers about the importance of sexual consent.
Written by Bryony Glover