Tell us a bit about yourself and your family…
My name is Rachel. I am a mama from down under, living on the south coast of Australia. I have three delightful children. Corey, our 12 year old son who doesn’t share my DNA but quickly won my heart, Addison, our three year old daughter who oozes adventure, warmth and intrigue and Kaylee, our two year old daughter whose spirit is affectionately adorable and who shows those she trusts a mischievous sense of humour.
I am also a Psychologist who is passionately working with children and their families. I am on a journey to empower children and parents on building and strengthening connections through intentional parenting. I am a wellbeing writer who has a blog and shares fused snippets of my personal and professional journey in the hope that I may offer a sense of reassurance or support to others. And I am also an aspiring children’s author who is currently working on placing a piece of my heart into a carefully illustrated therapeutic children’s book.
What are your children’s favourite books?
Day to day this changes. Depending on interests; books about bugs, books about Disney princesses, interactive books that have musical buttons, lift the flap books or simply finding and pointing out different objects. But, there a few favourites in our house that our daughters always seem to go back too… ‘Ten Little Fingers, Ten Little Toes’ by Mem Fox is always a book that our littlest will request. She absolutely adores babies so gets an abundance of enjoyment out of the illustrations. Also a hit at the moment is ‘Pig the Pug’ by Aaron Blabey. Our four year old really loves a book that makes her giggle…and Pig the Pug does exactly that!
Which book do you most like reading to them and why?
Kissed by the Moon, by Alison Lester is my favourite. When Addison was a baby, we were gifted the book ‘Kissed by the Moon’ and we immediately adopted it as a regular in our nighttime reading. It’s a beautifully illustrated book where adults are invited to send their child to sleep with a wish of love, adventure, purpose and contentment. The book has a simple rhyme scheme and the illustrations offer children the chance to explore and discover as they are taken on a journey of reflection.
What is your favourite book to use in a therapeutic setting?
My love for books, and belief in the power of books, especially for children, has been fuelled even more so in my work as a Psychologist. As a therapist working directly with children, as well as with parents and carers of children, books have and will always be such a significant and beautiful part of what I do. For me, books are such a gentle and lovely way of communicating a message to a child. So you can imagine my excitement when I come across a beautiful written and illustrated book that can be used with therapeutic purpose.
‘In My Heart’ by Jo Witek is one of the most recent books I have added to my collection. It has tender, intriguing illustrations and simple yet powerfully written text. It takes children on a journey about all types of feelings and emotions. It gives emotions a name and also a way to connect with the feeling being explored. What a wonderful way to empower children to connect with their feelings, and start them on a journey of building upon their emotional regulation capacities! The book also provides a critical point of connection and discussion between child and parent/carer/teacher, sending the message that feelings and emotions are normal, they are ok, they come in all shapes and sizes, and we all experience them. A must have for all home and school libraries in my eyes.
What do you look for when shopping for a book?
I am a book LOVER, through and through. I have always loved the texture, feel, smell and visual appeal of books. They inspire nostalgia, stillness and connection. When I’m looking for books for my children, I am often drawn to the books that display beautifully coloured illustrations, with strong and sturdy covers and pages. I’m also a sentimental person, so I love to buy and gift books that share a message; whether that message be about love, exploration, relationship, or fun. I also love stepping back when we visit the library or local book shop, to see what books my children are drawn too. It fascinates me, how the books they gravitate to become such an expression of where they are in their not so little journeys.
About Rachel Bridge
I have just launched my website in preparation for my book release. Below you will find a link to my blog and social media profiles where I write as ‘MamaBeFrank’. You can subscribe to my site and have access to snippets of my book as it develops. The website will also offer reviews of therapeutic resources, helpful articles about child development, intentional parenting and parental well being as well as a space for parents to share their own stories.
You can contact me via [email protected], visit my site at https://rachelbridgemamabe.wixsite.com/mysite and follow me on Facebook and Instagram