Book offers confidence-boosting tips for kids

DUBAI: Long-time Dubai expat and best-selling author, radio broadcaster, and mum of two, Helen Farmer, has launched her second children’s book, “My Family’s Secret Superpowers.”

The book, published by The Dreamwork Collective, explores how to cope with the anxieties of day-to-day life and offers tips to boost kids’ confidence and alleviate their worries and fears.

Following on from Farmer’s best-selling debut book “My Mummy’s Secret Adventures,” the new heart-warming children’s tale follows a young girl named Ruby, who realises that she sometimes feels nervous when doing new things.

The story reveals that she’s not alone, as her Mum, Dad, and big sister Olive share that they too have times when they don’t feel so good. Ruby finds out what makes them worried, and together, they come up with strange and fun ways – their secret superpowers – to help them feel better.

The book features charming illustrations by Pavithra Suresh and playful characters to help young readers discover Ruby’s tips and tricks for untangling knots and feeling more confident.

The publication was launched at this year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and unveiled at a community event for families last week during Children’s Mental Health Week.

Renowned for her authentic and relatable take on life and motherhood, Farmer juggles a career in broadcasting with her main role as a mum to her two daughters. She extended her portfolio of talents to children’s literature last year, as a way to help parents broach tricky topics with their kids and start a conversation about things they might be struggling with.

As anxiety continues to dominate as the primary mental health concern for young people, My Family’s Secret Superpowers aims to reassure children that they’re not alone with their worries and there are ways to overcome their concerns.

Farmer said about her new book, “Anxiety isn’t something to be ‘fixed’ — it’s something to be understood and managed. By talking openly, using simple techniques, modelling coping strategies as adults, and embracing the power of storytelling, families can help children build confidence and resilience. In doing so, they teach kids one of the most important lessons of all: It’s okay to feel nervous, and they have the tools to handle it.’’

My Family’s Secret Superpowers, published by The Dreamwork Collective, is available at Amazon.ae.

Helen Farmer is a BBC-trained broadcast journalist, juggling a career in broadcasting and writing with her main role as a mum to her two daughters.