Parents, teachers and schools invest more care and effort than ever before to ensure children succeed at school. Yet many young people do not feel confident, capable and ready to take on life beyond the school gate.
Clinical psychologist, researcher and former teacher Dr Judith Locke shows you how to turn this situation around with practical strategies that have helped thousands of families she has worked with clinically and in her sessions for parents and teachers in schools across Australia and New Zealand.
The Bonsai Student will show you the best way to be a good parent for your child in their school years by helping them become responsible, resilient and ready for the years that follow. This book is an invaluable resource for parents, teachers and everyone working with children in an educational environment.
'Dr Locke's research is contemporary, and her advice is highly relevant in the modern context of raising children. She helps us to understand what the needs of young people are and how we can best support them to become confident, capable and resilient.'
DR MARIE PERRY
About the Author
Dr Judith Locke is a registered clinical psychologist, former teacher, school counsellor and workplace trainer. She is the director of Confident and Capable®, a company specialising in psychological training solutions for parents, children, teachers, and others in schools, childcare centres, government and community organisations, and private companies. Judith also provides clinical assistance to families and individuals in her private practice in Toowong, Queensland.
Judith's research at the Queensland University of Technology investigated modern parenting, family wellbeing, and how children and parents interact with academic environments. Her psychological commentary, including a weekly parenting column for The Sunday Mail, features regularly in the media. Judith is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the APS College of Clinical Psychologists. She became an ambassador for Life Education Queensland in 2020.
Judith's first bestselling book, The Bonsai Child, discusses problems with current well-meant parenting practices and shows parents practical ways to turn their situation around. This book, The Bonsai Student, focuses on children's school experience and gives parents useful and realistic strategies to ensure their children develop confidence, capability and independence in their studies to give them the best chance of future success and satisfaction in their work and personal lives.
Industry Reviews
'The Bonsai Child is an important and timely book. As a practising clinical psychologist, Judith Locke has not only observed the negative consequences of over-parenting; she has drawn on her experience to develop positive alternative strategies"
HUGH MACKAY AO Australian psychologist, social researcher and bestselling author
'The Bonsai Child is an incredibly engaging and readable book about parenting and ways to support children and young people. As both educators and parents, our staff found Judith's book easy to understand and applicable. It gave us a multitude of great ideas about how to engage students and their families at our school and build resilience and coping tools essential for their future lives. The Bonsai Child and associated training that Judith provided to staff and parents was so invaluable that we gifted copies to all our Year 7 families for 2020.
Thank you, Judith, for such an informative and well-written resource tool for parents and educators alike. We are looking forward with anticipation to reading your new book The Bonsai Student.'
LISA ROMBERG Deputy Principal: Student Wellbeing, Danebank, An Anglican School for Girls, Sydney
'Having had the pleasure of working with Judith for many years, I have seen first-hand in my own home parenting teenagers as well as within a professional context in the school setting, how impactful her advice is. Judith's research is contemporary, and her advice is highly relevant in the modern context of raising children. Judith helps us to understand what the needs of young people are and how we can best support them to become confident, capable and resilient. Not only is Judith's advice easy to understand and implement, it also helps us take the guilt out of parenting to get the best outcomes for our children. Judith consults for MLC Claremont on a regular basis and her advice is greatly appreciated by teachers and parents alike. We all look forward to her return visits and practical advice.'
DR MARIE PERRY Principal, Methodist Ladies' College, Perth
