Episode 10: Child Development Specialist & Therapist, Dr. Siggie Cohen.

Show Notes

“The idea that we want to present to children is not necessarily that everybody is going to get it the same way, the same time, that it is a personal kind of learning, it is learning so we can open our mind, that we are learning so we can feel good about ourselves.”

The purpose of the Student Fitness Experts Podcast series is to empower and educate anyone that works with kids, in a way that benefits the whole child to become successful, strong, and empowered young adults. In this episode of the SFE Podcast, Karen Gilbert, alongside her co-host, Farah Zweig, interviews child psychologist and teacher, Dr. Siggie Cohen.

With Dr. Siggie Cohen, today’s podcast has highlighted the importance of understanding and listening to children, and empowering them to take ownership of their actions. She says a child can learn best when he/ she feels mentally and physically safe and is open to experience. She makes the listeners understand that it is important to collaborate with the child and figure out where he/ she needs support. She makes us understand the need to drop the style of passing judgements, when dealing with children.

Tune in to learn how you can instill motivation in your kids and set them up for ultimate success.

About the Guest:

Dr. Siggie Cohen has been a teacher and child development specialist for over 35 years. She is known as the “child whisperer” for her unparalleled depth of insight in working with children. She has written over 50 articles on parenting and has been featured in a wide variety of publications.

Dr. Siggie says she has been a natural caretaker and was always happy being around looking after her elders, children, and pet dogs. She was always told that she was going to be a teacher. Resenting this, she joined an art school very early in her life. She became a photojournalist and learnt photography, though she wasn’t very good at it. She wanted to get as far away from what they thought she was supposed to be. Later on in her life, she realised what she actually wanted to become, and pursued her career to become an inspiring teacher and a reputed child development specialist.

Timestamps:

[01:48] About Dr. Siggie, a snippet of her Journey

[06:30] Understanding cognitive, physical, and emotional differences in children

[11:42] What coaches, parents and teachers can do to empower children

[15:42] Bringing the ‘What are you good at?’ realisation in children

[17:13] How to make the child understand what you actually want them to do

[22:10] Inviting the child to get to the solution

[25:20] Anxiety in children amid the pandemic

[26:23] Why hesitate before you respond to a child’s query

[29:32] Being anxious = being clueless

[30:12] The importance of finding information

[33:00] Why the best feeling is when someone gets us

[37:05] Dr. Siggie to her 13-year old self

[42:49] What fearlessness is to Dr. Siggie

[46:26] Fearlessness in children

[50:43] Traits and qualities in people who influenced Dr. Siggie

[55:40] Dr. Siggie’s special advice to teachers, coaches and parents

[56:16] How being patient helps

[58:00] Connecting with Dr. Siggie

Quotes:

“We learn anything when we’re open and safe.”

“A fearless child is one who does not shy away from conflict.”

“One of the greatest feelings we can have is when someone gets us.”

“Being patient allows us to not just listen to others, but listen to ourselves.”

“The idea that we want to present to children is not necessarily that everybody is going to get it the same way, the same time, that it is a personal kind of learning, it is learning so we can open our mind, that we are learning so we can feel good about ourselves.”

“I have another definition for fearlessness where I look at what works”

Connect with Dr. Siggie:

Website: https://drsiggie.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.siggie/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/siggie.cohen.9