Lesson video

Hello, my name is Miss Ruth.

Today we're going to be looking at the lesson called Challenges for Families.

This fits into the lesson unit Healthy Relationships: Do All Families Look the Same? Now in this lesson, we are going to be talking about things that might make you feel worried or upset.

For example, we are going to be talking about the different types of challenges that a family might face, including what happens when two parents or carers break up.

So for this lesson, it is recommended that you have an adult with you before you continue watching.

Today's lesson outcome is, I can explain some of the challenges that families can face.

Let's begin by taking a look at our ground rules together.

Laura says we should listen to others and that means not interrupting when somebody else is speaking.

Andeep says we should respect privacy.

And that means if somebody decides to share a story or their own experience, that we don't go and repeat it to others outside of this lesson.

Jacob says, "No judgments." And that means, if somebody does decide to share their own story or experience, that we don't judge them because of it.

And Izzy says, "Choose your level of participation." And that means you can decide if you simply just want to listen or if you want to share something throughout the lesson.

All of these ground rules are here to keep everybody safe in the lesson.

Here are today's keywords.

We have challenge, breakup, separate, divorce, and struggling.

Challenge means a problem that is difficult to solve or overcome, breakup means when two people end or change their relationship, separate means when people who have been in a relationship for a long time end their relationship, divorce means when people end their marriage, and struggling means finding it hard to overcome a problem or situation.

Let's see if we can spot any of these keywords throughout today's lesson.

Here is the lessons outline, and we are going to begin with, what challenges might families face? Families can face serious challenges.

For example, a parent or carer loses their job, which can make it difficult for the family to pay for things, like food, bills or clothes.

A family member becomes seriously ill, which can be worrying for everyone.

Two parents break up, separate, or divorce or a family member dies.

We all go through difficult challenges in life.

Eugene says, "When my dad lost his job, my family were very stressed.

My mom had to work longer hours so that we could afford the things we needed." Ruben says, "My grandma got very sick last year.

My parents were always visiting the hospital, so I had to stay at my auntie's house.

I felt worried about what was going to happen." Time for a check for understanding.

Tell your partner three challenges a family might face.

Pause this video so you can think about your answer.

Well done for having a go.

You might have said to your partner, a parent or carer might lose their job, a family member might become seriously ill, two parents might break up, separate, or divorce, or a family member might die.

Well done if you included some of those answers in your discussion.

Many challenges are because of change.

Change can be challenging, especially if we don't feel ready or if we didn't choose to change.

Eugene says, "My dad didn't expect to lose his job, so it was a shock for my family." Change is a normal part of life, but it can affect how people feel and how they behave towards others.

The boy says, "When my parents divorced, everyone in my family was upset.

We stopped doing things as a big family, and this made me feel confused." Everyone responds to change and challenges differently.

For example, some family members might get upset or angry more easily, some family members may fall out more often, and some family members may not want to talk about the challenges they are facing.

Time for a check for understanding.

How can challenges affect families? Is it A, it can affect family members, emotions and feelings, B, it causes family members feelings to remain unchanged or C, it might change the way family members behave towards one another? Hmm, how can challenges affect families? Pause this video so you can think about your answer.

Well done if you said A and C.

Challenges can affect family members' emotions and feelings, and it might change the way family members behave towards one another.

Time for a task now.

Create a mind map of different challenges that families might face.

Pause this video so you can have some time to do the task, and then we will go through the answers together.

Well done for having a go.

Your mind map could look like this.

A parent or carer might lose their job.

A family member might become seriously ill.

A family member might die.

And two parents might break up, separate, or divorce.

Well done if your mind map looks like mine.

We are now going to move on to the second part of the lesson, what happens when parents or carers break up? Sometimes parents or carers might decide to break up, separate, or divorce.

Adults will make their decision based on many different reasons.

They might have different ideas, feelings, or problems that they are unable to fix together.

When parents or carers break up, lots of things can change.

One adult might decide to move to a new place.

This means their children have to live in two different homes.

They might spend time spend with one parent or carer during the week and the other at weekends or holidays.

Other children might live with just one parent or carer.

Every family is different.

There might be changes to daily routines.

For example, who picks you up at school or helps you with your homework might change.

It can take a while to get used to new routines.

Time for a check for understanding.

What might change when two parents or carers break up? Is it A, children are no longer part of the family, B, daily routines, or C, where family members live? Hmm, what might change when two parents or carers break up? Pause this video so you can think about your answer.

Well done If you said B and C.

When two parents or carers break up, daily routines might change and where family members live might change too.

When two parents or carers break up, it can make their children feel lots of different emotions.

For example, they might feel upset, worried, confused, guilty or regretful if they believe it was their fault or because of something they did or said, ashamed or rejected.

It is never the child's fault if their parents or carers break up, divorce or separate.

This mom says, "Parents or carers still love their children no matter the reasons why they decided to break up.

They want what's best for their children, even if it means living in different homes." Time for a check for understanding.

True or false, it's the child's fault if their parents or carers break up.

True or false? Pause this video so you can think about your answer.

Well done if you said false.

Now I want you to have a little think about why this statement is false.

Pause this video so you can think about your answer.

This answer is false because it is never the child's fault if their parents or carers break up.

Adults will make their decision based on many different reasons.

They might have different ideas, feelings, or problems that they are unable to fix together.

Time for a task now.

Sophia isn't sure about what's happened when two parents or carers break up.

Think of three things that might happen when two parents or carers break up to help Sophia understand.

Pause this video so you can have some time to do the task, and then we will go through the answers together.

Well done for having a go.

Your answer could include, some children might have to live in two homes, or they might have to live with one parent or carer.

Daily routines might change.

The person who picks them up at school or helps them with their homework might change.

And children might feel lots of different emotions, including sadness, confusion, and guilt.

Well done if your answers were similar to mine.

We are now going to move on to the third and the final part of our lesson.

How can we get support when we are struggling? We might need support during a challenging time.

Children can get support from parents, carers, or other family members, such as grandparents, or aunts and uncles, teachers and school staff, and counsellors, who are people who are trained to help children with change.

Some children might experience strong emotions during challenging times.

This might cause them to have tummy aches, struggle to sleep at night, cry, or get angry more easily.

If you experience any of these things for a long time, it is important to speak to a trusted adult.

Time for a check for understanding.

Who can we get support from if we are struggling? Is it A, parents, carers or other family members? B, online strangers, C, school staff, or D, counsellors? Hmm, who can we get support from if we are struggling? Pause this video so you can think about your answer.

Well done if you said A, C, and D.

We can get support from parents, carers, or other family members, school staff, and counsellors.

This boy says, "When my parents divorced, I spoke to my teacher about how I was feeling.

He helped me come up with different strategies to cope with the change." He says, "Some of the strategies that really helped me included writing down my worries and putting them in a worry box, sticking to my regular routine, with everything changing, this made me feel more normal, and planning fun things to do at the weekend with my mum or dad." Ruben says, "When my grandma was in hospital, I spoke to my auntie about how I was feeling.

She reassured me that the doctors and nurses were doing their best to help my grandma get better." Other strategies that can help us during challenging times include exercising, doing something we enjoy, and talking about our feelings.

Time for a check for understanding.

List three strategies that could help someone if they were struggling with change in the family.

Pause this video so you can think about your answer.

Well done for having a go.

Your answer could include writing their feelings down and putting them into a worry box, sticking to their regular routine, planning fun things to do on the weekend with their parents, exercising, doing something they enjoy, and talking to trusted adults about how they are feeling.

Well done if your answer was similar to mine.

Time for a task now.

Create a poster to explain how to get support when we are struggling with change in the family.

Pause this video so you can have some time to do the task, and then we will go through the answers together.

Well done for having a go.

Your poster could look like this.

How can we get supports when we are struggling? We can get supports from parents, carers, school staff, and counsellors.

It's important to talk to our trusted adults.

If we are experiencing strong emotions for a long period of time We can use strategies to help us cope during challenging times.

For example, we could write our feelings down and put them into a worry box, stick to our regular routine, plan fun things to do, exercise, and doing something we enjoy.

Well done if your poster looks like mine.

This brings us to the end of our lesson.

Thank you for joining me today.

Here is a summary of everything that we've covered today.

Families can face serious challenges, including a parent or carer losing their job, two parents or carers breaking up, or an illness or death in the family.

When two parents or carers break up, many things can change.

Their children may have to live in two homes or they might live with one adult instead.

It is never the child's fault if their parents or carers break up.

Everyone experiences challenges in life, this can cause us to feel strong emotions.

If we are struggling, we can get support from trusted adults and counsellors.

Here is a slide with a place that you can get support.

We have the childline, which is a website and phone line, which is able to offer confidential advice and support.