Phil Clarkson Books

I found it helped me to process some of my thoughts and feelings in relation to the children and families I was working with. I then started using creative writing to explore my own childhood memories and significant life events. Getting it out of your head and onto paper is something that I have continued to advocate in my personal and professional life. This approach creates a mental space; you get to leave your worries on the page and I have found that it often clarifies your thinking and is a starting point to finding the solution or realising that the worry isn’t as big as you first thought.

In my experience, especially with younger children, encouraging them to write or draw how they are feeling is often much more helpful in getting to the root of a worry or concern than taking just a questioning approach. Over the years I have always used various tools and resources to help families work through aspects of their relationships that they want to address, which in some cases would include the introduction of children’s books. I could see the value in a well put together narrative and illustrated story for child and parent/carer, but couldn’t always find fresh and exciting books to share with them.

I started to think about my years of training and experience and how I could use this to offer something of value; books that could be used and referred to time and again, just as I had done with my children. I have read the book ‘Oh, The Places You’ll Go’ (Dr Seuss) over and over again to them as it is a great book about going for it and not letting fear get the better of you. 

Reading a book or sharing a story that a child engages with is magical. It can ignite an imagination, take you to another place, slow and calm everything down, create space to talk about the day’s achievements and step away from worry, as well as being a vehicle to help children to share their worries and concerns. As Margot Sunderland refers to in her book 'What Every Parent Needs to Know' reading with my children enabled us to have lots of 'joy moments'.  The books I would read to them and the conversations that followed, as well as the stories I would make up for my children were significant joy moments! 

We got sad at times, we laughed, we hugged, we sat intently listening to each other, there was silliness, but most importantly we connected! So, that’s why I write. I want to help you guys have more of those joy moments, which sometimes means tackling and talking about difficult stuff, in amongst recognising all of the wonderful and amazing things your children are doing.  

I hope you enjoy reading Bella The Bee, my first illustrated children's book, which thankfully has been receiving some lovely feedback from people who are using the story to explore identity, goals and self-esteem with their children. And it is not too long until my next books are published in which I write about family change, loss and family reunification as well as explore environmental and social issues.