Difficult Conversations | Debs Kemp

This week, Clare talks to Debs Kemp about how parents can have difficult conversations with their children about tricky subjects such as bereavement. She explains how “3 seconds of confidence” is a great way to get the conversation started.

Debs Kemp is an experienced Assistant Headteacher working in a secondary school, and is a regular co-host of the My Family Coach podcast. She has extensive experience leading on behaviour, teaching and learning, and student voice in schools. Debs has contributed to two publications and is a regional lead for WomenEd, a group for female leaders in education.

In this episode, Debs recommends the book My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece by Annabelle Pitcher.

She also shares three top tips with us:

• • 1: Always be open to a conversation: Look out for the signs that they want to talk about something.

• • 2. Find opportunities to talk regularly: These don’t need to be big, serious conversations.

• • 3. Don’t take it personally: Try not to take things personally if they don’t want to talk to you when you want them to. Try waiting for a while and think about where a good place would be to have that conversation.

You can find Debs on social media:

• • X – @DKemp_01

The My Family Coach podcasts covers every aspect of children’s behaviour, all in handy 15 minute (ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use at home.