Free motivational cards to help parents and children communicate while stuck at home

Marina Watt has some simple advice for parents adapting to the new domestic dynamic created by the coronavirus outbreak. “Each day ask your child, ‘Are you happy today?’” says the Hong Kong mum of one. “Talk with your child and encourage them to share their feelings.”

Watt, who spent a decade working in public relations before taking up writing about parenting and education (she is studying for a doctorate in education), wanted to do her bit to help families struggling to cope with the personal and professional pressures caused by the pandemic.

Collaborating with British illustrator Manshi Mehta, she has created a set of 30 motivational cards, each featuring a fun image – think cartoonish animals and fruit – and words, in both Chinese and English, of encouragement: “I love my family”, “I believe in my dreams”, “Spread love not hate”. The cards can be downloaded for free, then printed and cut out, a fun process that Watt says can help strengthen the parent-child bond.

It’s not the first time she has created free online resources to help keep spirits high. Earlier this year, she published A Picture Book About Coronavirus Prevention , a free bilingual e-book that encourages dialogue between parents and children.

“I was concerned about the mental well-being of my child,” she says of her six-year-old daughter, Noelle. “That’s why I created these projects, I wanted to encourage other parents to spend quality time with their children as they go through this uneasy journey.”