The Quest for Rest: Polly & Pickles
Sleep Savvy. Live Happy.™
Our talks
Discover our latest tool for schools
Evidence based. Practical. Relevant.
We offer unique virtual talks, speaking series, and workshops to educate parents, students, and teachers in our communities. All talks are led by child psychiatrist Dr. Smita Naidoo and facilitated by Paperclouds co-founder Andrea J. Bell. Book for your school now.
Parent Sessions: Kindergarten to Grade 3
Thriving in K-3
Routine & Regulation
Sleep, nutrition & play — the triad of success
Discover the power of building routines around sleep, technology, nutrition, and play. Learn concrete strategies to address managing your child’s screen time in kindergarten, how this changes as they grow and what meaningful things you can do to reinforce positive mental health early and in the home.
Got Sleep?
Linking sleep health with mental health
Get practical tools and resources to help you manage your child’s anxiety. Learn straightforward and the latest evidence-based sleep strategies that the whole family can use. COVID-relevant data/material is discussed, including coping with increased screen time during the pandemic.
Transitions for Tentative Kids
When avoidance gets in the way
Delve into practical and new ways to help your child cope during academic transitions, summer holidays and the relationship between coping skills and sleep health.
Parent Speaker Series: Any Age Group (K-12)
Foundations for Life
Cyber Dependency and the Developing Brain: Addiction or Cultural Norm?
Plus: Improving kids' sleep habits
How much screen time is too much? It's a question that's plagued every parent, and in this talk, we reveal the answer. We address the developing brain (including during puberty) and the impact of screen use on sleep and behavioural regulation. We also deliver practical tips and strategies to help with cyber dependency.
Parents will learn:
• What children should know about the developing brain and technology
• Pediatric guidelines for appropriate screen use
• How to identify and address cyber dependency
• How to use cognitive behavioural strategies to improve sleep hygiene
Boosting Mental Strength Through Sleep Literacy?
Plus: Making sense of a new virtual world
COVID-19 has created incredible challenges for school-aged kids, and fostering grit and resilience has never been more vital. In this interactive session, we highlight the importance of sleep, share the latest science-based information parents need, and offer loads of practical tips for being proactive early to lay the groundwork for healthier and more resilient kids.
Parents will learn:
• How to make sense of and improve their child’s sleep patterns
• Strategies that build mental strength in an uncertain world
• How to recognize the signs and symptoms of burnout (both in children and themselves)
• How to use cognitive behavioural strategies to improve sleep hygiene
Transitions for Tentative Kids/Youth
When Avoidance Gets In the Way
Children can be adaptable, but they can also struggle with change. In this talk, we give parents practical strategies to help their child cope during academic transitions. This talk can also be adapted to discuss youth transitioning back to in-person schooling and the challenges that can bring, including pandemic-related changes, a possible rise in school truancy, and more.
Parents will learn:
• All about the relationship between coping skills and sleep health
• How to recognize decompensation (the inability to deal with stressors)
• How to predict periods of increased stress during transitions
• How to use cognitive behavioural strategies to improve sleep hygiene
Teacher, School Counsellor and Administrator Sessions
Cyber Dependency During a Pandemic
The Impact On the Developing Brain and Beyond
As teachers and administrators, you've seen a steady rise in screen use among students. How much is too much? And how can you empower students to make smart decisions about screen time in an inclusive way that factors in the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic? In this talk, you'll discover the impact of technology like video calls, video games, and more on the developing brain.
You'll learn:
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Pediatric guidelines for appropriate screen use and the latest COVID data
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How screen time affects the developing brain, sleep, and mental well-being
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How to identify and address cyber dependency
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What normal sleep physiology involves—and what 'COVID-somnia' is
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The consequences of poor and insufficient sleep in children and adults
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How to use cognitive behavioural strategies to improve sleep hygiene
The Overlap of ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Behavioural Disorders, and Poor Sleep in Children
Plus: How COVID-19-related stress intersects with anxiety disorders
Every educator can benefit from a better understanding of how ADHD, anxiety disorders, and behavioural disorders affect their students. In this talk, we discuss the impact of anxiety and focus issues (ADHD) on children, as well as poor sleep in youth. We wrap it up by giving you resources that really allow you to assist students with these diagnoses with sensitivity and care.
You'll learn:
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About diagnoses and types of anxiety disorders
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What the screening tools are
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What the latest data tells us
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How COVID-19-related stress and anxiety disorders intersect
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About the overlap of anxiety disorders and ADHD symptoms
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What treatment and outcomes look like
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What resources are available for parents, educators, and health care professionals
Your Sleep and Well-Being, Anxiety, and Thriving in the Modern-Day Workplace
Sophisticated solutions in the modern workplace
Sleep isn't just vital for students; it's essential to adults' health too. Investing in better sleep is an act of self-care for educators, particularly given the stress of COVID-19. In this talk, we focus on meaningful, accessible strategies for better sleep across all age groups.
You'll learn:
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What normal sleep physiology involves
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The consequences of poor and insufficient sleep in children and adults
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How to use cognitive behavioural strategies to improve sleep hygiene
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We will introduce our THRIVE principle, which is based on 6 life domains: Technology, Home, Relationships, Interests, Values, and your Environment
Pro-D Workshops and Talks
Student Sessions: Grades 7-12
ZzzPower for life
Sleep for Teens - Screens, Sleep & Mental Well-Being
What's the connection?
In this session, we address teens in your school directly, giving them refreshingly practical sleep hacks, plus tools and resources to help them manage their anxiety and hormones. We also discuss COVID-relevant data/material, including managing increased screen time during the pandemic and understanding how that screen time affects sleep and overall health.
About the speaker and facilitator
Every talk is hosted by a duo of sleep literacy and mental health experts who are the co-founders of Paperclouds (paperclouds.ca), which inspires kids everywhere to "sleep savvy, live happy."
Dr. Smita N. Naidoo is a Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist who practices in Metro Vancouver. She's also an award-winning clinical faculty member within UBC’s Department of Psychiatry who makes frequent media and speaking appearances.
Andrea J. Bell has spent over a decade helping people meet their health education needs. She's lead national corporate wellness initiatives, advocated for community health awareness, and now empowers families and schools with healthy sleep solutions.
Together, they've authored a book, created BC’s very first sleep literacy program for elementary schools, and curated these talks to help schools champion the power of healthy sleep and its direct link to better mental, emotional, and physical health.
MD, MPH, FRCPC
Meet Dr. Naidoo
Dr. Smita Naidoo is a clinical faculty member at the University of British Columbia, a Doctor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Metro Vancouver (at Foundry Ridge Meadows and Three-Story Clinic) and co-founder of Paperclouds.
Dr. Smita N. Naidoo is Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist who trained locally, at the University of British Columbia. Her dedication towards community education stems from her background in Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. S. Naidoo practices in Metro Vancouver and is an award-winning clinical faculty member within UBC’s Department of Psychiatry. Her mission is to be of service to communities at large all while being engaging and fun! Her innate ability to distil very challenging concepts of neuro-science to the masses has allowed her to leverage Paperclouds into a cutting edge evidence-based enterprise.
