The Newlands Times

Wellbeing and Engagement 

Indigenous Literacy Day

Wednesday 2nd of September is Indigenous literacy day. 

You are invited to the national, virtual Youtube Live Premiere event at 12.30pm on Wednesday 2 September for a celebration of Indigenous language and literacy. It can be accessed at this address. 

The online event is designed for children 3-12 years of age.

 

We will be recognising this day through activities which have a focus on Indigenous stories. These activities will be sent out through SeeSaw.

You can find out more about Indigenous Literacy by visiting this website. 

https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/what-is-indigenous-literacy

 

Father's Day Ideas for Families

Father's day this year will be very different for many of us due to the fact that we will not be able to visit our families in person. Here are a few ideas of what your family can do to for the important person in your life that you would like to recognise on Father's Day.

I will be making a Newlands Father's Day video. An activity link will be sent out for families to upload a picture or photo of the special person in their family that they would like to recognise on Father's Day. This video will be sent to families at the end of next week.

1. Show off your lockdown baking skills

During the COVID-19 lockdown, many of us headed for the oven to try out some baking. Get  the family together to bake your special person a favourite treat. If they aren't into sweet stuff, why not try your hand at some savoury breakfast muffins that they can enjoy with coffee in bed?

2. Make them a scrapbook

Even if it’s just a few pages to begin with, get to work on collecting some special memories in a scrapbook. You can include:

  • Photographs
  • Memories you’ve shared
  • Poems
  • Messages
  • Anything that you want to keep special and remember

You can make an online scrapbook on this website: https://www.canva.com/create/scrapbooks/

3. Try out their favourite hobby

Spend some time with them learning about or trying their favourite hobby. 

If their hobby is something they've been unable to do during lockdown, let them tell you more about it. You can look at YouTube videos together or practice some of the skills needed. For example, if they are a surfer, you can watch some ‘how-to’ videos and practice some surfing drills on land that will help when you take to the water.

4. Start a new hobby or activity together

Think of something that you can learn, do or create together. Working on a project together gives you a chance for some great bonding time. Some ideas include:

  • Making something out of wood, like a birdhouse
  • Creating a new board game… then play it!
  • Making a garden swing
  • Learning photography
  • Training your dog to do tricks

5. Tick some items off his ‘to-do’ list

Let them have the day off to do whatever he wants! There’s always something on their ‘to-do’ list, so why not tick off a couple of items for him?

6. Let them choose the movie!

When it comes to family movie night, they doesn’t always have the last say. This Father’s Day, let them pick a family-friendly movie to watch together, or give them ‘TV rights’ to control the remote for the day.

Some ideas for Father’s Day films: 

  • “Big Daddy”, starring Adam Sandler
  • “Cheaper by the Dozen”, starring Steve Martin
  • “The Pursuit of Happyness”, starring Will and Jaden Smith
  • “Daddy Day Care”, starring Eddie Murphy
  • “Mrs. Doubtfire,” starring Robin Williams

7. Create a homemade card

The time and effort you take to make a homemade card won’t go unnoticed. Look around the house for items that you can reuse and recycle, like their newspaper, string, fabric and packaging cardboard.

Fill it with a heartfelt message to make it even more special.

8. Go virtual with video

Many of us won’t have a chance to see our them this Father’s Day. Take the time to get him set up with a video calling app like Skype or Zoom. You can then ‘spend time’ together and let them be part of the family festivities online. Look at photos together, play a trivia game, play Bingo, or just have a good chat.

Professional help for families 

You know your child best. Many things have changed for us this year. 

If you’re worried about your child's level of anxiety, consider seeking professional help. Here are some places to start:

  • your child’s teacher or Sonya OBrien.
  • your child’s GP or paediatrician, who will be able to refer you to an appropriate mental health practitioner.
  • your local children’s health or community health centre.

If your child is aged 5-12 years, they can talk with a Kids Helpline counsellor by calling 1800 551 800, or using the Kids Helpline email counselling service or the Kids Helpline web counselling service.