Wellbeing and Engagement
Parenting Insights from 'Miss-Connection'
During the break, I found myself at my local bookshop café, where I had the pleasure of delving into Dr Justin Coulson's book, Miss-Connection: Why Your Teenage Daughter 'Hates' You, Expects the World, and Needs to Talk. The clever title immediately drew me in, and I discovered that the insights within resonate with the experiences many of us encounter as parents and educators.
As someone passionate about educational research, I found this book particularly engaging. Grounded in interviews with a diverse array of teenage girls and their mothers, it offers rich perspectives that I often found myself nodding along to, reflecting on the joys and challenges of raising a teenage daughter. With two teenage daughters of my own, I experience a dynamic mix of excitement and confusion, punctuated by eye rolls and dramatic sighs, yet filled with warm hugs and laughter that make it all worthwhile.
Dr Coulson emphasises several key points that closely align with our mission at Loreto College. Central to his message is the importance of creating opportunities for connection and fostering safe spaces for meaningful conversation. Dr Coulson addresses the disparity between teenage girls' expectations and their realities, highlighting the often-misunderstood balance between their desire for parental reassurance and their need to maintain a sense of control. As one young girl poignantly expressed, “You (parents) may have been through life before me, but you haven’t been through my life.” Meaningful conversations arise when our reassurance and guidance are rooted in an understanding of our daughters' realities, rather than solely based on our own experiences.
My second takeaway is the realisation that our children are aware of our worries, which can sometimes hinder our connection. While it is our parental right to share to worry about our children, the interviews reveal that our daughters make decisions or choose not to share details about their lives because they want to shield us from our own anxieties.
Understanding this dynamic is helpful, as it highlights the importance of fostering open conversations by balancing our worries while showing visible trust in our daughters' decision making. When we create an environment where our daughters (and students) feel safe to share their thoughts and experiences, free from judgment or the burden of our concerns, we can more effectively bridge the gap between their need for independence and their desire for closeness.
If you find yourself with a quiet Sunday, I highly recommend giving this book a read.
Term 3 Wellbeing opportunities in SEAD
My gratitude to our Director of Wellbeing Programs, Ms Jessica Edwards, for organising the following important incursion opportunities within our SEAD program this term:
Elephant Ed Program (Year 7 and 8)
Elephant Ed delivers engaging, evidence-based workshops and school incursions that empower students to navigate consent, respectful relationships and online safety with confidence. Led by engaging and relatable facilitators, these interactive sessions make learning practical, relevant and memorable for students across all year levels.
P.A.R.T.Y. Program (Year 10)
The Prevent Alcohol and Risk-Related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y.) Program focuses on preventing accidents before they occur by providing secondary school students with real-life insights into the impacts of risk-taking behaviour. Students gain exposure to emergency and trauma services and hear firsthand from doctors, nurses, emergency personnel and allied health professionals who share their perspectives to promote safer decision-making.
TABOO Program (Year 5, 6 and 7)
TABOO partners with schools to provide engaging and informative sessions that educate students about menstruation and wellbeing. The program aims to build understanding, reduce stigma and empower students with practical knowledge about the menstrual cycle and the support services available to them.
Suzie Crowe
Assistant Principal: Wellbeing and Engagement
