News from Health and Wellbeing
Our Health and Wellbeing Journey
It’s been a big year developing the necessary skills to navigate what our daily lives have to offer. We looked at ourselves as individuals, self-reflected and are becoming better at dealing with our own mental health and wellbeing. Open discussions were encouraged about feelings and emotions, respect, resilience, acceptance, differences and lots of positivity. We’re proud of what we have been able to achieve and are excited about our ongoing journey.
Looking forward …
Mental Health
Emotional Health: We will continue to work on managing our emotions while trying to be in control of them and our feelings.
Stress Management: We will build an understanding that stress can negatively impact mental and physical health and how we can use appropriate strategies to deal with the stress to soften the blow.
Mindfulness and Meditation: We will talk about these practices and how we can foster a deeper connection with the present moment, try reducing our stress, and work on improving our emotional stability.
Emotional Regulation: Developing an emotional understanding plays an important role in our coping skills for a variety of emotions and this contributes to our mental wellbeing. We will continue to use the Zones of Regulation for self-reflection and the regulating of our emotions. It’s about how we respond to challenges, whether that’s seeking support, using strategies like mindfulness, or engaging in activities that help us relax and get back in control.
Social Connections: Continuing to build strong relationships with family and friends is important. Fostering a sense of belonging and emotional support, can improve overall mental health.
Sharing feelings: Not being afraid to speak to a trusted person will be helpful for working through mental health challenges. This will be encouraged regularly when necessary.
Healthy Relationships: We will continue to build and maintain positive relationships. It includes communicating effectively, showing empathy, having a sense of belonging while connecting with others and respecting each others boundaries.
What Health and Wellbeing Means To Us …
Mental Health and Wellbeing are personal and unique to everyone, but they generally refer to how we think, feel, and cope with life’s challenges. To you, mental health and wellbeing could mean different things depending on your experiences, values, and circumstances. The students have discussed and shared what Mental Health means to them.
Building Confidence and Empathy In Young Minds
We recently had a motivational guest speaker who is known for his unique ability to address topics in a way that our students were able to understand and get involved in the presentation. His storytelling helped our students grasp the importance of resilience, mental health, and self-care. He talked about the following areas:
- Resilience
- Bullying (including self-bullying)
- Anxiety and Stress (how to manage it)
- It’s ok to make mistakes
- Overcoming negative beliefs and the impact of negative self-talk
- The power of words
- Stop worrying about what other people think
- Adjusting to change
- Treating others fairly
- Owning your uniqueness (speaking up for yourself)
It was a worthwhile experience. We all walked out feeling positive, grateful and more mindful that we need to take more care of ourselves.
Regular Discussions We Have About Improving Our Health and Wellbeing
Practicing Self-Care: Take the time for activities that recharge our body and mind, such as relaxation, doing hobbies we enjoy, or pampering ourselves. We need to be kind to ourselves more often.
Seeking Support: We shouldn’t hesitate to reach out to friends, family, or professionals if we’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed.
Engaging in Meaningful Activities: Whether through work, hobbies, or social connections, find activities that give you purpose.
Overthinking: Don’t overthink things. It can be detrimental to our mental health, as it may increase anxiety, reduce focus, and hinder problem-solving. Seeking support from others. This will be a big focus for us next year.
Thank you to all our kids who have worked on their Mental Health and Wellbeing. Our journey together will continue.
Wishing you all a safe and happy break!
A huge thanks to those who submitted what fun they have been up to this term. Here are some of the experiences. Loved the stories and pictures!
William L (Prep AB) – We enjoyed working together on a garden project. William loves helping out with home renovations and wants to be a builder when he grows up.
Elina Y (Prep AD) – Her Japanese teacher is retiring, so Elina and I made a card together for her. First, we discussed what she wanted to write in Japanese, I wrote it, and Elina copied it. After that, she drew a picture she liked and coloured it with water-based paints. I was happy to see that my daughter's design sense is improving day by day. My daughter said that she enjoyed painting by herself.
Ari S (4AD) - We have been taking the opportunity to explore the outdoors by bike whenever the opportunity has arisen. We have been gradually pushing out a little further and Ari recently completed his first 20km bike ride completing a loop around the Merri Creek and Darebin creek trails. And of course, no ride goes unrewarded, always finishing with an ice cream to aid in recovery. 😊
