Wellbeing

School holidays just around the corner!

There is definitely a lot of excitement around BPS with holidays almost here. This has been another busy term with loads of great experiences over the last 10 weeks, not to mention finishing with two weeks of swimming and parent teacher interviews, phew. Our incredible staff have done an amazing job keeping our students motivated and focused plus having loads of fun along the way. 

Last week I spent some time in one of the Foundation classrooms. The students had just returned from swimming earlier in the day and they were sitting on the floor doing some work. Normally when I visit a Foundation class there is usually a lot of bubbly kids with lots of energy, however, on this day it was the opposite, in fact one of the students was almost asleep lying on the floor. They were subdued, difficult to motivate with their school work and just super tired.

Learning to overcome our feelings is sometimes a difficult lesson. Our feelings are strong and they can steer our choices. As we grow and mature we learn that we have to use the thinking part of our brain to steer our choices in order to function responsibly and this helps build our resilience. As adults caring for children or teaching children it is our job to help teach and model this practice. For instance, my youngest two kids are still at school, Yr 9 and Yr 12. They both have a lot going on each week, juggling school work, part time jobs, sport and social commitments. As kids they want to do everything, they feel like they are going to miss out if they don't, however, they don't always manage their time wisely. As their Mum my job is to help them engage their thinking brain. I remind them about the importance of good sleep for instance, or getting their homework done. Putting in boundaries doesn't make me popular but my goal isn't to be liked and say yes all the time, it is to teach them to make the difficult choices sometimes.

I'm not saying that feelings aren't important, of course we also need to listen to them and work with them. However, I am always reminded in my role as Chaplain that helping kids build resilience is essential for their overall wellbeing. There have been a couple of days this year that I have let my Yr 12 child have a day off because things were getting too overwhelming. It was a reset and then we were back on track.  

It is my hope that as adults in the BPS community we continue to value the importance of helping build resilience in our kids. Maybe over the holidays you might be able to find some opportunities to practice engaging your kids thinking brain over their feeling brain. They might not feel like going outside for a walk but exercise together with you can be fun and good for your relationship. They might not feel like cleaning their room but the end result is beneficial.

I wish all of you a safe, fun and relaxing holiday break. Please feel free to reach out anytime if you or your child has any concerns they would like to chat about. My number is 0409559059 and my email is Lisa.Osborne@education.vic.gov.au