Wellbeing- UR STONG Program

Friendology – Building Self-Compassion

Over the past few weeks, students have been exploring what self-compassion means through our Friendology - URSTONG program. In order to build healthy friendships, children first need to learn how to treat themselves with kindness, understanding and care. This concept of self-compassion is strongly linked to resilience and positive wellbeing.

In the classroom, students have been learning about how to recognise and name their emotions, calm their “butterflies,” and manage their ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts). These skills help children strengthen their inner voice and build healthy self-worth.

There has been a focus on helping children learn how to be their own best friend — speaking kindly to themselves, showing self-understanding when things feel tricky, and practising positive self-talk.

You can support your child by modelling kind self-talk, encouraging them to name and talk about their feelings, and gently helping them reframe negative thoughts when they arise. Simple conversations, such as “What would you say to a friend in that situation?” can help children practise self-compassion in everyday moments. By working together, we can continue to build your child’s confidence, resilience and positive sense of self both at school and at home.

Georgie Carman 

Wellbeing Leader