Assistant Principal
Danielle Frost
Week 8 - Wellbeing Week
A final reminder for parents to attend a facilitated workshop with Susanne North on anxiety. It will be held at 9.00am followed by an opportunity for a coffee and to connect with other parents.
R U OK Day
This week we bring the students attention to R U OK Day. This day is an important day to check in on others “when life happens”. While we need to tailor the understanding for the students, the information below may help families when asking the question - R U Ok?
Choose a moment where you have time to listen and where there’s relative privacy so that they can share how they’re feeling.
You don’t have to use the words, ‘are you OK?’ – you can start the conversation in any way that feels right to you and your relationship with that person.
You could help them open up by specifically mentioning what they’re going through, with a question such as ‘How are you feeling about…?’.
If they respond by saying that they are doing well, they will still appreciate that you asked. It’s beneficial to check in even if someone isn’t struggling at that time and it lets them know that they can come to you in the future if they need.
Listen carefully to what they say. Don’t judge their experiences or reactions but acknowledge their feelings and what they’re going through.
It’s important to remember that much of what people go through in life will be out of your control. You don’t need to ‘solve’ or ‘fix’ what they’re going through, and often you can’t. Just listening and helping them
feel heard can go a long way.
Help them explore some actions they might be able to take to manage their situation. You could ask, ‘what has helped you in the past?’, or, ‘how would you like me to support you?’. If they are really struggling, encourage them to access professional support. You could offer to help them book an appointment with their GP or research some helplines.
You can find a list of free 24/7 national support services at the link below.
After the conversation, set yourself a reminder to check back in with them. Following up on the initial conversation shows them that you heard them and that you care.
You could say, ‘I've been thinking of you and wanted to know how you've been going since we last chatted’. You might need to repeat the above steps again and continue the conversation.