Wellbeing Officer

Checking in with your child

With the school holidays approaching, checking in with your child is really important. In a world where children have access to multiple social media platforms, as parents we have a responsibility to ensure our children are viewing or engaged in appropriate conversations/activities. 

I was challenged with this last week when I discovered that my son was engaged in a verbally negative conversation with another child while playing an online game.  I was reminded very quickly that I am not always aware of my child's gaming habits.  For other children it may be creating private chat groups or posting on Instagram. 

The majority of children will have the best of intentions, however conversations can become damaging very quickly as I have seen this year. With the school holidays only a few days away, I would like to encourage all parents to have open conversations with their child.  I understand that this can be challenging as during covid students were only able to socialise and connect with friends online but this has also created negative habits for some students. 

When having the conversation, it is important that your child is given space to discuss their feelings freely.  Sharing your thoughts on this topic is important, however listening to their thoughts and ideas is also a key component and a valuable opportunity to increase trust and communication with one another.  During my conversation with my son, I informed him that just like any other habit, social media and gaming can also become addictive. I acknowledged that social media and gaming were tools that could be useful, however they can also expose him to negative conversations and cyberbullying. 

Parentline has some great resources on this topic if you are looking for additional support and I have provided the link below.

https://parentline.com.au/cyberbullying

Encouraging your child to connect with their peers in person and providing opportunities for outdoor play are vital components to ensure overall health.  Perhaps you can both agree on having non electronic time during the week, even if it only for the morning before school or  the afternoon.  As parents we are on our phones now more than ever so this is also a great opportunity for us to reflect on our own habits.  Not allowing electronics at the dinner table or turning them off at least an hour before bed are great ways to not only reduce screen time but also provide space for your child to increase healthier habits such as reading, mindfulness or drawing.

I hope everyone has a safe and relaxing school holidays and I look forward to seeing everyone in term 2. 

Nicole Agius

Wellbeing Officer

nicole.agius@crosswaylifecare.org.au