Vice Principal 

& Wellbeing

Transition and Change

It's that time of year again where we all prepare to finish up our current year and look to the future. This is a very exciting time, but can also be a scary time for some. At St Mary's, we value a smooth, structured and scaffolded transition as we know that young people who experience a positive transition into their new school year are more likely to:

• feel comfortable, relaxed and valued
• feel excited and motivated to learn
• have good relationships with others
• develop a sense of belonging within the school community. 

This positive start can make a big difference to young people’s school engagement, learning and wellbeing. Some children may not find change to be exciting and can experience mild anxiety. Child and adolescent psychologist, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg advises parents to support their child's worry by:

• teaching them to have a momentary pause to check in with their emotions by quietly standing still
• encourage them to keep a diary of their thoughts and feelings
• help them to learn to breathe deeply and use mindfulness practices
• encourage them to be kind to themselves and use positive self-talk
• ensure they are exercising regularly
• ensure they are eating smart snacks 
• talk to them about the change that is occurring and reassure them that it might feel uncomfortable but that feeling won't last.

At school, we use our Toolkit daily to monitor how we are feeling, thinking and acting. You can do this at home too. Use the Emotional Thermometer with your child to check in with how they are feeling and remind them of their Mind Master thinking and Think Possibilities strategies.