Wellbeing

LEAP OF FAITH!

Last week I had the privilege of attending the grade 5 camp at Log Cabin Camp site. Even before we left I was excited (possibly not as much as the kids were), mostly because I saw it as a fantastic opportunity to get to know all of the kids and staff on a deeper level as we spent 3 whole days together, and let me say, it did not disappoint! It was awesome!!!

Leading up to camp different kids shared their anxieties about going away;  who they were going to share a cabin with, being away from family and home for the first time, possible friendship issues, doing the activities, etc. These were all natural concerns and together we spoke about strategies to support and manage their worries. For some of the kids their worries only peaked when they were faced with a challenging activity such as the giant swing or the Leap of Faith. Most of the activities required all of us to place our trust in other people, equipment and ourselves.

The Leap of Faith was a definite trust exercise for me. As you can see in the above picture we had to climb up the tall metal ladders wearing a harness, held by a rope that wound through a metal contraption and was ultimately held by 3 or 4 of the kids, then willingly jump off!! No offense to any of your children, but it is fair to say that I am heavier than all of them and the thought of them holding the rope that was holding me did give me some cause for worry. As I started to climb I remember looking back at the kids and confirming they definitely were focused on holding the rope! I had seen the metal contraption and new it was strong, I had listened to the instructors explain how it all worked, but as I ascended I was definitely scared. I had never done anything like this before.

After each activity the instructors debriefed the groups about what they had learned. Life lessons such as team work, communication skills, that the level of courage we need to conquer a fear varies depending on how much fear we start with, who and what do we put our trust in, how do we restore trust when it's been broken.  

So I climbed, I kept my eyes on the pole in the middle, took deep breaths and focused on what I was doing. With a lot of encouragement I climbed two thirds of the way to the top and then jumped! The kids slowly lowered me to the ground and with my heart rate slowly decreasing, I looked at the kids and literally with a tear in my eyes gave them all a hug, thanking them for keeping me safe. They did a great job, all of the kids were incredible, brave, courageous and trustworthy! 

So, let me ask you, who and what do you place your trust in? Has trust been broken in any of your relationships? What can you do to try and restore trust. It just takes a leap of faith!

Please feel free to reach out anytime if you need to chat or have concerns regarding your child. 

Lisa Osborne

Chaplain

email: lisa.osborne@education.vic.gov.au