Student Wellbeing
Dear Families,
Thank you for all your support this year. It is so important for families and schools to be on the same page in order for children to get consistent messaging. This helps to ensure children feel safe and cared for.
Christmas are right around the corner. It is wonderful to look forward to time with family and friends and to participate in ongoing family traditions.
A family tradition is something that is recreated, year after year, enhancing family involvement and strengthening family bonds. It also can be quite challenging for some families so how your family traditions work best is different in all homes.
Families that share in their own traditions provide a sense of comfort and security to their families, especially the children involved. Children love routine and consistency; a family tradition provides this year after year. It also helps the children manage the changes in the year and gives them something to look forward to.
In addition, family traditions enhance family and personal well-being and can also add to the family identity. Strong family bonds are created and reinforced with traditions that are upheld and maintained.
As children grow and mature, traditions can also be altered or changed to accommodate each family’s needs. For example, perhaps a family with young children has a tradition of singing Christmas carols around their Christmas tree.
It could be making video calls with our relatives after Christmas dinners. It gives us all a chance to stay connected as a family, even if we physically can’t be together for the holiday.
Family traditions don’t have to be formal, fancy, or cost money. They don’t even have to revolve around the holidays – you can share in a family tradition any day or time of the year.
Perhaps your family opts to take a walk every Christmas morning or enjoys exchanging
gifts during your celebrations. you might Traditions are what you want to make them.
Other ideas to create family traditions include:
- Reading a book, such as “The Night Before Christmas,” aloud prior to opening Christmas gifts
- Weekly or monthly family movie nights
- Yearly family talent shows
- Creating crafts together
- Baking or preparing meals together
- Annual family camping trips
- Looking at Christmas lights together
- Playing board games
No matter what your family tradition is or what your family chooses to create, just having something for all family members to look forward to each year is important. Traditions help create warm, positive memories that can be recalled fondly and draw family members back to one another year after year.
Regards
Jenny Willmott
jwillmott@sjvmulgrave.catholic.edu.au
Deputy Principal/ Student Wellbeing Leader