EMPOWERING STUDENT WELLNESS
GIFTS AS LOVING ACTION
By Matt Edwards (Secondary Chaplain)
You can ask my wife: I have NEVER been good at gift giving. I am that person that gives money or a gift card, which makes it hard when someone anticipates receiving the perfect gift! The insensitivity… but in all seriousness, unlike me, some people are wired to feel loved when somebody has thought of them and specifically put that thought and effort into making/buying/writing something to give them. In relation to our kids, if this is what they need, it can make a big impact on them.
Seriously though, what more could our kids want! There is an abundance of toys and gadgets that we can buy our kids, let alone what they already have. But giving presents as a sign of love are not about extravagance or costliness, rather of an expression of love. It can be a note, a flower, or even the same chocolate you always buy, but their favourite flavour, simply because you want them to know you were thinking of them. The desired outcome is not that our kids are happy with the gift, but actually, that they know they are loved. And this can be a helpful guide when gifting. We may not be on the right track when we think, ‘I hope they like what I am going to give them,’ but, ‘I hope they know that I love them when they get this.’
Now, let’s be honest. Gift giving is a way of loving that can be costly and time consuming. It actually induces stress within me, thinking about a gift to give somebody! But, if our kids feel that they belong and are known when they receive one, they can also feel like they are ‘missed’ when they never receive them.
Is your child a gift person? It can be hard to tell sometimes, but by trying, you might just find out. We can always couple this with words of love or a hug to make it more special too. This can often be a neglected way to show love (much to the dismay of all you gift lovers!), but is just as meaningful to those who appreciate this form of care.
For further reading on this topic, check out the following links:
https://biglifejournal.com.au/blogs/blog/connect-child-activities-love-languages
SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN TRAUMATIC EVENTS
As a result of the devastating events that recently unfolded at Westfield in Bondi Junction, and the Church in Wakeley, many families are still in a state of disbelief trying to comprehend how and why these incidents occurred. All of us have been affected in some way, with some being left more traumatised than others.
Although such incidents are rare, they can still be scarring. It's in these situations that it is vitally important for parents and carers to check in with their children. Being aware of what information they've been exposed to will hopefully minimise their emotional fallout in coming weeks.
We encourage you to use the Special Report linked below to help inform your conversations.
https://bhcs.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news
WELLBEING RESOURCES
We know that it can sometimes be hard to find the necessary resources in relation to mental health, bullying and family violence, especially when things are tough. For this reason, the School has a small webpage with links related to health and wellbeing resources. This can be found on the School's website under Other Resources or can be found here.