Student Well-being

Spotlight: Prep Community

Focus: Feelings  

In Year Prep we have been talking about our emotions before and after coming back to school!

There were a mix of emotions in Year Prep....

Some were sad to leave their parents whereas some were very excited to return to school. Some were a little nervous but it was just so great to see everyone again!

We used 'Kimochi's' to identify what emotions we were feeling as we returned to school. It was great to know that we weren't the only ones who were feeling excited, happy, nervous or worried.

We are so glad to be with our friends again!

Returning to 'normal' after COVID-19

Focus: Supporting a worried child

It’s very normal for children and young people to experience re-entry anxiety following a pandemic. Here are some things that can help:

• Be curious- Ask open questions and actively listen to understand more about your child’s thoughts and feelings.
• Normalise and validate their feelings- This means letting them know that what they are feeling is normal, other people feel the same way and that there is nothing wrong with their feelings.
• Help them limit exposure to media- If they are younger, this might include reducing their exposure to the news. If they are older, it might be helping them to critically think about media messages they are exposed to or ensuring they are accessing reputable sources.
• Create a plan around transitioning- Planning can help alleviate some anxiety, especially fear of the unknown. Having a plan for the first day of school can help.
• Take small steps to re-integrate into society. Some fears can be alleviated with small, controlled exposures. For instance, a great first step might be a quick trip to the supermarket, or organising for your child to meet and hangout with one friend in a park.
• Problem-solve any concerns together. A lot of young people have let Kids Helpline know that their main fears revolve around bullying, conflict with friends or school/study-related stress and this is contributing to their anxiety around going back to ‘normal’. Talking through strategies together (you can use Kids Helpline as a resource if needed for different topics) can help your child improve their problem-solving skills and feel more empowered.

It’s okay to not have all the answers!

For more information, visit the Kids Helpline.

Haylea Anderson

Student Wellbeing Leader