College Counsellor
EMPOWERMENT | WELLBEING | AFFIRMATION
Confidence Boosting School Holidays – Let Go and Let Grow
If I think back to my childhood, some of the memories that really stand out are from school holidays.
Walking to a friend's house, riding my bike to the local store to spend all my pocket money on lollies, climbing the trees opposite our house, growing something I can eat, meeting up with a friend at the local park, writing a letter to my Grandma and posting it myself, stacking rocks to create a channel and flooding it, and catching the train into the city with a mate just to explore.
These were all important steps toward becoming more confident. Unfortunately, many young people today struggle with doing things on their own and expect adults to always direct them. This makes it hard not only to bounce back from disappointments but also to stretch and succeed. The independence we learn in childhood plays a big part in our success at school and as adults. During these school holiday memories, I got to grow because my parents let go.
The Let Grow Project puts it like this:
“When kids do something on their own for the first time, something big happens. They realise how deeply you believe in them. You realise how amazingly they’re growing up. Worries get replaced by the pride and joy of seeing your kids spread their wings.”
Connection and relationship build our ability to bounce back. Resilience is also strengthened when we are connected to ourselves, and the confidence that follows. These holidays look for opportunities to create memories that build independence and confidence, all instrumental for lifelong success.