Oak News

Wellbeing

End of Term 2: Wellbeing Report

Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,

 

Building Resilience Through Gratitude, Empathy, and Mindfulness: Supporting Your Child’s Wellbeing Journey

 

At South Oakleigh College, we are dedicated to nurturing our students' emotional and mental health. In 2024, we are excited to further embed the Resilience Project into our school culture, emphasising the importance of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness, and Emotional Literacy. 

 

These pillars are essential tools that can significantly enhance your child’s ability to cope with life’s challenges and academically and personally thrive. Here’s how you can support your child’s wellbeing journey using these strategies and encourage their use at home.

 

The Practice of Gratitude

Gratitude involves recognising and appreciating the positive aspects of life, no matter how small. 

 

This practice can significantly enhance emotional wellbeing by shifting focus away from what one lacks to what one has.

 

How You Can Support:

  • Daily Gratitude Journals: Encourage your child to write down three things they are grateful for daily. This can be a shared activity where you both discuss what you’re thankful for.
  • Gratitude Jar: Create a family gratitude jar where each member writes down things they are thankful for on slips of paper and reads them together at the end of the week or month.

Opportunities at Home:

  • Family Meals: Use mealtime to go around the table and share something positive from each person’s day.
  • Bedtime Reflections: Before bed, spend a few minutes reflecting on what went well during the day and expressing thanks for it.

Cultivating Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. It fosters connection and compassion, which are crucial for healthy relationships.

 

 

How You Can Support:

  • Model Empathy: Demonstrate empathetic behaviour by acknowledging and validating your child’s feelings and showing empathy in your interactions with others.
  • Role-Playing: Use role-playing scenarios to teach your child how to consider others’ perspectives and respond with kindness.

Opportunities at Home:

  • Helping Others: Encourage your child to help siblings or participate in family chores, emphasising the importance of supporting each other.
  • Community Service: Get involved in community service projects as a family to teach empathy through action.

Practicing Mindfulness

Mindfulness is being present and fully engaged in the moment, which helps reduce stress and increase focus.

 

How You Can Support:

  • Mindful Breathing: Teach your child simple breathing exercises to help them stay calm and focused. Practice together for a few minutes each day.
  • Mindful Activities: Incorporate mindfulness into daily activities, such as mindful eating or mindful walking, where you focus on the sensory experiences of the moment.

Opportunities at Home:

  • Mindfulness Moments: Set aside specific times during the day for the family to practice mindfulness together, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
  • Tech-Free Time: Designate certain times or areas in the home as tech-free zones to encourage mindful interactions and activities.

Enhancing Emotional Literacy

Emotional literacy is recognising, understanding, and appropriately expressing emotions. It is foundational for emotional regulation and healthy communication.

 

How You Can Support:

  • Emotion Charts: Use emotion charts to help your child identify and label their feelings. Discuss these emotions and healthy ways to express them.
  • Open Conversations: Encourage open conversations about emotions, validating your child’s feelings and discussing appropriate ways to handle them.

Opportunities at Home:

  • Feelings Check-In: Have regular check-ins where family members share how they are feeling and why.
  • Storytelling: Use stories or books that explore different emotions and discuss the characters’ feelings and actions with your child.

Supporting Your Child’s Wellbeing Journey

As parents, your involvement is crucial in supporting your child’s resilience and overall wellbeing. Here are some additional tips to help you on this journey:

  • Be a Role Model: Demonstrate the practices of gratitude, empathy, mindfulness, and emotional literacy in your daily life.
  • Create a Supportive Environment: Foster an environment at home where your child feels safe to express their emotions and practice these skills.
  • Stay Engaged: Regularly engage with your child about their experiences and feelings, offering guidance and support as needed.

By integrating these practices into your daily life, you can help your child develop the resilience they need to navigate life’s ups and downs successfully. 

 

The Resilience Project is not just about individual practices but about creating a culture of emotional and mental wellbeing that your entire family can benefit from. 

 

Together, let’s build a resilient community where our young people can thrive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Smith 

Director of Student Wellbeing