From our Counsellors
School-life Integration
School is one of the biggest parts of life for children and teens, but it is just one part of life. For young people’s wellbeing and success, school needs to integrate with other important aspects of their lives.
Instead of the idea of finding balance (where time/effort are taken from one domain to give to another to achieve equilibrium), the notion of school-life integration is more about aligning priorities and managing boundaries. Encouraging students to think about what is important to and for them (both in terms of their wellbeing and their values) is a great way to begin the process. When life’s elements are not integrated, students’ achievements, motivation, and productivity will be impacted as stress is not managed. Integrating life elements is needed so that stress is at healthy and motivating levels rather than being distressing or paralysing. Children and teens require support from parents/carers to manage their time, resources, and mindset. Due to their developmental stage, young people benefit from adults’ help to keep things in perspective and to look at the broader picture. At school, we focus on fostering a love of learning and understanding who students are as learners, reminding them that their grades are not the only thing that matters. Parents/carers can help by using similar terminology in discussions at home and highlighting the cost of not focusing enough on wellbeing, relationships, hobbies, and fun. Growing up from child to teen to adult involves nurturing and developing the whole person in a holistic way. Consider your short-term and long-term goals or hopes for your child – are those being approached in a helpful and holistic way, or is the perspective too narrow? Is the focus just on getting top marks? Why is that the goal and is it part of broader goals? What elements are needed to achieve that goal, and what else is important to you for your child’s wellbeing and future?
Further resources:
Health and wellbeing with Dr Judith Locke (short videos with helpful tips):
Balancing schoolwork, extracurriculars, and a social life
Studying for too long: does it affect children’s wellbeing
Edith Benardeau-Short
Psychologist
Charlotte Edmonds
Counsellor