Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) Program

One of our major topics for RRRR this term is positive coping which is Topic 3 in the program, all year levels will be looking at this topic in an age appropriate way.

🌱 Overview

Topic 3 focuses on helping children understand that everyone experiences difficult emotions and that there are positive, safe, and effective ways to cope. The activities are designed to build emotional resilience.

⭐ What children learn in this topic

Children are supported to:

Recognise their emotions and understand that feelings change throughout the day.
Identify helpful coping strategies, such as deep breathing, taking a break, talking to someone they trust, or using positive self‑talk.
Manage strong emotions like anger, frustration, fear, or sadness in safe and constructive ways.
Build confidence by practising skills that help them face challenges rather than avoid them.
Understand that coping skills can be learned and improved, just like any other skill.

These skills are taught through structured activities such as games, reflection exercises, and guided discussions. For example, early‑years activities include “The fast emotions game” and “Calm time,” which help children practise calming strategies.

🧠 Why Positive Coping Matters

The Respectful Relationships program is part of Victoria’s whole‑school approach to building respectful, resilient, and emotionally aware communities. It supports children to:

develop resilience
improve wellbeing and mental health
strengthen relationships with peers and adults
reduce stress and anxiety by using healthy coping tools

This topic is one of eight evidence‑based areas designed to build social and emotional learning across all year levels.

🏡 How parents can support Positive Coping at home

You can reinforce these skills by:

Talking openly about feelings and modelling calm responses.
Naming emotions (“It looks like you’re feeling frustrated—what might help right now?”).
Practising coping strategies together, such as breathing exercises or taking a quiet moment.
Encouraging problem‑solving, rather than fixing everything for your child.
Celebrating effort, especially when your child tries a new coping strategy.

These small, everyday actions help children feel supported and confident in managing their emotions.

Additional Resources for supporting Positive Coping in Children

🌐Websites

1. Emerging Minds – Families Hub

2. Raising Children Network (Australia’s official parenting website)- Resilience

Ages 3-8

Preteens & Teenagers

🎧Podcasts

1. Pop Culture Parenting – Resilience Reflection ep. 97

2. Parental as Anything- How to build your kids' (and your own) resilience

3. Emerging Minds Families Podcast

📚 Picture Books for Positive Coping

I Have a Worry by Tanya Balcke
All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell & Allison Colpoys
How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham
Drawn Onward by Meg McKinlay & Andrew Frazer
Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker
The Thank You Dish by Trace Balla
Bob the Artist by Marion Deuchars
Being Edie is Hard Today by Ben Brashares & Elizabeth Bergeland

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