Especean

Wellbeing

I recently received an email from a parent indicating how excited her sons were to return to face-to-face learning this week. In addition to thanking the College’s staff, they also forwarded a link to an article recently published by Dr Tara Quinlivan [May 15]. In reading the article I was affirmed by the knowledge that our College has already started preparing families for the return to school. Mrs Harkin’s advice in the Especean from 13 May is very similar to that provided in the article.

 

Within the article some of the key behaviours for parents to observe in their sons as they return to school include:

  • Reluctance or refusal to go to school
  • Increased ‘clingyness’ in the morning
  • Increased tearfulness
  • Poor sleep on nights before school
  • Temper tantrums on school mornings
  • Feeling sick - especially stomach aches, headaches and any other ache related to muscle tension (sore legs, jaws etc)

Dr Quinlivan goes on to provide a list of strategies for parents to try if their child is exhibiting any of these behaviours. I also encourage you to contact your son’s class/homeroom teacher, Year Coordinator or one of the counsellors if you have any concerns.

 

The full article can be accessed by clicking here. 

 

 

In recent editions of the Especean I have outlined our use of the COVID-19 Chilled & Considerate Bootcamp wellbeing program. Some of you may have seen one of the developers, Dr Danielle Einstein, speak about it on last Sunday’s Today program. She has advised me that a companion Parent Bootcamp will be released in the coming days and that as an involved school, parents at St Patrick’s will have a 20% discount available as a ‘pre-release' for the next 10 days. 

 

The Parent Bootcamp is a one-hour session. The program will allow parents to grasp their natural response to uncertainty and turn it around for a better outcome. The parent program complements the program we have been running with the boys at the College during Pastoral Care Periods. It aims to give parents the skills to deal with their own uncertainty and support their children's uncertainty.

 

There is feedback from those who have reviewed the parent bootcamp on the registration page. Parents interested in accessing the program can do so on the website - click here. 

 

Rob Simpson

Director of Wellbeing