Chaplain's Corner

Hi Everyone!

What is bucket filling?

Bucket filling is a term that has become a popular metaphor when talking about positive attitudes and behaviour. The underlying message is that each person carries with them an invisible bucket and when that bucket is full, the person is feeling happy, confident, secure, calm and content. On the other hand, if a person is carrying an empty bucket, they are feeling upset, down, dissatisfied and unhappy. 

A ‘bucket filler’ is a person who behaves in a way that helps to fill another person’s bucket. By being kind, empathetic and compassionate – we can help fill other people’s buckets so that they too can feel better.

You can fill someone else’s bucket by acting in a way that is supportive, helpful and kind.

Key Concepts:

• Everyone has an invisible bucket that can be “filled” or “dipped into” depending on our behaviour.
• Positive behaviour such as being kind, sharing, using kind words and showing our love and affection fills a person’s bucket. When we fill a person’s bucket, our own bucket gets filled too.
• Negative behaviours such as using unkind words, not sharing or physically hurting people dips into a person’s bucket. When we dip into a person’s bucket, our own bucket gets dipped into too.

Examples of bucket filling behaviour

• Being kind to everyone you meet
• Helping those who are struggling
• Paying someone a compliment
• Being respectful
• Showing someone you care for them                                      You can read more in ‘Have You Filled a Bucket Today?

THIS WEEK TWO ACPS STUDENTS HELPED TO FILL MY BUCKET! There was a knock at my office door, then in came Jack Parker and Sierra West from year 6.  Much to my surprise they came to give me a small gift in appreciation for all I do for the students at ACPS.  Their words went something like this - ‘You are always being kind and helping others, and writing encouraging messages, so we want to show some kindness and thank you!”

WELL, ‘MY BUCKET’ BEGAN TO OVERFLOW (AND MY EYES FELT A LITTLE TEARY ALSO!).  I FELT HUMBLED AS WELL AS OVERWHELMED! IT NOT ONLY MADE MY DAY, BUT ‘PUT A SPRING IN MY STEP’ FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK!

Hopefully this act of kindness helped to fill Jack and Sierra’s buckets too, because IT IS IN GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE!

So, let’s become BUCKET FILLERS and teach our children to be BUCKET FILLERS too!  It would change our homes, our relationships, OUR OWN HAPPINESS, our school, our community, OUR WORLD. 

 Robyn Mulholland (School Chaplain)  

robyn.mulholland@education.vic.gov.au