Year 7 Pastoral Guardian

Promoting Wellness through Self-care

Congratulations, your daughter has entered high school!  The transition from primary to secondary school has probably meant a gamut of responses in your child, ranging from excitement over new possibilities through to fear of the unknown.  These responses to change are perfectly normal.  Developmentally, this transition phase also coincides with adolescence - a time of immense physical, mental, emotional, and social change.  With two significant events aligning in the lives of our young people, it is imperative that firm foundations for self-care are established for optimal personal and academic wellbeing. 

 

According to mental health clinician Shainna Ali, self-care is a “continuous process of proactively considering and tending to your needs and maintaining your wellness” (www.psychologytoday.com).  During Monday evening’s Nuts and Bolts and Pastoral Care and Wellbeing presentation, six inter-connected self-care foci were identified as being essential for achieving wellness.  Here are the reasons why these six areas are so important, along with tips for achieving them:

Sleep Well 

  • Adolescents require eight to ten hours of sleep per night.
  • When you are tired, you are more likely to make risky or emotional decisions that can affect your health, relation-ships, and/or reputation. 
  • Sleep deprivation raises anxiety levels.
  • Ensure electronic devices are removed from the bedroom to ensure uninterrupted sleep. 
  • Use an alarm clock, not the phone.
  • Establish bedtime routines, eg shower before bed, quiet reading.

Focus Well

  • When focused, you produce better quality work, more efficiently and more creatively. 
  • This means less stress and more positive attitudes towards learning and greater personal satisfaction. 
  • Work in 20-30-minute bursts and then take a five-minute break.
  • Vary study techniques.
  • Avoid distractions like phones and television.  If wanting to listen to music, try baroque classical music for improving concentration and clarity, and reducing stress. 

 

Connect Well

  • Surround yourself with people who accept, value, and support you and your goals.
  • Enjoy screen time in a responsible manner – in time usage and the sites viewed; remember your digital footprint.
  • Connect as a family over meals; this is a valuable time to debrief, problem-solve, and celebrate 
  • Take time to notice and appreciate people and the world around you; develop an attitude of gratitude.

Eat Well. 

  • Consuming a nutritious breakfast improves cognition and memory function.
  • Eating a well-balanced diet reduces mood swings and improves the immune system.
  • Ensure the lunchbox is filled with fresh, easy to eat foods from the five food groups. 
  • Avoid skipping meals.
  • Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Play Well

  • Physical activity improves sleep routines, boosts energy levels, improves physical fitness, and reduces stress. 
  • Play through sport, dancing, walking a pet, riding a bike, or using a workout app.
  • Try new activities and experiences that broaden your horizons and allow you to connect with like-minded people.

Rest Well

  • Time to stop and smell the roses!
  • Soak in a bath, relax with a book or music, watch a movie, draw, paint, mediate, lie in the grass and watch the ever-changing clouds, play in the rain.
  • Enjoy being in the moment and feeling free to be yourself. 

Developing positive and firm routines around good self-care habits within your daughter provides the foundations for optimal health, enjoyment in life, and resilience.  This is our ultimate aim for your child, as the adults who wrap around her.

Conversation Starters

  1. What new friends have you met in Home Room/your Learning Group?  What have you learned about them?
  2. What did you most enjoy about the Mentee/Mentor Afternoon?
  3. What are you looking forward to about Year 7 Outdoor Education in Week 4?
  4. Please show me your weekly planner so that we can plan routines for your well-being.

Jeni Barlow