PAC

Pastoral Academic Care (PAC) Focus -

This week’s Pastoral Academic Care focus is Laughing and Having Fun.

Wellbeing Element: Exercise and Health

Character Strength: Humour

Wellbeing Fitness Challenge: Discovery Learning

Wellbeing Reflection Activity: Fun and Laughing (refer to http://learningcurve.com.au)

Parent Wellbeing: Gilbert Chesterton once said, “there are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people.” Describe three things you are uninterested in, but really need to be interested in to achieve what you have set out to do or would like to do.

Over one in four students, currently experience significant mental health issues during adolescence; this is a totally unacceptable situation and needs to be a major priority to be addressed immediately. Being connected to everyone else 24/7 leaves students

with little time to connect with themselves; they don’t do solitude well:

• it’s ok to be serious about what they set out to do, but too many students are becoming too serious about themselves;

• encourage them to use their strengths to focus on things which make them happy;

• a sure-fire tonic is to create opportunities to look on the bright and light side of life, have fun and laugh;

• humour is a wonderful character strength which boosts positive emotions which nurture feelings of optimism and hope for the future.

Everyone has mirror neurons which imitate the expressions and emotions of those around us. By being on the lookout for the funny things in life, you can use mirror neurons to benefits you and others:

• releases feel good brain chemicals into the bloodstream;

• increases blood flow around the body, strengthens the immune system and reduces stress and anxiety.

Humour enables the brain and body to exercise together, just be careful to not overuse it in class.

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.”