PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

There is no doubt that we are living in stressful times. Most of us associate stress with adulthood – work, home, relationship, mortgage and financial issues are all well known for creating stress. In the current situation with a whole gamut of different realities – no school, no sport, no physical socialising and the requirement to stay at home… it is little wonder that our young men and women are feeling stress as well, some for the first time. This is especially hard to manage as there is no definitive end in sight.

Stress can manifest itself in young people in a multitude of ways and it is essential that we are all cognizant of these possible signs:

• Changes to sleep routines or consistent fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• No interest in things previously enjoyed
• Social and emotional withdrawal from family and friends
• Lack of academic engagement
• Mood changes and swings
• Developing irrational fears and constantly worrying
• Becoming over-emotional
• A lack of concentration
• Headaches
• Lack of motivation.

Being aware of these signs allows support to be offered as early as possible.

There are some well-known and successful strategies that we can employ to assist young people in managing their stress and prevent it from spiralling out of control.  

• Monitor your child’s stress and be pro-active about working together during these difficult times.
• Model positivity.
• Talk with your children and challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts.
• Schedule dedicated time for their hobbies or interests.
• Facilitate and encourage connectedness via social media with their friends.
• Practice mindfulness and share this with your children.
• Schedule specific times each day to focus on wellbeing with your children.
• Spend some time in reflection activities with your children.

As we all deal with the COVID-19 situation in our own way, realising that we are not alone is essential as well. We all need to reach out for help when we need it. As a College community, we are in this together. We need to look after ourselves and our families knowing we can also rely on one another in the community.

We are here to help and I encourage you to get in touch with our team if you need any assistance at all.

Stay safe.

Paul Humble | Principal