Deputy Principal - Student Development and Wellbeing

So you can’t go anywhere on the holidays. What’s your plan?

I don’t profess to have the answers and each of our households are different. I do, however, think there is some merit in the suggestions that I have adapted from The Guardian, 13 March 2020. These are interesting times for all of us, and the most important thing that we need to do is ensure that everyone is able to stay healthy – both mentally and physically.

For anyone living in your household:

Begin on the same page. Discuss concerns and expectations there may be about being required to stay at home during the holidays.
Be Truthful. Listen to, and empathise, with the fears of younger members of your household and speak truthfully about the situation.
Set Up Structure. Maintaining routine is important as it helps people to see an endpoint. Decide on the 'must dos' for your household and set a time for these to occur. Make them regular and commit to them. Don’t let anyone in the household stay on screens for too long.
Keep Moving. Set up an obstacle course in your backyard or break up the day with some micro exercises like running upstairs, star jumps, squats, etc. The list is endless; you could have your child or children take a turn to create the Energy Plan for each day. If that fails, there are plenty of resources on line to start you moving.
Get Things Done. Make a list with your children about the things that need to be done that you haven’t been able to do or would like to see done now that there is some home time to do them. You could rearrange the furniture, paint a bedroom, tidy a cupboard, etc. Give your child/children a chance to make decisions about this, then put them into your daily routine.
Give Each Other Space. Let your children decide where their own space is going to be. Most likely it will be their bedroom. While it is important for young people to have their own spaces, set up some rituals in your routines that are going to enable your family to connect. Maybe try discovering a new recipe and preparing it together.
Stay in Touch. We are fortunate in these times to have a way to connect. Because most of your family members are used to being highly social, given the capacity of social media, it is important that this forms part of each day. Scheduling these times is one of the best ways to manage both routine and how it is happening.
Finally, learn from the experience. It might be the best thing ever that we all need to slow down and actually feel guilt-free for not being busy all the time.

One of the things that I will miss most is seeing the faces of our young people each day. What a quiet world it is going to be for a while, but what a celebration we will have when we can return safely to our special community, Mount Alvernia.

I wish you all the best as we move forward through these times. Remember that Easter still remains a very important celebration for our community and, while we may not be able to come together to celebrate, it is important to take the time to remember that there was a very special human being who, through the way he lived, showed us how we should treat one another and be thankful for the time we do have. God bless each and every one of you - stay well.

What follows are some fantastic resources that the Pastoral Guardians have put together for each year level to use during the holidays. I dare say that there are some great family ones in which you can be involved as well. Stay calm and play!!!!

Annette Butterworth