Wellbeing 

Maximizing our children’s potential

As the 2022 school year is nearing the end, it’s been an amazing year because there 

haven’t been any lockdowns. However, there has continued to be a great deal for children and adults to navigate and manage, which has brought its own kind of stresses. Unsurprisingly, with so much occurring that has been beyond our control, some of us, adults and children, have responded with anger, annoyance, feeling anxious or having difficulty pinpointing why we still don’t feel okay. 

This time of the year is also a time when children can feel unsettled as they transition up to the next year level, whether that be from Kindergarten to Foundation or up a grade level 

or from Grade 6 to Secondary School. Although children can usually be confident that one or two of their friends will be go with them, the remainder of their class is unknown. The prospect of making new friends can be daunting. 

Therefore, this period of transition is another time when adults at school and at home are needed to provide reassurance and support. An important aspect is to encourage children to view the transition as a positive opportunity to develop new friendships. Adults are afforded an opportunity to have conversations with children about what to look for in a new friendship. 

Another way of supporting children to get through such challenging periods is to intentionally create a special space for the child where they can feel safe, secure – a space where they can study, learn, write think and just be. This is important as it maximises for our children the potential for social, spiritual, and emotional wellbeing, as well as academic development.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Anne Lawry

Chaplain