Faith & Wellbeing

 

STEM & Sustainability 

WELLBEING

Last week we celebrated R U Okay? day.  Thanks to Mrs McNamara and the year 6 leaders it was a great success.

R U Okay day is a great reminder to check in with people around us, people close to us. It is a reminder that we each live internal lives as well as external lives; private lives that we can hide from others. We can be living a private hell and no one around us may know. Even those close to us. There are many reasons why we hide ourselves, avoid things, withdraw, or even project our problems onto others. But these things add up and make us: not okay.

It just so happened that Gavin Larkin who came up with the idea of R U Okay? did a similar course that I did, it is called Landmark. Landmark is a great course to help focus you on things that you have avoided your whole life and need to deal with. Like complaining instead of resolving issues. Sadly this man lost his father under terrible circumstances, just a terrible loss, but instead of complaining about it, he used it to make a difference for others in the world who might be struggling internal pain that isn't being shared. The wound became the message.

What about you, what difference could you make in the world?

Start with your children, they are the future. Start with being with them where they are at. It can be so tempting to say to our children "don't be scared", "don't get angry”... but are we really saying don't feel? Being with them in their feelings today will mean you are with them when they feel these things in their adult lives.

To make a difference in the world start with those things that you are not Okay with in your life? Something that matters to you?

Perhaps it might be something small that you have been avoiding, like a messy bathroom cupboard. Or it might be a big relational issue, like you don't feel connected with your kids. What could you do to resolve it? Perhaps put that one thing in your calendar. A walk in the park, quality time with your eldest child, quality time with your spouse, it could be anything. Then, when you resolve it, ask how can you inspire the world to do the same? It might be sharing a post online, or calling someone. 

Love is the most important work we can do each day. Let's get busy at that work.

Blessings,

Corey Payton

St James Chaplain

The St James Community celebrated R U OK? Day, last Friday 10th September. Thank-you to our Year 6 Wellbeing leaders for assisting in deciding which activities would be good to run and the rest of the Year 6 class for organizing those activities and running the google meets.  Students were divided into their House Colour groups and then into grades P-2 and 3-5.  Each activity created and enabled connection to peers at St James who students may not have had the opportunity to “see” for some time. They were also designed to allow students to check in with themselves but also to remember they have friends to check in on also.

It was wonderful to see so many students engaged and enjoying the day with many beaming smiling faces. Families were encouraged from 12pm to take the afternoon off and check in with others or to do an activity together and post to social media tagging StJamesBrighton. 

The Royal Children's Hospital has been doing Podcasts for sometime now to support their kids Health Fact Sheets. The link below is to an information evening held that I found very interesting to listen to. Listen while you walk or cook and you may just pick up one or two things that you hadn't thought of yet or even a subconscious realisation. 

RCH Kids Health Info Podcast-COVID 19 and the effects on our children

Mrs Georgia McNamara

Student Wellbeing Leader

gmcnamara@stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 

For Parish Newsletters, please refer to the new Parish Website

https://www.baysidecatholicmission.org/ 

Emma Herbert

RE Leader

eherbert@stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au