School Counsellor News
Parents and carers have a vital role in helping children to develop and understand their feelings and behaviours. Social and emotional skills develop over time and different children develop them at different rates. While students learn skills for social and emotional wellbeing at school, children initially learn relationship skills and a sense of self from their early interactions with parents and carers. These foundational skills are essential to development and support a sense of wellbeing, as well as accomplishment. Children need help from parents and caregivers to learn how to manage their feelings and learn what is appropriate behaviour for certain situations. They also need help to learn how to be social and develop friendships with others. Below are some strategies to help guide you to build these skills at home.
- Teach relaxation skills (e.g. slow breathing, shake off angry feelings)
- Teach productive ways to express emotions (e.g. drawing, playing with playdough, listening to music)
- Encourage activities to increase positive feelings (e.g. exercise, positive social experiences, good sleeping and eating habits)
- Spend quality time together talking and having fun through play
- Support your child to understand facial expressions and body language
- Name feelings by encouraging children to use words to say what they feel and need
- Teach self-control and to be flexible, in their responses to situations
If you would like more ideas or support to adopt these strategies at home, please don’t hesitate to contact me at anne.woodcroft-brown@twb.catholic.edu.au. Alternatively, for further information and resources you can also visit:
Social Emotional Development (Beyondblue.org.au)
Helping kids identify and empress feelings (Kidshelpline.com.au)
Social emotional development for pre-schoolers (education.vic.gov.au)
As a school, we look forward to continuing the conversation about happiness and student wellbeing during Week 9 as we celebrate Wellbeing Week.
Anne Woodcroft-Brown
School Counsellor