Well... we have nearly reached the end of Term 3 and, it could be said, that it has been a fairly busy one!

With so much going on in our daily lives it is so easy to get caught up with the ‘busyness’ of it all and not take the time to be ‘present’ in the moment and to really enjoy what we are experiencing.

Elaine and I spent time talking with other PYP schools at a recent day in Geelong about how to develop mentally healthy people (adults and children).

We discussed the importance of being grateful for what we have, displaying empathy for others and being mindful and present in the moment we are living in……not always thinking about the next 10 things we have to do!
We discussed the importance of good nutrition, a good night’s sleep and participating in physical activity to sustain healthy people both mentally and physically.

These things have never been more relevant and topical as the present time…….so what does that mean for our school community?

As a staff we are talking about how we can continue to foster these elements of being mentally well in our everyday practice, not only educating with these factors as a driving force BUT also modelling these practices to our students.

What are some ways this can flow on from school to home…….spending time in the day talking about ‘What went well today?’ and ‘Tell me something that you really thought you or your friend did well today’ at dinner time can change the whole way of thinking of your children. Focussing on what went well turns the conversation into a positive one!

Encouraging our children to show acts of gratitude ‘Thank you for sharing that with me’, ‘I really like how you did that drawing’ are ways that not only make others feel good but make the person making the statement feel good as well!

Putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes is something that can be encouraged, modelled and, more often than not, comes naturally to children….if someone is being mean to your child, asking them ‘Why do you think they might be doing this?’ ‘What could you do to help this person to be nicer to others?’……..only slight changes but it is modelling how to think in a positive manner…….

Short, daily meditation sessions assist people to give their brains a rest from the hustle and bustle of daily life……our staff are trialling the use of an app called ‘Smiling Minds’ in classrooms…….providing our students with the opportunity to be present in the moment and rest their minds. It is recommended that you download this app and try it with your family!

As we enter the school holidays perhaps you might try some of these ideas and work with us to really try to develop a positive psychology and vibe @ Kunyung Primary School. Being positive and trying creative and imaginative solutions to solving problems is one sure way to model to our children how to stay positive and be mentally well!

Thank you! We have so many things to be grateful for as members of our school and local community and Term 3 events such as the Marvellous Musical are reminders of this! Once again we would like to thank Mrs Lynne Edwards, our staff, parents and our gorgeous students for the effort and support they displayed in putting this community event together!