Wellbeing - What does that mean?

Overview

You may have seen or heard the term ‘wellbeing’ quite a lot recently, but what does it actually mean?

At Australian Christain College Singleton, we believe that wellbeing goes beyond a state of feeling good and just eating healthy and exercising. We believe that wellbeing is a resource students can draw upon to be able to thrive in the good times and bounce back in the bad times. It is not something we teach and then move on, it is about effective integration and building a toolkit students can consistently draw upon.

Research continually shows that high wellbeing is linked to better physical health, happier relationships, greater resilience and more effective brain functioning (Howell, Kern, & Lyubomirsky, 2007; Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor & Shelllinger, 2011; Fredrickson, 2004; Seligman 2011).

It is because of this research that we have prioritised wellbeing to be an important part of our school life and culture. Students are explicitly taught wellbeing concepts in dedicated wellbeing lessons and then wellbeing concepts are also integrated into our school routines.

Make sure you are following us on social media (Facebook and Instagram), where we regularly share about what our students are learning and how you can continue the conversation at home.

Relaxation/Breathing Activity

Is your primary-aged child really worked up and struggling to calm down? Try asking them, “What can you smell?”. This prompts them to take a large breath in through their nose and they will usually respond to you while breathing out meaning it is a controlled exhale. It is a great way to get them to ‘take a breath’.

If your teenager is worked up and needs to calm down, try going through the 4 4 4 breathing strategy with them:

1. Breathe in counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.

2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds.

3. Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.

4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centred.

Healthy Recipe

With school holidays around the corner, we have the perfect kid-friendly recipe for your child/ren to try out, two ingredient pancakes. This healthy recipe is easy and great for a morning or afternoon snack or for a delicious breakfast. If you give the recipe a try, please share it with us on social media.

School Holiday Wellbeing Tip

While the weather is definitely on the cooler side these holidays, rug up in your winter warmers and take advantage of the sunny days. The NSW Health reccomendations is a maximum of two hours of screen time per day.

Resources

Smiling Minds is a not-for-profit organisation whose vision is to help every mind thrive and its mission is to provide accessible, lifelong tools to support healthy minds. They have a number of tools including meditations which you can explore at home on their website https://www.smilingmind.com.au

eSafety Parents is an online portal that contains information for parents/carers to help children have safe experienced online. They have downloadable resources, webinars and lots of information to explore - https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

Beyond Blue, Healthy Families is all about giving you the information, knowledge and confidence to support the young people in your life. They are also here to help you take care of your own mental health and wellbeing - https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/