A big shout out to our wonderful staff! Sometimes week two and three brings a few transition tears as students begin to settle in and realise that this is just the start. Some students are bounding in, confidently connecting with friends and walking to their class. Others are still nervous or struggling to adjust. Remember that no matter how this week looks that you are doing good!

A few tips for those who are struggling to adjusting.

+Breathe deeply. There are so many techniques that can help calm our nervous system when it goes into overdrive. Starfish breathing is a family favorite of mine. Breathe in as you trace up your finger and breathe out when you trace down. Run over each finger slowly and lightly. 

+Let your child pick a favorite song to play on the way to school

+Acknowledge how they feel

+Encourage self growth, maybe transitions are a time for them to practice being brave, or courageous, or calm

+Share a time you managed the same feeling, and what you did to feel better

But mostly be kind to yourself! It's hard to see your loved ones struggle. Be rest assured that our staff are waiting with kindness to support all of our students.

I really enjoy the content and links that parenting expert Justin Coulson often shares. He has recently interviewed Brad Marshall on how parents can help their kids who struggle with smartphone addiction. This study was done that included Primary students and has some really easy ways to help manage technology time. Visit https://pod.fo/e/2a9d83 for a short 16min overview or checkout his website https://unpluggedpsychologist.com/

Thankyou to all who joined me for community connect. My highlight was hearing two parents chat after realising their students were both in the same class. It was really nice meeting some of the new parents but also to catch up with some of the families who have been here for a while. It was a really nice mixture of people. If you'd like to connect, keep an eye out for another event early next term. 

I met a few international families there. One of them commented saying that their experience here had been so warm and welcoming. It was so encouraging to hear and made me feel so proud of being an Australian. We have a wonderful country, school and community and it is a privilege to share it with others. 

I spent this morning with the Prep classes at the pool. It was so nice supporting students on their first swimming lesson. The Master Stroke teachers and Mr Blaik are fantastic. Energy, enthusiasm and compassion were at full swing today. Lots of students proudly showed their competency while a few bravely engaged with support. It was a lovely opportunity for me to connect with students, to help with shoelaces and to boost their sense of success and achievement.