Some alternative choices for Positive Behaviour:

Communication: Encourage children to express their feelings verbally. Create an environment where they feel safe to share their emotions, fostering open communication.

Deep Breathing: Teach them simple breathing exercises to help manage intense emotions. Deep breaths can have a calming effect and provide a moment of reflection. The counting to 8 slowly strategy can be quite effective.

Problem Solving: Guide children in problem-solving strategies. Help them identify the source of their frustration and brainstorm alternative solutions.

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Introduce mindfulness activities or simple relaxation exercises to promote self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Positive Reinforcement: Acknowledge and celebrate positive behaviour. Reinforce the idea that making good choices is rewarded and brings about a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Seeking Help: Encourage children to seek help from trusted adults when they are overwhelmed. Knowing they have support builds a sense of security.

As parents / carers and educators, we play a crucial role in shaping the emotional development of our children. By promoting understanding, empathy, and providing tools for emotional expression, we pave the way for them to make positive choices.

Every child is unique, and progress takes time. Let's work together to create an environment where our children feel valued, understood, and equipped to make choices that contribute positively to their growth.

Thank you for your ongoing support in nurturing the best in our young minds.

Mr John Robertson

Principal

THE RESILIENCE PROJECT (TRP)

Snapshot 3: Empathy

Working on empathy helps us to identify, understand and feel what another person is feeling. When we show empathy or we do something kind for someone else our brain releases oxytocin. This leads to increasing our self-esteem/confidence, energy levels, positivity and overall happiness.

Whole Family Activity: Neighbourhood Kindness Challenge

As a family, choose an act of kindness from the list below that you would like to do for a neighbour or family friend. Each family member can select one to commit to, or you can choose to do one together.

• Cook them something delicious like a cake, hot bread, or cookies.
• Write a note to put in their letterbox thanking them for being a great neighbour or friend.
• Design them a Thank You card.
• Pick or buy some flowers to deliver to them.
• Choose a little plant from your garden to give them.
• Make them a gift from things around your house.
• Offer to do a job for them, like wash their car or water their garden.
• Offer to take their pets for a walk.
• Invite them over for afternoon tea.
• Invite them on a walk.
• Recommend one of your favourite books to borrow and read.
• Ask them if they need anything from the shops next time you buy groceries.
• Say hello next time you see them, and ask them how their day is going.
• Feel free to do more than one and spread the kindness even further!

Report back to each other in one week and share how your acts of kindness were received, and how doing them made you feel.

Family Habit Builder:

Every night at dinner, have each person thank another family member for something they’ve done or said today, or give another family member a compliment.