Hello,
Welcome to another term! I can’t believe that we are talking term 3 already. I hope that you all have a great term with lots of wins.
During the holidays I spent a number of days out doing something that I love to do, bushwalking. I often head out and spend time with nature to unwind and clear my head. Over the past year I have watched the seasons change out on the tracks. As you all know we have had an extremely dry year, 2 months ago the landscape looked so grey, the colour had gone, there were minimal birds and even the plants had totally folded up into themselves. Bushes that would normally have spiky leaves just had little spikes at the end of their branches. When you see the landscape like this you wonder how it will ever recover.
A couple weeks later the rain finally fell and I happened to be back at that same track. I couldn’t believe the difference. All of the birds were singing with excitement, the trees and little bushes had all opened up to the sky as if to say thank you for the drink and the colour had returned. It had all completely changed and come back to life. We truly do live in an amazing unique country.
As I was walking this made me think about our families and us. Those around us, as do we, need nourishment and nurturing. We too can become dry and desolate if we don’t look after ourselves or be looked after. As parents we need to ensure that we take care of our children to help them grow into healthy adults. We can’t water them like rain waters the land, but we can make sure that we nurture all aspects of their wellbeing. We can look after their physical needs, but their mental health is just as important. We need to support them emotionally, culturally, socially and spiritually. By loving our children, we give affection and emotional sustenance, acceptance and belonging. Healthy relationships help them to feel safe and secure, which builds their confidence and resilience. Take time for them, talk out the tough stuff, resolve the differences, celebrate the small milestones and cherish their achievements. Set boundaries for them but also challenge them to improve and stretch their thinking. Encourage their positive outlook, improve their self-talk and give them the sense of belief and pride in themselves. All of this will help them identify who they are where they belong and help them to grow and flourish. Parenting is a tough gig, it brings so many ups and downs, there’s pressures and expectations. Remember, you are not alone in it all, we are blessed with a wonderful community with many places to connect, talk and build a village for your family. If you or your children are struggling, seek out the help supports that may be needed to help you. As a team we can help you and your family grow to be your best and add the ‘colour’ to your worlds.
I am always here for a coffee or a chat, just let me know.
Enjoy your week,
Cheers Jo
