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Dear Parents & Carers
SOOTHING A CHILD’S MELTDOWN
We have all been there with our own children or witnessed other parents dealing with it. The dreaded meltdown! If often happens when you don't have the time to deal with it! One of those perfect moments when you are tired and so are they!
When children are stressed and anxious, a fight-or-flight response kicks in, producing higher heart rate, breathing and blood pressure along with clinging, shaking, hiding, screaming, acting out, running away and sometimes nausea. It’s extremely difficult – if not impossible – for children to think logically or control their behaviour until the fight-or-flight response has dissipated and that can take up to an hour.
Strategies to help children calm down, regain a sense of safety, and come to terms with their feelings.
Take deep breaths. Anxiety is often accompanied by rapid, shallow chest breathing. Inhaling for three seconds from the abdomen, holding it for three seconds and exhaling through pursed lips for three seconds can lower heart rate and induce relaxation.
Get active. Physically demanding tasks like wall push-ups, walking up the stairs or climbing a jungle gym can help calm and centre a child.
Make a plan. Taking specific actions can help children understand and tolerate stress.
Use rituals. These can be stability anchors that relieve stress if they’re rolled out before, during, or after, anxiety-producing events – for example, always taking a child out for ice cream after a doctor’s appointment.
Name it to tame it. Children can be asked to tell a story about what they’re worried or upset about and why.
Narrow the focus. Meditating, colouring or focusing on a specific feeling, activity, sight or conversation can produce relaxation.
Laugh. Humour can distract, reframe, relax muscles and release endorphins. Try playing a goofy game, watching a cartoon or telling family jokes.
Reflect. After dealing successfully with a fraught episode, walk the child through what worked: On a scale of 1 to 10, how hard was it? What is one thing that helped you get through it?
Acknowledgement: “8 Simple Ways to Soothe an Anxious Child” by Erin Leyba in Psychology Today, May/June 2020
ENROLMENTS HAVE CLOSED
Enrolments for Kindergarten 2021 have now closed and the FULL SIGN is up. All late applications will now be placed on a waiting list. We are currently anticipating the preschool and school to have an enrolment of over 830 students in 2021.
LEAVING HOLY SPIRIT
If you anticipate that your child will leave Holy Spirit at the end of this year, could you please notify the Front Office immediately OR FOLLOW THIS LINK https://hscpsnicholls.schoolzineplus.com/form/4. We need to begin planning for staffing and class configurations for 2021. Thank you to those who have let us know already, this is very much appreciated. Naturally, Year 6 parents need not respond to this request.
SEMESTER REPORTS
Class teachers are currently preparing reports. Individual reports will be sent home with children on the last day of Term, Friday July 3
Cheers
Brad Gaynor
Principal
Thank you to the families who have informed us that they are leaving our community at the end of the year.
It is important for our planning of classes for 2021 that we have this information and we also have a waiting list for most year levels.
If you are leaving at the end of the year and have not let us know officially, would you please inform the Front Office ASAP.
You can complete the online form by following the link below.
Bookings are now open for the Winter School Holidays at NICHOLLS OSHCLUB.
Please find attached the flyer outlining all the exciting in-service activities on offer each day. Our educators have prepared a program for our families that's jam-packed each day with structured activities including indoor and outdoor play. Our heightened focus on safety and hygiene means we will not be running excursions, or bringing in incursion providers these school holidays.
Please note:
The current funding package that provides for ‘free care’ has been extended, which means there will be no fees for any care provided up to and including Friday 10th July 2020. However, normal Child Care Subsidy (CCS) arrangements, that is Government CCS payments and parent gap fees, will resume from Monday 13th July 2020.
The payment of fees resumes from the second week of vacation care and will apply ongoing. CCS activity test requirements will be eased for families until early October 2020 to assist in making our programs more accessible and affordable to eligible families. We recommend that you check your enrolment in MyGov to ensure you receive all your CCS entitlements. If you have any questions about CCS or how to apply, please refer to the Services Australia website here.
To secure your child's place it’s as easy as logging into your online account here and making your bookings.
Kind regards,
The Vacation Care Team
