The latest Parenting Ideas newsletters are attached here for your information.

10 Research-backed tips for Raising Happy Kids

Boyfriends, Girlfriends or Just Friends?

Coffee & Conversation - Friday 21st November

Just a reminder to all parents and carers of children in our Early Learning Centre, the next Coffee & Conversation morning will be next Friday 21st November in the College Cafe, immediately after Gospel.  Hope to see you there!
Jo Betti
HCC Social Worker

Parenting Ideas Newsletters and a Thank You!

Thank you to all those who attended last Friday's first "Coffee & Conversation".  It was so lovely to meet you, get to know one other a little and to share a hot drink and a piece of (homemade!) cake.  I'm looking forward to offering another morning along the same lines on Friday 21st November and seeing some more parents and carers there.  Thanks to Melissa Crosswell for taking time out of her busy schedule to come along too!

It was the final day for our Yr. 12 students last Thursday and some of you may have been at the Whole School Assembly for their farewell.  Many of the parents who attended "Coffee & Conversation" actually spoke about how wonderful it was that their children were able to participate in the celebration and that they got to share this special senior school experience.  We also spoke about how this can really benefit in terms of their transition from primary in to secondary school.  How gorgeous were the little ones in reading Dr. Seuss?!

Please find attached the latest two interesting articles from our Parenting Ideas school subscription.  .

Oh So Serious
Sexual Behaviours in Children and Young People

Warm regards,
Jo Betti - HCC Social Worker

Parentingideas Newsletter

As mentioned last term, HCC has recently become a Parentingideas "Helping Parents" member and as such now has access to a wealth of great parenting resources.
Fortunately, Parentingideas has also just changed the format of their resources to PDF which means I will now be able to post them directly into my Wellbeing Blog, right here for your convenience.  Today's two articles are all about the secret of raising happy, confident kids and the dangers of online gaming which can turn into an addiction.
I hope you enjoy the insights offered in these two articles.
Jo Betti, HCC Social Worker

Raising happy, confident kids

When does fun flip into addiction?

Coffee & Conversation - take two!!

My apologies for having to cancel last term's introductory "Coffee & Conversation" at HCC.  We'll try again this Friday 24th October 2014.  
For any interested parents and friends of the Early Learning Centre students, this is your chance to enjoy a cup of tea/coffee (and cake!) whilst you network with other HCC parents, make some new friends and share some of your parenting experiences and challenges.   From 9:15am (after Gospel) in the HCC Cafe.  Hope to see you there!  Joanne Betti, HCC Social Worker

Coffee & Conversation - this Friday!

Please join me this Friday 19th September for our first "Coffee & Conversation" at HCC.  For any interested parents and friends of the Early Learning Centre students, this is your chance to enjoy a cup of tea/coffee (and cake!) whilst you network with other HCC parents, make some new friends and share some of your parenting experiences and challenges.   From 9:15am (after Gospel) in the HCC Cafe.  Hope to see you there!  Joanne Betti, HCC Social Worker

RUOK?

Today is RUOK? Day, a national campaign that encourages and equips people to regularly and meaningfully ask each other “are you ok?”

As you would appreciate, suicide prevention is an enormously complex and sensitive challenge, however we do know there is power in that simplest of questions - “Are you ok?”.  By inspiring people to take the time to ask and to really listen, to have regular, face-to-face conversations with people, we can help those struggling with life feel connected long before they even think about suicide.
Asking “are you ok?” is a great place to start to help - if you think life is getting a bit tough or stressful for someone you know, if a friend or family member is really struggling, then please remember to ask RUOK?

At school today the message of RUOK? Day was shared with HCC students to raise awareness of the campaign.  Students watched a short video during HTG specifically aimed at young people, and participated in a short activity to help them realise strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats of using social media for communicating and also about the dangers of mixed meanings when we use text messages to ensure we are helping and not hurting.  Around the campus I also positioned strategic ‘Conversation corners’ to encourage them to start a conversation with someone today.

I really hope that the students gained some insight today into the importance of staying connected.