During the teen years our children’s friendships become increasingly complicated, volatile and important. Suddenly friends and friendships begin to mean everything to our teens, and when there are problems with those friendships it can feel utterly devastating. Before the age of about 12, friendships are typically and loosely based on convenience, a shared interest, or … [Read more...]
Connecting With Teens: 5 Ways to Stay Connected to Your Teen at Boarding School
Connecting with teens can be challenging. The stereotype tells us that our sweet, loving child has turned into an argumentative, rebellious young person. More likely, however, is that your connection has shifted. Your child is more inclined to stare at a phone, hide in their bedroom, or connect with friends on social media. You miss them. These challenges can feel … [Read more...]
How to make the transition to boarding school easier
It’s normal for children to feel scared, homesick, lonely, or unsure. Here’s how to make the transition to boarding school easier. Every January boarding schools welcome new students into their doors. These students come from different backgrounds, situations and walks of life, and range from year 5 to year 12. And each year a good portion of them are experiencing their … [Read more...]
Teens’ Mental Health and Distance: What to Expect
Our teens’ mental health can be impacted by distance from family and loved ones. Here’s what to expect if you are sending your children to boarding school. A surprisingly large number of Australian teens are struggling when it comes to mental health issues. The Young Minds Matter Survey for 2013-2014 showed that almost one in seven children and adolescents aged between 4 and … [Read more...]
10 Questions To Ask Boarding Schools Before Attending
Starting boarding school, or any new school for that matter, can be a bit of an upheaval for teens. But being armed with information can be reassuring and assuage some of those nerves. The trick... is getting that information. Open days are a great time to find out about a school. In most cases you and your teen will be shown around the school by a current student. They’ll … [Read more...]
Encouraging independence in your teen boarder
Your teen is getting ready to venture out into the boarding school world. Encouraging independence in your teen will help them be prepared for their new responsibilities. Here’s how to do just that.Research shows that independence, or agency, is one of the most important contributors to success and happiness. It is a predictor for almost all the positive outcomes that we … [Read more...]
Boarding school vs day school
Boarding school vs day school. When it comes to motivation, engagement and psychological wellbeing, which is the better choice? Boarding schools have been a feature of the educational landscape here in Australia for a long time. But unlike in the UK, Australian parents aren’t choosing boarding schools because of the advantage they provide their children to get into … [Read more...]
8 Ways to Help Your Daughter Love Her Body (When You’re Not There to Remind Her)
If you’re wondering how to talk to your daughter about body image, you’re not alone. It’s a conversation that has no beginning or end, but continues throughout your daughter’s life. Here are eight ways to help your daughter love her body. Recently I had the incredible opportunity to interview and take surveys from almost 400 teenage girls. The conversations I had made me … [Read more...]
The big issues of education equity in NSW
UPDATE: 25 MarchGood news for those with students at home and working online. Skymuster Plus will have education webpages unmetered and those on standard Skymuster will receive increased data. ICPA NSW sees this as welcome relief for those concerned about data, with thanks to ICPA Australia and Better Internet for Rural, Regional & Remote Australia (BIRRR) for their … [Read more...]
Do what you need to do
As our kids trekked back to their boarding houses for the new school year late last month, we knew many of them had home firmly on their minds. Even those young people who are enthused by boarding and all it offers, still have feelings of angst as they drive away from home and family. Add a holiday spent on the frontline of drought, feeding stock and carting water, or having … [Read more...]
