Wellbeing

Wellbeing and resilience

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The keys to child mental health development

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg is a highly regarded Australian psychologist who has written books and presents in the media about child development and supporting children and adolescents with wellbeing challenges. He also contributes substantially to SchoolTV, a resource available to all Mercedes College parents which provides parenting advice on a range of relevant wellbeing topics. I was fortunate to hear Dr Carr-Gregg present recently about supporting young people in today’s world where they face a myriad of wellbeing challenges.

Dr Carr-Gregg provided evidence-based strategies for parents to help them to foster the wellbeing of their children. He said he is often asked “how do I know if my child is ok?” and reported that there are several indicators of childhood wellbeing, including:

• Having a group of friends
• Beginning to emancipate themselves from parents/carers at a developmentally appropriate level
• Understanding and enjoying school
• Having a spark, that is, something they feel passionate about

He said that these factors mean that children are on the path to becoming well-rounded young adults.

Dr Carr-Gregg also identified that wellbeing is not just about surviving, but about thriving, and young people need to develop skills in resilience to help them the face the challenges of our world. He suggested five characteristics of resilient young people:

1. A strong attachment with a charismatic adult
2. Good social-emotional competencies (such as problem-solving, anger management, and conflict resolution)
3. Optimistic self-talk
4. Having interests
5. Feeling a sense of meaning or purpose in their lives

We strive towards instilling these qualities in all our students, by embedding the Mercy Keys throughout their educational experiences, and exposing them to a range of opportunities including camps, the social-emotional learning and GPS programme, and Reflection Days. We encourage you to also support your children to develop resilience and positive wellbeing.

If you are concerned about your child’s mental health and wellbeing, we encourage you to speak with their Class/Home Group teacher for guidance and utilise the range of resources on our SchoolTV website.

Andrea Fernandez
College Psychologist R-12