Educational Psychologist -24
Mrs.Devi Venugopal
It’s always been a pleasure to catch up with the readers again at the wellbeing corner. Hopefully, the strategy to tame the fixed mindset is working well to manifest the growth mindset more often. This month, we will delve into the hot topic at the current moment. The anxiety among all of us, while things are returning to normal after two years. Many of the young children are struggling to go to school. I have two kids who experience different emotions on returning to school. As caretakers, how can we help our children and us, so they settle in quickly? The proper education allows them to make informed choices understanding the consequences. We have to be in their shoes to see the world through their lens. Children have so many stimulations, attractive options, and many distractions; it’s hard to neglect peer pressure. How to say no? and do what is needed for the hour. A health class must be part of the curriculum because they are given the correct information instead of getting random or inappropriate information through social media or the internet would enhance the skills of the students to face the real time challenges.
I wish to talk about the wellness wheel, which includes seven sections:
Intellectual Wellness – The ability to listen to new ideas with an open mind and apply the learning in group interaction, personal growth, and community
wellbeing.
Emotional Wellness – The ability to understand our mental state and the skill set to cope with the challenge’s life
throws at us.
Environmental Wellness – Understanding how interconnected we are with the environment and our responsibility.
Financial Wellness – The ability to identify your relationship with money and skills necessary in managing
resources.
Spiritual Wellness – The inward action, taking time to reflect on our daily activities, to bring peace and harmony with ourselves,
Physical Wellness – The ability to maintain the nutritional quality of life without fatigue and physical stress.
Social Wellness – the ability to make real social connections with other people in the world.
As an adult, do we spend some time on all these sections if we can do so? If not, what is our plan to reflect and focus on holistic wellbeing? When we start at an early age of 10 years, explaining the significance of each section and helping them plan their day, so they gain enjoy holistic wellness. Do you think it’s not sustainable or applicable? Many international schools have included Health in their curriculum, especially in Middle School and High School. It has proven beneficial in the choices the kids make as they find their path.
We can help the kids to set up SMART goals in all the wellness parts.
S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Attainable
R – Relevant/ Realistic
T – Time-bound
Students may start strategizing SMART goals from school work to emotional Health; an example for a teenager struggling with procrastination is, to begin with planning the homework to finish well before the deadline, through specific, measurable, attainable with help and reminders, being realistic about the goal and ending well before the time.
The same can be applied for introducing behavioral change by focusing on s single specific behavior and working towards it to break the pattern by introducing healthy social connections.
When we open newspapers or digital news, we stumble upon drugs and substance abuse in today’s world. The students are exposed to substances from an early age; how will we address the issue? It is only through proper education, the empowerment of a child is possible. Education is not a monologue form. Instead, we need to implement dialogue, drama, and theatre to do role plays, helping the parents and the students to understand the problems in the real world due to the unhealthy lifestyle. This approach makes the learning of life skills more fun and exciting. Can we all fight as adults in the community to include Health and wellness into the curriculum? It is as important as STEM subjects. Hopefully, the educators and policymakers understand the criticality of the issue and help in bringing the change.
