WIS Counseling Corner

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WIS has started our Wellness Wednesday initiative!

Every Wednesday, students and staff will have an extended homeroom in order to engage in classroom lessons and activities. These activities are designed to build connection and community among students and teachers.

Last week, students were presented with the expectations and details of what Wellness Wednesdays will look like in their classrooms.

Everyone in the building will be involved and have the opportunity to learn more about themselves and their peers. What an opportunity to foster positive social skills and create a positive network within the building!

Grade level counselors will be attending weekly team meetings for their respective grades. This allows the opportunity for counselors and teachers to collaborate on how to best support our students academics and social/emotional well being.

At the end of September, every student participate in a Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) training with Ms. Sarrecchia and their grade level counselor. Students were educated on what HIB can look like in school or online.

The topics of how to be an upstander, ways to report concerns of HIB, and where to find support in school were discussed.

Teaching Your Child to Handle Unkind Comments and Set Boundaries

Why is this important?

• Supports autonomy - kids realize that they cannot control others' behavior, but just how they respond
• Creates a feeling of empowerment with a level of control
• Managing unkind behavior and setting healthy boundaries with peers develops confidence and overall positive sense of self

When your chlid is hurt by unkind comments, acknowledge their feelings. Let them know it's okay to feel upset and that their feelings matter. This helps them feel understood and supported

Teach your child that they cannot control what others say or do, but they can set boundaries. Explain that trying to control others doesn't work, but setting and enforcing their own boundaries is something they have full control over.

Help your chlid decide on a specific boundary for dealing with unkind comments. For example, provide some sample responses. You can even role play different scenarios so they can practice stating their boundary confidently. This can look like saying,"I don't like how you are speaking to me. If you continue to make hurtful comments, I will not sit here anymore."

Let your child know that setting and enforcing boundaries is a skill that takes time to develop. Encourage them to practice at home and remind them that it's okay to make mistakes. The more they practice, the better they will become at managing these situations.

-Big Life Journal