Nurturing Loving Inclusivity
Feb 18, 2024“One of the hallmarks of social wellness is being inclusive, not exclusive, with our friendship.” - Laurie Buchanan, PhD
Treat others how you want children to treat each other.
We don’t need to think or look alike to be a like. Everyone is special and everyone belongs. Empowering our children to be friendly, inclusive, kind and caring takes daily acts of being it ourselves. Everyone bleeds and cries. Everyone suffers and everyone has overwhelming joy and happiness.
Social wellbeing is vital to our health and happiness. Our need for connection and belonging is our birth right.
For Parents
Model the way you would want your child to treat and speak about people and places. Imagine you are your child’s inspiration in how to connect and communicate with others. They learn this skill from observing and having a point of reference of what friendliness, acceptance, tolerance and kindness look, sound and feel like within their home and community. You can do this by simply showing interest in other people. You can help others feel connected and appreciated with thank you cards or verbally giving a meaningful thank you to the man serving you at your grocers. “Thank you for packing my groceries so well and looking after the eggs.”
For Educators
Notice seating arrangements. While comfort zone and structure helps calm an environment it can also become habits of only sitting with the same likeminded people. Make space for different mixes of strengths and abilities. You could do musical chairs for the week and dong a bell and every time the bell dongs they need to move to somewhere in the room they have never sat before.
Journal reflection; how do you feel sitting beside someone you don’t’ know that well? What could you do to feel comfortable quickly? How could you help others feel more comfortable? What is interesting about the people you are sitting with, name one thing that you love?
Choose and name the inner qualities the children are practising and what you are encouraging; friendliness, togetherness, trust, confidence, flexibility, acceptance, optimism and purpose.
Kerry Spina
Kids in Harmony
Wellbeing Educator
Behaviour Support Coach
#creatingharmonyeveryday #kidsinharmony
