Well done to Hudson MacRae, Sebastian El Droubi, Sebastian Darney, Claude Lieutenant, Jackson Gursoy, Benson Mariner and Hamish Stewart for their outstanding performance of The Power of Love at the Headmasters Assembly. This was brilliant and the boys should all be very proud of their efforts.

Flynn and Rocco both turned 13 on Wednesday

Matthew turned 13 on Thursday

Ben turned 13 on Friday

October 10 was World Mental Health Day and October is Mental Health Month. The theme for this year’s Mental Health Month is ‘Share the Journey’ which aims to encourage people to connect with each other. Social connection is a key factor that helps us to develop our resilience. Below are some activities which you could consider using with your son(s).

All of these activities are designed to enhance social engagement and find meaning which boost psychological wellbeing.

Tips to stress less: 10 Tips to Stress Less are developed each year for Mental Health Month NSW and distributed throughout the community (see above poster). http://www.stresslesstips.org.au/ features a range of evidence-based tips that can help support mental health and wellbeing by decreasing stress. Go to the website and pick a tip to complete daily for a week.

Identify and use your strengths: Think about your strengths and how you might use them in your everyday life. Are you a leader, playful, fair, curious or original? Do you have a good sense of perspective? Do you love learning? Are you genuine? Are you good at teamwork? You can take a free online test on VIA Institute on Character website (http://www.viacharacter.org/) to explore your signature strengths. Cultivate and use your strengths at school, in family life and in your leisure time.

Keep a gratitude diary: Take the time each day to write down three things that went well and why. This causes psychological well-being levels to increase in a lasting way.

Perform small acts of kindness: Performing five kind acts a week, especially all in one day, creates a measurable boost to levels of psychological well-being. Giving not only makes you feel good about yourself, it enhances your connection with others and can bring you positive feedback from others.

Thank a mentor: Write a letter of thanks to someone to who you owe a debt of gratitude such as a friend, teacher or grandparent. Then visit the person and read the letter to them. People who do this are measurably happier for more than a month.

Make a mental health promise: Help shed a more positive light on mental health by making a mental health promise. At home, at school, with family and friends, or in the wider community, we can all do something to help reduce stigma around mental illness and make way for more people to seek the help and support.

Select a suggested promise, or write your own promise. If you write your own, you can upload a photo of yourself or something connected to your promise. There also have a range of images for you to choose from if you prefer. Go to http://www.1010.org.au/make-a-promise/

Save the Date:

End of Year Parent Drinks

Friday 10 November

Details to follow shortly