In today’s fast-paced, increasingly unpredictable world, modern parenting presents a unique set of challenges. Anxiety and worry have become common visitors in our homes, leaving many of us looking for practical ways to help our children navigate life’s ups and downs. At Kristin School, we believe that an exceptional education must extend beyond academic success; it requires a deep, foundational commitment to student wellbeing and character development.
To bring this philosophy to life, we actively partner with external organisations that complement and enhance our school wellbeing framework. A recent highlight was hosting a parenting masterclass on campus, presented by Sheridan Eketone from Parenting Place. In particular, it was refreshing to hear advice on helping young people build genuine resilience by shifting our focus from trying to ‘fix’ a problem to helping them ‘face’ it.
When children are distressed, it is an entirely natural instinct to jump into ‘fix-it’ mode. We want to distract them, reason with them, or find an immediate solution to make the discomfort disappear. However, true resilience is not developed when we eliminate discomfort, but when we support children through it. Sheridan challenged families to embrace the power of ‘being with’ children in their hard moments. When parents sit with them in their distress without rushing to a solution, it sends a powerful message: Your feelings are safe, they are manageable, and you are not alone.
The masterclass provided families with excellent, actionable strategies to foster bravery at home:
● Validate the worry, but include hope: Acknowledge a child's reality while offering a vote of confidence: "It looks like joining the swimming class is very tricky today, but I know that with a little bit of help, you can handle tricky things."
● Avoid the avoiding: Letting a child opt out of what they fear brings immediate relief, but it reinforces anxiety long-term. Building genuine resilience means gently resisting the urge to let them retreat.
● Find small steps towards bravery: Nudge children with small, manageable steps. If a new activity feels too much, they might sit on the sidelines and watch first. For an older student, it might look like breaking a daunting assessment into smaller, achievable parts.
Weaving these steps into family life requires time, patience and self-compassion. At Kristin, we are incredibly proud to provide our community with the tools, experts and support networks needed to navigate these complexities. We view parenting and education as a vital partnership, working together to raise confident, resilient individuals who are equipped for the future.
Discover the Kristin difference
To learn more about our holistic approach to wellbeing and education from Early Learning through to Year 13, visit kristin.school.nz.
