Today is a national day of action, dedicated to asking one another ‘are you really ok?’. Feeling the wonderful warmth and optimism of our St John Vianney’s School community during this time is heartening, but do we really know the state of each other’s mental and physical health?

Struggles with mental health can affect all ages, but mental health in children is often overlooked as being attention seeking, selfish, undisciplined, or sooky. Childhood is an important time for healthy development and well-being, however, childhood is also a time of vulnerability. For children, loving, responsive, and stable relationships with caring adult figures can help with this vulnerability, through providing a sense of security. As children are sometimes unaware of their mental state, and additionally unsure how to express their well-being comprehensively, it is up to us to look for signs of mental illness and emotional struggle.

Mental health struggles extend further than our children, so it is important to stretch our love and support to our grandparents, neighbours, friends, and especially, ourselves. With a week remaining before our break, I would like to give a huge pat on the back for the perseverance of our SJV community in maintaining enthusiasm and resilience during this term. We are incredibly grateful to be surrounded by a loving SJV family that continues to help each other be ‘really ok’.

Blessings to all,

Jo