My Marcellin

Last week I wrote about what we had learnt from the recent COVID-19 experience and how people with developed self-regulation skills appeared to cope better. This week I share some strategies I have read over the years on how to build on the current skills we have in the area of self-regulation.

• Deep breathing with an exaggerated exhale tells the brain that you are safe and can calm down.
• Exercise – even a little does a lot for calming the nervous system.
• Take a walk or stretch.
• Music can change a mood from negative to positive. Have some feel good tunes ready for use!
• Thinking about a person you love or a happy memory and holding that in your mind for at least 20 seconds.
• Identify what you are feeling –“name it to tame it. ”Feelings are never wrong, they are important information that your body is giving you.
• Try a short meditation just focusing on your breath or maybe a phrase that helps ...

As we head into the holiday break, Jack Meehan, Liturgy Captain, offers the reflection below. May Jack’s hopeful nature and the knowledge that throughout this term our community has successfully found new ways forward encourage us all as we move into the next phases of 2020!

Learning online produced new and exciting challenges. One of these challenges was how to develop and explore different ways to aid the Marcellin community in strengthening its faith. An aspect that I found helpful was the daily prayers that were on MyMC every morning - these prayers helped me centre myself for a day of online learning. I was even able to contribute prayers of my own that I believed would help others to have a sense of hope and purpose during these times. As we know, Champagnat Day could not be celebrated in the same way as previous years. Yet when God closes a door, God opens a window and the ...

Why do some people cope better than others? There are a myriad number of reasons, with one being self-regulation. People who cope better do so as they know how to self-regulate. That is, they know when to apply various strategies, they know when to hold out distractions, they know about their thinking skills, and they know how to self-evaluate.

It has been wonderful to have all of our students back on campus. For many, the transition back to onsite schooling has been seamless but we do recognise for a number of our young men and their families this time may have contained stress and some anxiety. This week we would like to share an article by Michael Grose from Parenting Ideas which looks at how parents can support their children but also themselves through the return to school and in the coming weeks.
For the full article please go to https://www.parentingideas.com.au/blog/returning-to-school-anxiety-free/

Returning to school anxiety free | By Michael Grose
Going back to school after the enforced COVID-19 break is a source of mixed emotions for many children and young people. Some students, who revel in face-to-face interactions, just can’t wait to reconnect with friends and teachers. Others who have appreciated the break from...