Thrive with Five
Leading paediatrician Professor Frank Oberklaid, from The Murdoch Children’s Research Institute has produced a paper titled Thrive with Five, which articulates five key attributes required for children to thrive. I provide the main features from his paper.
Professor Oberklaid comments that when (young) children see, hear, or touch something, it helps their brain make new connections. As is known, eating healthy food and achieving good sleep are very important because they help the child grow strong. When parents/caregivers show love and care, it helps the child feel safe and learn to trust others. Playing and exploring help children learn to talk (initially) and become curious, which makes learning easier as they get older.
Families benefit from a supportive community, ensuring both they and the child thrive. I share information about the ‘important five’: play, talk, read, eat well and sleep.
Play can happen anywhere and can be fun. A good, shared laugh is a mood booster! Some ideas include dancing, playing active games, and exploring the outdoors.
Talking helps to understand and use words, which is key for a child’s brain growth and future learning. Making it fun and helpful is central, and you can do this by talking about a wide variety of topics; show interest in your child’s hobbies, activities, schooling; reading together; praising your child; and asking questions.
Reading is incredibly important for growth as it boosts language skills, fires up the imagination, and it is a good time for bonding. A couple of tips for reading with your child: ensure it is part of a daily and quiet routine, and make it interactive (i.e., point out words and pictures and make your voice lively with different tones).
Eating well: Healthy food means a tasty variety from the five special groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and proteins. Each group has its own superpowers to help children grow, so introducing them to a wide range of foods from all the food groups is essential. Lead by example, as children learn by watching their parents/caregivers. Include your child in the eating process – they'll be more excited if they've chosen the food and involved in the cooking. Setting a routine is important, hence why regular meal and snack times help children know when to expect food, reducing the chances of them getting too hungry and cranky. Eat together – family meals are a great time to connect and encourage healthy eating habits, plus it provides opportunity to talk about the day and even tell funny stories.
Sleep is particularly important for children (and adults). It restores energy, as a good night’s sleep helps children feel strong and ready for the day ahead. Sleep boosts learning, as when children sleep, their brains become ‘supercharged’, helping them remember things better and learn faster. Sleep keeps children healthy, making their bodies strong and fight off germs and illness. Sleep helps children grow – their bodies make a special growth hormone while snoozing. Sleeping well also helps us concentrate, cope with life’s stressors, and more easily make plans and decisions. How much sleep? At www.raisingchildren.net.au the recommendations are:
- children aged 3-5 years to achieve 10-13 hours of sleep a night;
- children aged 5-11 years need 9-11 hours of sleep a night;
- teenagers largely require about 8-10 hours of sleep a night; and
- adults generally should be aiming for 8 hours a night.
Farewell Dora Cavuoto and WHS Officer appointment
I take this opportunity to thank Dora Cavuoto for her many years of devoted service to our community. Whilst Dora has worked in WHS over the last few years, she has had many different roles in her time at Payneham. We still may see Dora on the odd occasion, to support with any ‘special project work’.
Replacing Dora as the Workers, Health and Safety (WHS) Officer will be Sandra Rapuano – a position she currently holds at St Brigid’s Kilburn. In addition to being our new WHS Officer, Sandra will also work as a curriculum and admin. ESO. Sandra will commence with us in Week 2 of this term.
Mid-year Receptions and mid-year Preschool children make a start
We welcome our mid-year Receptions and mid-year Preschool children as they join us in this second semester. We also welcome Sarah Collins, teacher of the mid-year Reception class (four days a week), with Jess Vreugdenburg teaching the mid-year Reception class on Thursdays.
Congratulations Fr Michael, 10-year ordination anniversary
Fr Michael celebrates his 10-year anniversary as a Catholic priest on Thursday 29 August. This is an important milestone for Fr Michael and our community. Mass in the church will occur at 7:00pm, followed by light refreshments in the school Gym. It would be wonderful to show our support for Fr Michael on this significant occasion.
Surname displayed in car for Marian Road after school pick-up
If you collect your child/ren in the ‘pick-up’ area along Marian Road after school, we’d love to trial having your family surname written on a piece of A4 paper, placed on the front passenger side windscreen.
From a staff perspective, this will allow for easy visibility, so when on yard duty the respective staff member can call out the surname ahead of time, preparing your child/ren ready for pick-up, and hence speed up the collection process. Obviously, your help is required, in writing your family surname on A4 paper, keeping it in your car, and placing it on the front passenger dashboard when collecting your child. If there are family members who regularly do the pick-up, promoting this initiative with them will be appreciated.
Children’s illness
If your child is unwell, please keep them home until feeling better, so the likelihood of passing on their illness to others is less likely to occur, and of course resting at home is an important component towards recovery.
National School Improvement Partnership Survey
Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) through National School Improvement Partnerships (NSIP) are asking parents/caregivers to participate in a survey regarding our school.
This survey is being offered to Catholic schools across South Australia. When you access the survey and enter the specific code for our school community (details below), all the relevant information will be sent to our school. Staff and Year 2-6 students are participating in a sim ilar survey, and like the parent/caregiver survey, all responses are confidential.
Further details will be circulated very soon. However, in the meantime, please click on the following link www.NSIPartnerships.com.au and enter the unique school code SJSPHLLLP. The survey closes on Friday 23 August 2024.
School Closure Day, Friday 6 September
Please note that Friday 6 September is School Closure Day. This means that it is a Student Free Day, and OSHC will not be available.
Family Movie Night – Final Reminder
As has been promoted, the Parents and Friends ‘Family Movie Night’ is taking place this Friday 26 July at The Regal Theatre, featuring the film Despicable Me 4. If you’d like to attend, please contact the Front Office.
Early Notice, Father’s Day Morning, Friday 30 August
An early message for all dads and significant men in our community, that there will be a Father’s Day morning, with a guest speaker on Friday 30 August, commencing at 9:00am. More details will be circulated closer to the date.
Wishing you well!
Simon Mechis
Social