Yesterday evening Benenden hosted the first in a series of pastoral talks for parents: Tools to Help Manage the Reality of Lockdown.
This talk was presented by two members of our highly experienced pastoral team, Sixth Form Housemistresses Kate Dobson and Jess Granatt.
Lockdown and virtual learning have presented us all with huge challenges in terms of how we manage remote working and look after our mental health. In this pastoral talk, Miss Dobson and Mrs Granatt gave families information and ideas to help them through this time, drawing on their experience of caring for teenagers under pressure.
Informed by current research and pastoral training, the discussion provided a three-step approach to supporting young people through lockdown and virtual learning.
Step one focused on accepting the reality of the current situation, and creating a compassionate response at home. Step two discussed active listening when responding to anxiety and difficult emotions, as young people manage these unprecedented times. Finally, in step three, Miss Dobson and Mrs Granatt suggested some practical ways to support young people’s wellbeing.
This was then followed by a Q&A session which saw Lower School Housemistress, Laura Bursey Faulkner, join the discussion and answer a range of questions posed by parents.