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You’ve supported them through 13 years of schooling, the end is only a few weeks away and you are feeling as stressed as your HSC student.

Take a breath.

This may seem like a pinnacle moment but needs to be handled calmly so that no additional pressure is placed on your already overwhelmed HSC student.

As their parent how can you best support them?

Following are some hints from a parent (me) who has already completed the journey:

• Provide a space that is neat, tidy and away from distractions
• Ensure they take some time out to do something fun or connect with friends
• Provide plenty of water and healthy snacks
• Eat meals with them to check in with how they are feeling
• If they are stressed suggest a break and go for a walk
• Ensure they go to bed at a reasonable time – sleep is important to retain information
• Stay positive, stay positive, stay positive!

And remember HSC is built up to be really important but there are many ways to get to where one wants to be in life…..it is just one avenue. It is so much more important that your HSC child is happy and healthy and feeling the least amount of stress as possible.

Good luck to all the HSC students and their parents over the next few weeks

What we see on social media isn’t necessarily a proper representation of reality……what is shown is only what people want you to see.

If your interaction with social media results in you feeling bad then take steps to manage your exposure:

1. Unfollow – from groups or people whose actions you don’t need to know
2. Unfriend – from people who are no longer relevant in your life
3. Turn off notifications – you decide when you have the time and energy to interact with it
4. Mute tweets
5. Choose who sees your posts so you only get positive responses 
6. Unsubscribe or pause your account
7. Delete the app

Don’t allow social media to impact on your daily functioning and mood when you can choose to control it at varying levels.

After a fantastic five years with PBB Health Centre I’ve found a fantastic space just around the corner at 23 Harold St, North Parramatta. With a larger, dedicated room in a the lovely Windsor Cottage Integrated Health, you’ll find that same service in a relaxing environment. Bookings can be made directly on 0422 134 169, or via email to rhona@rhonabarkerpsych.com.au otherwise everything else: fees and charges, medicare rebates, etc stays the same.

While I plan to be there on Thursdays, as I was at PBB Health Centre, I can be a little more flexible at Windsor Cottage if Thursday is too difficult.

The Australian Psychological Society has launched the “Believe in Change” advertisement campaign. On their website http://believeinchange.com/ you will find fictional stories about how a psychologist can help. Change can be stressful but made less difficult by having a psychologist by your side. If you need support to take these steps then call me.

Like lots of people I volunteer in the community and I’ve found the Scouts to be a fantastic organisation. I’ve been a leader there and found it very rewarding. Today I loaned them my credit card terminal to help them sell Christmas trees at a fundraiser on the corner of Pacific Hwy and Banockburn Rd; and if you purchased a tree there and used a credit card you’ll see ‘Rhona Barker Psychology’ on your credit card statement. Don’t be alarmed – you haven’t been scammed – it was just me helping out the Scouts.

November 13-19 is Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Awareness Week. Check out the PANDA website for some great information on the signs and symptoms dads may show with the introduction of a baby into the family. Dads, please seek help if you are struggling.

There are many items people use to remind them of special moments in life; photos, letters and knick-knacks to name a few. But what about those special moments when your toddlers says something hilarious, insightful or intelligent? I guess if you are quick enough you may capture it on video but if not perhaps you could write it in, what I call, a quote book. We have done this in our family and it is full of all the stand out amazing things my children have said from when they could talk to .…..well we are still writing in it now when they are in their tweens. I love reminding my children of these, teasing that we’ll need to write that in the quote book and giggling at the words when we are going through a particularly difficult time. It is full of the memory of those special moments. If you are a parent of a toddler then now is the time to start one!

I read a story in the Sydney Morning Herald a couple of days ago about a special needs teacher, Sophie Murphy, who was called upon to assist airline crew to seat a boy with downs syndrome, who was refusing to get up from the aisle, so the plane could land. Within the text of the story there was a particular paragraph that struck me……

“On the plane, I got down on the floor in the aisle with Shamran. If he was going to move, I needed to introduce myself, find out his name, connect, let him speak, listen to him, see what the problem was, and not panic him or be punitive. I knew I needed to lock onto his eyes and show empathy. I learnt his favourite books, not as an ice breaker or an introduction, but to construct a real relationship, however brief.” 

She did such a fantastic job of connecting with this boy and gently encouraged him into his seat. Shamran has downs syndrome but what struck me is that all children should be approached like this in a time of crisis however big or small that crisis is. Connection is so powerful in everyday interactions.