As we embark on Week 8 of our new school year we will be focussing on friendship and relationships, both old and new. At Barwon Heads PS the friendship character strength encompasses social intelligence; what we sense about others and what we do with this awareness.

This morning, as I walked along 13th beach I saw this group coming down the stairs together, stretching together, talking, laughing and showing an obvious bond before heading into the surf.

It is no conincidence that the week we focus on Friendship is “Harmony Week” which is about celebrating cultural diversity, tolerance and inclusiveness of all Australians.

Good friendships have a positive impact on wellbeing for a number of reasons. Supportive friendships can alleviate stress and provide security and a sharing ear for tackling difficulties. Being in the company of those that we like can evoke pleasure and laughter. Furthermore, forming new friendships requires an element of bravery and reciprocity.  The famous Harvard study (almost 80 years old) into the health and happiness of a group of graduates found that it was relationships that had the most powerful effect on health and that those who cultivated their relationships over the long term tended to live for longer.

With the biggest predictor of happiness and fulfilment being our relationships, the need for us all to pay attention to our friendships becomes evident.

At Barwon Heads PS we use the analogy of “bucket filling” as a metaphor for maintaining good relationships.

Here is “Have You Filled A Bucket Today?” just in case your classs hasn’t seen it yet

“Stick and Stone”

I know that this is from the eprspective of kinder children, but it’s cute!!

For older children “The Very Best of Friends” shows what can happen if friends are neglected

The Friend Ship