Growing Together at Home
With the ninth grade having already successfully returned to on-campus studying, it will soon be time for the others to follow suit. Yet during this time of online learning, it has not only been teachers and students facing the difficulties, but also parents looking after their children at home. In order to work together and best serve our parents, for the past few months, our PTA and counselling team have been working together to provide many online sharing sessions and workshops.
In response to the various difficulties and needs facing families during this home study time, the online sessions covered many varied topics, such as time management, happy parenting, the importance of housework, growth thinking, problem solving and anxiety. Talking about the original idea of holding these sessions, Ms. Sun, the PTA liaison for the primary school shared, “During the online class period, we started selecting, translating and sharing many helpful, positive and practical articles to help us think about the issues from different angles. Then off the back of our discussions, the school’s counselling team provided further activities for parents to continue thinking and developing themselves. Thus, the online meetings were born.”
“This special epidemic situation has led to a loss of control over our lives, with increased anxiety and difficulties in communication. As parents are more involved in managing their children’s learning and homework, they also need more support and guidance.” BWYA counsellor Ms. Veronica Ho shared with us how through the online sharing sessions, the counselling team were able to provide professional advice based on the varying needs and situations of each parent, to help them manage any anxiety, and learn how to more effectively communicate with their children, arrange time for play, housework, exercise, and other activities, so as to fully support their children’s learning and mental health. “Facing these challenges, with mutual understanding and empathy, the online sharing sessions proved to be an especially useful tool for parents to support each other during this period.” Additionally, the counselling team have also been available to provide one-to-one private counselling for more targeted help.
PTA Liaison Manager Ms. Pauline Wong also shared, “It is wonderful to see parents joining the online sharing sessions and workshops, helping each other and having some sense of normality. BWYA stands together as a strong community and continues to grow during this difficult time.”
Participating in one of the online sharing sessions organised by the PTA and the counselling team felt great and I have learned a lot. In particular it helped with a long-standing problem we’ve had where my child seems to prefer sharing with me, and not his father, whenever he is upset. In the past I have been upset about this also, and his father thought maybe it was because I was spoiling him. During the meeting though, the counsellors explained how this is a common instinctive reaction of children, in the same way as they seek their mother for milk. I was really relieved to hear that, pleased we had these sharing sessions, and really hope these activities can continue into the future.
Grade 5 Parent
Participating in the workshops, we learned and exchanged our different experiences of parenting. There was also lots of time for self-introspection, and thinking how we can grow together. Thank you for the platform you gave us BWYA!
Grade 8 Parent Mr. Qin
Thank you so much for putting on the workshops and giving us such a good platform for sharing. With professional counselling help, and a time for everyone to share openly, helping us correct bad emotions, and learn better ways to guide our children through this online learning period. We are really grateful for the happy and healthy study our children have received during this worldwide epidemic, the help from all the teachers at BWYA.
Grade 8 Parent Ms. Shi
As the remaining grades return to campus for study, we promise you that in all situations, online and offline, we will continue to work together with our parents, to make BWYA the best learning environment it can be.