On the weekend, I attended a retreat up at Bribie Island. I parked behind a car and noticed that it had a sticker on it from one of my old primary schools. The school motto declared, “Every Face has a Place.” Even when I was a child, that area was renowned for the diversity of cultures living there. Reflecting on that saying, it reminded me of one of Mueller College’s core values – the sense of each and every student belonging and feeling that they belong.
A sense of belonging is a basic human need and never goes away. Regardless of our age, it is important to us all. Feeling as though we belong helps us see value in life and helps us cope with painful emotions. People find their sense of belonging first in their family and then in other communities within their lives – eg friends, school, church, sports team, work etc. A person feels that they belong when they feel personally accepted, respected, supported and included within their social environment. Children develop a sense of belonging when they feel that their world is a safe place and the above criteria are fulfilled.
Creating a sense of belonging begins at home. By taking a real interest in what our children say and do, we help them feel that they belong. We can build their identity as members of the family. Be clear about your family values by reminding all members that, “in our family, we accept each person and value their ideas and views” (or whatever your particular values are). Giving encouragement for effort rather than focusing on success helps them feel accepted too. Building strong relationships with our children helps them understand and accept differences in others.
As parents, we can be positive role models, by accepting, caring and showing respect for others. With a lot of the negative press around, we can form opinions about particular groups of people without actually knowing somebody from that group. We need to be aware of any prejudices we might hold and work on breaking them down, as children do pick up on them. One of the best ways to do that is to talk to somebody from that group and get to know them. As we get to know people from different cultures or with different beliefs, we come to realize that each individual is a person with the same needs we all have. We may not look all look the same, we may speak differently, we may believe different things, we may not all have the same abilities but each person is a valuable unique person. Conveying this to our children is one of the most important contributions we can make to their well-being.
As you would be well aware – this week is “You Belong” week at Mueller. Staff work hard to ensure that each child feels accepted, respected and supported here. Each student is a valued member of the Mueller community and makes a unique contribution to Mueller. Each face has a place here at Mueller. They belong and as parents you belong in the Mueller community.
