5 Benefits of the Bounce Back Program for your Child

First of all, what is the Bounce Back Program?

Bounce Back is a whole school social and emotional learning program. It has been developed to support schools and teacher in their efforts to promote positive mental health and wellbeing in their students and, in particular, enable them to act resiliently when faced with challenges and adversity.

Bounce Back is an evidence-based program built on Positive Psychology, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Social and Emotional learning principles.

How is the program delivered?

At Holy Spirit we deliver the Bounce Back program throughout the whole school. It is timetabled once every fortnight for one hour. Some of our junior classes do 2 x 30 minute sessions in a fortnight.

Each unit uses literature to teach key wellbeing and resilience concepts. It also involves a variety of activities that include cooperative strategies, such as circle time, educational games, art, technology. It has also been integrated into our Performing Arts and Physical Education programs.

The program can help your child get better at:

1. Thinking more optimistically, i.e. expecting bad times to get better
2. Being brave and facing their fears
3. Feeling and expressing gratitude
4. Boosting their positive emotions
5. Managing uncomfortable emotions and turning a bad mood into a good mood.

Click on this article for a more extensive list of the full benefits of Bounce Back

Here’s an easy to print Bounce Back acronym sheet

“Bad feelings go away, they are not always with you.” – Georgie, Prep

How can you help communicate key messages to your child about the values of Bounce Back?

You could discuss how:

• Your values are easy to talk about but harder to act on in the moment.
• Being honest is ‘owning up’ and taking responsibility when you have done the wrong thing.
• Being fair is about following rules and not cheating to suit your needs. It means returning favours and kindness.
• Being responsible means not letting yourself and other people down. It means doing the things that you have to do without being reminded. It also means choosing sensible behaviour instead of foolish unsafe behaviour.
• Being respectful means treating others as you would like to treat them. It means thinking about other people’s feelings and rights, being polite and using good manners.

You could also talk about people you have observed who seem to ‘bounce back’ from adversity and others that don’t.

“It is important to remember all feelings are O.K. If we share examples with our children when we too felt a similar way to what they are sharing, we can help them to not feel alone and know these emotions are a part of life.”

Final words and actions

That’s it for this week. Next time we’ll discuss the key messages on relationships which is our main topic this term at Holy Spirit.

If you found this helpful or have a question please add to comments below. If you have a great tip or story to share please add this as to the comments.

Excerpts have been taken out from the Bounce Back resource book and parent information pack by Helen McGrath and Toni Noble. I would also like to credit this webiste http://slideplayer.com/slide/3619257/

More on the authors  of Bounce Back , Helen Mcgrath and Toni Noble.