Our paths are all going to be different but there’s one thing that we all want, both now and in that future.

As a Perth Primary School Relief Teacher, I have the benefit of knowing a lot of parents, teachers, and children – those who are the future and those who are shaping it. I often ask them to finish this sentence… “In the future I want to…”

Almost all answer the same way – ‘I want to be happy’.

Me, too.

Happiness, I’ve learnt, is a wonderful offshoot of wellbeing. Although sometimes, people don’t get to experience a great deal of happiness.

“Suicide is the biggest killer of young Australians and accounts for the deaths of more young people than car accidents.” 1

“Almost one in seven (13.9%) 4-17 year-olds were assessed as having mental disorders in the previous 12 months. This is equivalent to 560,000 Australian children and adolescents.” 2

“About one in thirteen (7.5%) 12-17 year-olds had seriously considered attempting suicide in the previous 12 months.  One in twenty (5.2%) had made a plan. One in forty (2.4%) reported having attempted suicide in the previous 12 months.” 2

I could continue listing awful statistics, but honestly, I don’t want to. What I do want though, is for all people to live their best lives – to know how to, and to believe that it’s possible. But, more so, I just need the above statistics to change. We all need the above statistics to change.

In my first year of teaching, I encountered a gorgeous six-year-old boy named Louis. He had dark hair and had already lost his front tooth. You could see the gap every time he smiled at recess and lunch. Unfortunately, that smile disappeared in the classroom. Louis completely lacked confidence. He acted-out in class to avoid work, and isolated himself from his peers in the process.

The task on one particular day was to draw a picture to illustrate the sentence he just read aloud to me. Simple, right? Wrong. Louis built up so much anxiety and fear over the task that he burst into tears and refused to draw so much as a stick figure. Much of the lesson was spent trying to calm him and encourage him to believe in himself more. The tearful youngster was having nothing of it.

Louis believed drawing was one of his weaknesses, and sadly, I’d bet he had no awareness of his many strengths. That concerned me.

The more I taught in different classrooms across Perth, the more I noticed a similar pattern. There seemed to be kids showing behaviour similar to Louis’ in nearly every class. My concerns steadily increased.

Let’s put it this way – pretend you have a child in year 1. At your child’s school, there are around 40 year 1 students. According to recent statistics, one of your child’s classmates will attempt suicide sometime in their youth. Their youth! Will Louis become a part of that statistic? Could he be the one in forty?

Now, I understand that we’ll all face our struggles, and we’ll all have ups and downs – that’s simply part of life! That’s what builds resilience and helps us grow. But, surely there’s a way to help the younger generation out a bit, or at the very least, prevent ill-being and reduce the above statistics.

I truly believed that there was. There had to be.

These thoughts coincided with my own journey towards bettering myself. Every day, I was learning new ways to lift myself from a neutral state, into a state of flourishing. My life was transforming with every new skill I learnt, and man it felt good! Then, just like that, I realised I needed to show our children how to do the same.

I experienced such an intense desire to help children to avoid feeling the way Louis and so many others do. I wanted them to feel like the incredible little humans we all know they are! And it wasn’t just that I wanted to – it was that I needed to.

And so, I researched. Hello, Positive Education! There’s so much scientific research out there pointing to the positive effects of learning and practicing skills to improve relationships, emotions, engagement, meaning, and accomplishment, that all add up to children flourishing! Prevention of ill-being, improved life satisfaction, and better learning are all very welcome side-effects of Positive Education. If only it was integrated throughout all classrooms in Perth – or better – the WORLD! Certainly, some schools are beginning to introduce strategies to improve child wellbeing into their school culture (YES!), but some isn’t enough.

In amongst my research, I found something else to be incredibly interesting. Up until the ages of 5-6 years old, children learn by unconsciously absorbing all of the information around them, which means the habits, behaviours, actions, and beliefs of those they spend the most time with. A.K.A You – mum, dad, older siblings, teachers, carers, and extended family members, to name a few. Little ones have no say over what they do and don’t absorb. It isn’t until after the age of 6 that their brains develop in a way that allows them to begin to think and act for themselves.

This highlighted the importance of good role models, and is why I strongly believe that we need to be the example. It’s as much about us and our wellbeing, than it is about our kids. That’s why I’m creating a whole-family approach to wellbeing. Because yes, wellbeing is a skill that can be learnt.

So, now that we’re all on board here to become the best role models possible; to live our best lives as our best selves; to be the example, and ; to transform our homes and schools… What now?

Simply decide to do the work. Research. Commit. Take responsibility over your life. Do it for you (because you are worthy of living a wonderful life) and do it for the young people around you (because you want them to have the skills and tools necessary to live their best lives, too). Because you love them, and they love you. Your family is worthy of the best.

Contact your child’s school and inquire about the steps they’re taking to implement a wellbeing curriculum. If you’re an educator, begin by implementing gratitude or mindfulness practices into your classroom. Stay tuned for some actionable steps to implement into your lives and the lives of the little ones around you.

I know that we can make a positive change in Perth and reverse those horrendous statistics stated above. Let’s do it, together.

– Melissa Crane