Dear Parents and Carers,
Noticing plays an important part in mental health and wellbeing. Today, in school, we carried out an activity to find out what the children notice. Perhaps they’ll tell you about it and, if not, hopefully, you’ll ask.
What do we notice about other people, our environment or ourselves? Do we check to see what mood others are in? Are we sensitive to intrusive noises, smells or lighting? Are we aware of our own breathing, heart rate or emotions?
We tend to notice things which have meaning for us, which means that different people will notice different things. We might also take care to not notice things which we’d rather avoid.
It’s easier to notice things when we feel calm, safe and alert, and we can often achieve that state by feeling noticed ourselves. It can feel good to be warmly greeted by name, or have someone show a genuine interest in how we are, or enquire about a recent event. We like to feel ‘held in mind’, especially by people who are important to us.
On the other hand, such attention might sometimes feel intrusive or overwhelming, so we also need to pay attention to how our overtures are received. Do they open up or close down a conversation? Do we notice how the other responds?
Noticing can be a good way of letting someone know we’re thinking about them. They don’t have to reply.
“I noticed you had your water bottle in school today. I’m really pleased to see that.”
“I noticed you yawning a lot earlier. I wonder if you’re tired today.”
“I noticed you looked really disappointed when …. Perhaps you were hoping for …”
So, on World Mental Health Day, or any other day, why not try noticing who or what you notice?
Best wishes,
Louise
Louise Mullier
Educational Psychotherapist