Page 7 - Education Supplement August Edition 2023

The fact that I allowed that to happen to her Looking Back
fills me with sadness and disappointment. No
six-year-old should have to go through that. Years later, my daughter and I often reflect on how her crippling anxiety was an
School should be the happiest time of a child’s unexpected gift. It changed so many things in my daughter and my life. It taught
life, so if it is not, make a change for your her self-awareness and made her incredibly resilient and strong. It taught me to
child’s sake. trust myself more and that there are many other ways to look at a problem. We
had many angels put on our path, and meeting them was life-changing for both
Light at the End of the Tunnel of us.

Luckily, a very talented therapist helped me Roll forward twelve years, and my daughter is a mature, responsible, strong
recognise that my child was not the problem, young woman. She holds a stressful part-time job and has solo travelled
but rather the environment she was in. I was internationally for months on end, all self-funded. She is about to step into the
fortunate enough to be able to change the world of tertiary education to embark on a Finance and Accounting Degree, and
academic setting for her, which made all the I could not be prouder of the incredible young woman she has become.
difference.
My Two Cents
I remember nervously fetching her on the first
day of her new school. I felt sick with nerves. I So, what morsels of wisdom did I (as a parent) pick up along the way:
would never have expected her to bounce into 1. Trust your gut! No one knows your child better than you do.
the car, and she proudly told me that all the 2. Do what works best for your child and you, and not worry about what others
kids in her class “were just like her.” Her second think.
sentence was to tell me that she wanted to take 3. Celebrate all the small things, and the big things will fall into place.
her rock collection to school the next day, as the 4. Forgive yourself, as you did the best you could with the information you had.
other kids were also bringing in theirs, so they 5. There is often many ways to look at the problem, so don’t shy away from
could swap. My daughter was back! It was like getting expert advice.
day and night. She stayed on happily at her new 6. Sometimes a problem is, in fact, a blessing in disguise.
school for years and loved every moment. 7. Turn up the music and dance every day!

Education | August 2023 | 5