Published on: 8 August 2024

Together with Methodist Ladies’ College, Christ Church welcomed best-selling author, founder of Confident and Capable, and renowned clinical psychologist Dr Judith Locke for two parent information sessions and a staff session this week. Dr Locke has written two parenting books, The Bonsai Child and The Bonsai Student, the first of which has been published in China recently. With a successful private practice in Brisbane, Dr Locke also travels throughout Australia and internationally to deliver psychological training sessions in parenting, resilience, and staff wellbeing. She is a Visiting Research Fellow at the Queensland University of Technology where she researches modern parenting, child and parent wellbeing, and how children and parents interact with academic environments. Dr Locke’s psychological commentary has been widely featured in the Australian media.

Tuesday and Wednesday’s evening sessions on the topic of ‘Helping your child become confident and capable’ were specifically tailored to two groups: parents of Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6 students, and parents of Year 7 to 12 students. Each session provided information relevant to the developmental stages their sons are experiencing, addressing topics ranging from social behaviours to learning styles. One of her key messages was the concept of ‘strength-based parenting’, which involves focusing on nurturing a child’s strengths, rather than addressing weaknesses. By recognising and celebrating what your child does well, you can boost their self-esteem and encourage a positive self-image. This approach does not mean ignoring areas that need improvement, but rather balancing feedback with recognition of their capabilities and efforts. This was one of many insightful, practical takeaways that Dr Locke offered our parents. With over 350 Christ Church families in attendance, we hope that our current parents found these sessions informative and that they were able to leave equipped with skills that will have a long-term, positive impact on their child and family.

Tuesday afternoon also saw Dr Locke speak with Christ Church and MLC staff in the Chapel about how they can foster confidence and capability among students in a classroom setting. As a former teacher and school counsellor, she offers workplace sessions in schools, offering teachers principles they can apply within a classroom setting to similarly empower their students.

Offering our parents access to industry-leading professionals on contemporary topics is important to the School. The Wynne Centre for Health and Wellbeing hosts speakers throughout the year who present a range of compelling and highly relevant topics, such as cyber safety, drugs, alcohol and vaping, and safe driving.