It’s Even Better When you can See Who’s Watching!

COVID-19 has brought many downsides, but it’s also unlocked a few gems. One of these has been polished and promoted brilliantly by the College – live streaming.

For the first time parents, grandparents and others who have a love bond with our students have not been prevented by work obligations and remoteness from being enthusiastic spectators. I am sure there are some who startled colleagues by their spontaneous shouts of joy or encouragement while surreptitiously watching the sports carnival on their work computer! I am equally sure there are others who were very pleased that being a supportive parent this year has not cost all the travel and attendance time of previous ones!

This week was Book Week and I had the joy of watching the Pre-Prep to Year 2 Book Character Parade from my lounge room, last year I watched from a seat in the Great Hall. Everything was done so well, and the students were so cute in their costumes and waves to the camera, it was a lovely experience. I hope we continue live streaming even when social distancing allows us to be live spectators again, but there is a difference I noticed compared to last year, and this was true of the athletics carnival too. It was the “did you see me?” look.

Last year, sitting in the Great Hall, it was fun to watch the darting eyes and turning heads of students parading and then on stage as they looked for the loved ones who had come to watch. Once found, the students gave tiny waves, cheeky smiles and some even had little squeals of joy. Then, as they were announced in their turn, they gave the waves they had rehearsed, but no matter where they started, the waves ultimately went to the precious ones in the audience. The joy came not from the performance but from being noticed, being seen.

This is not just true of children; teenagers and adults alike thrive on affirmation. Over time it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that those we love know that we love them, they don’t need to be told. To come to believe that they know we are obviously proud of them, they don’t need to hear it from us in words.

This is far from the truth. Words of love, affirmation, encouragement and praise are always uplifting and powerful in building a solid platform of confidence in our loved ones.

You see for all of us, it is not a matter of being watched, it is to know that we have been seen.