The Five Love Languages
Have you heard of the Five Love Languages? Physical touch, Quality time, Receiving gifts, Acts of service, and Words of affirmation? Which ones are you?
Words of Affirmation: This language uses words to affirm other people.
Acts of Service: For these people, actions speak louder than words.
Receiving gifts: For some people, what makes them feel most loved is to receive a gift.
Quality time: This language is all about giving the other person your undivided attention.
Physical Touch: To this person, nothing speaks more deeply than appropriate touch.
All of us have a primary love language, and usually another one, or even two. As Gary Chapman, the man behind the love languages, says ‘I believe that our deepest emotional need is the need to feel loved. If we are married, the person we would most like to love us is our spouse. If we feel loved by our spouse, the whole world is bright and life is wonderful. On the other hand, if we feel rejected or ignored, the world begins to look dark’. The same goes for our kids. As Chapman says, ‘I like to visualize that inside every child there is an emotional love tank. If the child feels loved by the parents, the child grows up normally. But if the love tank is empty and the child does not feel loved, he/she will grow up with many internal struggles and during the teenage years will go looking for love, often in the wrong places. It is extremely important that parents learn how to love children effectively’.
You can read more about the five love languages from the books The Five Love Languages or The Five Love Languages of Children both by Gary Chapman (feel free to borrow them from me). You can also look online. https://5lovelanguages.com/learn
This link will tell you what your love language is, and those of your children! https://5lovelanguages.com/quizzes
Some useful resources:
I’m always finding new and useful resources for parents. I went through my emails this week and found these ones that you might be interested in:
Big Life Journal: https://biglifejournal.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOorWZvfJHn-EVvh4aGaZyLMRg8iWsRtfnLyleaJX93eIOyKSAwAd
An online free course for parents to do with their kids to help them manage their anxiety: http://brave.psy.uq.edu.au
Or for you to do with your older children (12+): https://headspace.org.au/online-and-phone-support/partners-in-parenting
The Fathering Project. Check out their resources for Dads and join up with an online men’s group: https://thefatheringproject.org/
Esafety Commissioner for all things online:
Sarah McIntosh
Student Welfare
Character Strengths
Over the next few weeks, I will be working with students in Grade 5 & 6 to help them identify character strengths within themselves and others. Encouraging primary school-aged children to recognise their character strengths is a wonderful way to support their mental health and well-being. When children identify qualities like kindness, creativity, or perseverance, it boosts their confidence and helps them feel positive about themselves. Understanding their strengths also helps them handle challenges more effectively and bounce back from setbacks or “speed bumps”. It builds resilience and a growth mindset, motivating them to continue learning and improving. By nurturing these qualities early on, we’re giving them the tools they need to manage stress, build strong relationships, and maintain a positive outlook on life.
As your child begins to explore these strengths at school, it’s a great opportunity to continue these conversations at home! Whether it’s on the way home from school, around the dinner table, or while getting ready for the day, these discussions can reinforce their learning and create a positive, supportive environment both at school and at home.
If you have any questions or need support, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sarah Weichert
sarah.weichert@education.vic.gov.au