It's not on the curriculum, but....

Pride and self confidence are the two words resonating through my brain, from an information evening at school last night. They talked about standards of work and achievements too, but that was secondary to developing and maintaining the boys self esteem, which will prepare them for their transition into year seven this time next year.

To me it was reassuring, and was intended to be so to the boys, but instead, it was the trigger for R to tell us his concerns about the move to big school.

Back in his reception year R was bullied, but it wasn't until mid way through year one that it became so persistent and damaging that we moved schools. In a very short space of time we saw such huge changes, children were kind, wanted to play, wanted to be friends. Somewhere between six months to a year, we had a happy smiling child back again.

A year and a half later the children who bullied him in infant school, followed him to junior school, but mentally stronger, and secure within his own friendship groups, he was able to stand up to them and then walk away - it's been a long time now since they even tried to pick on him, something he has achieved, non-agressively, by himself.

He has learnt so much about handling his own emotions, and his response to others. We have watched him grow in confidence as a person, with a fantastic group of friends around him. He has been totally transformed, and at times it is hard to see the child he used to be.

Yet sometimes we get a real glimpse, that barely hidden, just under the surface, are all those feelings he had back then.
Last night was one of those glimpses.
Self esteem and self confidence go hand in hand, but helping them grow needs constant nurturing.
They are so powerful, and yet so incredibly fragile too.
I'm pleased it was the focus of the meeting - it would appear to me that perhaps it's one of the biggest gifts we can strive to help our children develop, yet possibly one of the hardest to bolster once it has been shaken.