Elizabeth Rous, Upper School Counselor and Psychology Teacher
Ashley Spruill, Middle School Counselor
Be the cheerleader: at HRA, student success starts with families who celebrate their children’s efforts to trend toward their goals
Happy New Year! We are excited to bring you the first installment in our new blog series, From the Counselors’ Office: Strengthening the Bridge between School and Home. As counselors at HRA, we have the incredible opportunity to spend a lot of time with your children, and it is from this unique perspective that we will be writing each month.
January is a time that many of us associate with resolutions. The word resolution implies that we are resolved to making a change in our behaviors. Does the word set us up for disappointment?
Perhaps trend is a better word choice. If we are trending in the desired direction, we can see the results of our hard work while giving ourselves grace if we have a momentary slip (for those of you who have a sweet tooth, you know what we mean …).
If you have set goals for 2026, are you trending in the desired direction? Has your child set goals for 2026, such as getting better grades, spending less time on devices, or feeling less anxious? How can your child trend toward these goals? What concrete steps can be taken to begin and continue an upward trend?
Neuroscience tells us that learning a new behavior and repeating it leads to changes in neural connections. If the goal is to achieve better grades, trending in an upward direction through repetition of learning strategies improves learning potential and helps students see that their efforts pay off. If the goal is to feel less anxious, repetition of a 4-7-8 breathing technique lowers stress levels and reactivity in the brain.
Whatever goals you and your child identify for 2026, we encourage you to celebrate positive trending. Be the cheerleader, give pats on the back, and remember that sometimes, it’s OK to eat a few extra Oreos.
