We all should live in a village. By this I mean an environment that causes us to interact with and exposes us to all stages of life and many shapes and sizes of families.

Children need various models around them to teach them about different aspects of life. If you have the good fortune to have grandparents around, they become senior teachers for the children. Their stories are real examples of life, lived differently.

If in a family the child is exposed to the birth of a child, the death of a grandparent etc. the child starts to understand that life has a cycle and they see their part in it more clearly.

Listening to others that have different life experiences, gives them more insight into different opinions. It helps them to form judgements. In today's world we tend to shut out some of life's harsher aspects. We think that parenting is all about emotional protection from the more difficult aspects of life.

When counselling children it is evident that some children have a deeper awareness of life and others, a naivety which sometimes makes them vulnerable and lowers their resilience. To make children secure and socially capable, they need to gradually learn from various sources.

We have provided security for our children, but to make them aware of the broader aspects of life, consider the value of the village. Even the old lady next door may have a story to tell about her migration to Australia and how her journey was different.

Feeling connected is what this is about.

Parents often worry that their child will not bond with other children and begin to feel isolated.

The good news is that teachers are really switched on about this matter. Schools usually have a special playground or designated areas whereby prep teachers are rostered on during the breaks. Most schools set up a buddy systems where your child has a senior child overseeing them in the yard. This is quite comforting to the child and parents value this support.

All schools are very aware that early days in prep means extra special attention is given to the children settling in to school. Within a few weeks, friendships begin to form and children find small networks on the yard with which to play.

Ask your teacher the following questions:

Is my child bonding well with other children?
Are they on their own during the breaks?
Do they engage well with other children?

Just an occasional check in with the teacher will give you that reassurance.

The thought of our children not making friends at school is heartbreaking.

The importance of the family village

Finding friends when you first start school