In Times of Turmoil, Let Kindness Be Our Courage — A Mental Health Reminder

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

With Love and Warmth to the Kothari Family,

As the school counsellor, I write this not just as a professional, but as a fellow human being who, like you, feels the weight of the world more deeply these days.

We find ourselves in a time when the world beyond our classroom walls feels uncertain. With the ongoing tensions and war-like situation unfolding between the two nations, there is a quiet heaviness that many of us are carrying, even if we do not always speak about it. Our children may not understand the politics, but they feel the emotions. They hear the news, catch the whispers, and sense the worry in adult voices. Their questions are simple, yet profound: “Will everything be okay?

And to that, we must gently but firmly answer: Yes, it will — because we’re in this together.

Mental Health Awareness Month — More Relevant Than Ever

May is globally recognized as "Mental Health Awareness Month", and this year, it arrives not just as a reminder but as a necessity. It reminds us to breathe deeply, check in on one another, and create spaces of safety, especially when the world outside feels chaotic.

At Kothari International School, our focus has always been on holistic development, nurturing not just academic excellence but emotional resilience. We believe that education isn't only about preparing children for exams, but about preparing them for life. And life, as we all know, can sometimes be unpredictable.

For Our Students

Dear students, it’s okay to feel confused, scared, or even unsure. These feelings do not make you weak — they make you *human*. Speak to us, to your teachers, to your parents. You don’t need to carry the weight of worry alone. Your feelings are safe here.

For Our Parents

To our ever-supportive parents — your strength during these times is admirable. But even strength needs a shoulder. Let’s make home a place of warmth, not just walls. Reassure your children, limit distressing media exposure, and take moments to just *be* — together, quiet, calm, connected.

For Our Teachers

You’ve always been the pillars our students lean on. In this season, you are more than educators — you are anchors of hope and stability. Take care of yourselves, too. The way you model calmness, compassion, and emotional regulation becomes the lesson students remember most.

We Heal Through Unity, Not Silence

At school, we are making every effort to ensure students feel emotionally safe through open discussions, class activities, and constant availability of our support systems. We do not fuel fear; we plant hope. We do not ignore feelings; we embrace them. This is how healing begins.

Even when the world feels unkind, let us raise a generation that chooses empathy over anger, connection over division, and peace over panic.

Let May be more than a month. Let it be a movement — where mental health isn’t just spoken about, but deeply felt, honoured, and supported.

We may not be able to control the world outside, but within these school gates — and within our hearts — we can always choose love, patience, and strength.

With Compassion,

Ms. Anukriti Chaudhary

School Counsellor

Kothari International School, Noida