Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,
As we begin a new semester, we remember the time that we have spent with our families and our friends. The following prayer helps us to remember and appreciate all the special people in our lives and the special gifts we have been given.
Heavenly Father,
At the commencement of this new semester,
We praise and thank you for the gift of life and for the opportunity of growth awaiting us.
We thank you for love – the love and concern of our families, our friends, and our teachers.
We ask you to bless each of us in the semester ahead.
Help us to grow in faith, in goodness and in generosity.
Create in us a capacity for giving that will make us worthy to be called Christian.
Keep us strong and steadfast in the face of temptation.
Let wisdom be our guide.
May each of us be a messenger of peace, of truth and of joy.
Amen
Welcome back to Term Three. The holiday weeks go by very quickly, but I hope that the time away from the school routine allowed for some relaxation, in readiness for another busy term ahead at school!
As teachers, students and parents we strive to actively value and support all members of our School community, and as we do this we grow in love and understanding of each other. As we begin a new term together, we look forward to gracious and tolerant attitudes towards each other, so that we can all fulfil our God-given potential academically, spiritually, physically and emotionally.
It was wonderful to see the children back safe, well and ready for a big term of work and play. Also congratulations to all the children who were in full school winter uniform. Our children certainly represent our school with pride, in the way they wear their uniform.
Congratulations to Alexia Ferns and Oliver Roberts for being chosen as Principals for the Day tomorrow. Both Alexia and Oliver will be busy taking on the role as principal, we look forward to them joining the team.
School Reports
At the end of last term all parents should have received their child’s Semester One Report. We hope that you have taken the time to discuss this with your child/children as the information in the report indicates what has been achieved and what areas should be a focus for improvement this semester. We invite parents to make an appointment with the class teacher if there is a need to discuss any concerns they may have about their child’s education at this stage.
Pupil Free Days – We have one pupil free day this term: Friday, September 26, which is the last day of Term Three.
I wish to let our school community know that Mrs Tracey Low, who started this year as our Finance Officer has resigned and next Friday, 8 August will be her last day with us. We wish Tracey the very best for her future and thank her for the contribution she has made to our school last semester.
Boogie Woogie and Edu-Dance Programs Term Three
These started last week as our students enjoyed their first dance lesson. Lessons will be weekly until the concert in Week 9.
From My Readings . . .
Developing Responsibility in Kids
Many parents ask me how they can develop responsibility in their kids. The answer is simple – give responsibility to them! Let them feed the family pet, empty the dishwasher, clean up the living area at the end of the day. Most kids rise to a real challenge when it’s sincerely given, and backed by realistic expectations.
We tend to give responsibility to the kids who don’t need it – the easy kids. But we often ignore the kids in our family who really would benefit from having some trust – the difficult kids, those that require following up. Sometimes the extra parenting work they require can seem all too much.
Belong through contribution:
Kids belong in two ways in families – they either belong due to their positive contribution or they belong through poor behaviour. The family pest has as much cache as the responsible child – their parents certainly know they are around!
It makes sense for parents to work hard to provide opportunities for kids to contribute to their family, so they feel valued for what they bring to their family, rather than for what they take.
Here are five practical tips to promote a sense of responsibility in your kids:
- Start from an early age. Children as young as three are keen to help and take some responsibility but we often push them away and say, ‘You can help when you’re older.’ Train your kids from a young age to make a contribution so it becomes habit-forming. Remember, not every child will help equally. If your children are school-aged and do very little to help, then start with a few jobs each day and gradually increase the number.
- Give kids responsibility that scares or surprises you. A neighbour gets her four-year-old to unpack her dishwasher each morning, plates and all. Another parent I know gets her five-year-old to help her younger sister get her breakfast each morning. Another gives over the weekly garbage to ten-year-old with no reminders whatsoever. In each case, the kids rise to the challenge set by their parents. Give your child or teenager something that makes you think, ‘NO WAY’! He can’t do that! Kids will often surprise adults with what they can do.
- Make sure the responsibility is real. Setting the table, making beds, tidying rooms are jobs that others benefit from. Giving kids jobs because you think it’s good for them just don’t cut it with kids. However, giving jobs that others rely on teaches them that their help is needed.
- If a child forgets then no one else does the task. If a child doesn’t empty the dishwasher then it still there when they come home from school. Sounds tough but that’s how the real world operates. When you empty it, it becomes your responsibility. When we’re time-strapped it’s usually easier to do kids’ jobs for them. Nothing wrong with this once in a while as we help each other out in families. However, if you are always doing a child’s job then it may as well be yours.
- Place help and responsibility on a roster. The use of rosters has the advantage of placing responsibility on to kids and takes you out of the picture. Remind them to check the roster, not to do their jobs! It’s a subtle but important difference.
Many parents call this type of responsibility ‘jobs’ or ‘chores’. I prefer to call it ‘help’. It’s just a little rebranding, but it reflects what it’s about.
By Michael Grose
There are ‘great things’ happening in our school due to the efforts of so many people; seek to be one of those people in the coming week!
Keep smiling as it takes all of us!
Principal
Andrew Kelly
