Middle/Senior School Bulletin Issue 3 / 3 March 2017
Middle & Senior School News Courage and Wisdom are our themes for Term 1. Last week our College Captains led our Monday chapel and I’d like to share with you the wisdom they shared with students about courage. ‘In simple terms courage can be defined as one’s ability to face something that is frightening or daunting. Something that has the ability to challenge us either physically or emotionally. Living authentically is when our words, and our actions reflect our own personal beliefs and values. It is when we are honest with ourselves. Courage and living authentically can be said to coincide with one another as courage can be seen as one’s convictions, to act in accordance with one’s beliefs, especially in spite of criticism. This can be a very challenging notion, as highlighted in a quote from the famous German writer and statesman Goethe: “To think is easy. To act is difficult. To act as one thinks is the most difficult”. This quote is not only about being yourself but also establishes this idea that being yourself actually does take courage. A lot of us might find it easy to stand up and stand out and simply be who you are. But others don’t find it so simple. William Wallace was a typical of example of a man who was able ‘to act as one thinks’. Wallace was a man who clearly had great courage through his ability to live a life of authenticity. Even in the face of great adversity he stayed true to who he was and acted accordingly. He never refused to go against his own beliefs and values for even a second and as a result it led to his execution. He believed in something bigger then himself and was able to unite a people that was suppressed to stand up and fight for freedom. He is probably one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen, as he didn’t just live a life of great integrity but a life of authenticity. In our society there is this really bad and annoying thing that stops us from being ourselves. This is judgement. No matter what you do or how you do it someone is going to make some sort of judgment – positive or negative – and it takes a whole lot of courage to overcome those judgements and learn to care less about them. So that’s why we are here today, we want to help you take that step towards ‘being yourself’ and overcoming judgment. But in the same way, we want to encourage each of you to judge people less. Everyone around you is going through their own journey and experiencing their own hardships. For all you know the guy next to you might have lost his pet gecko last night. That’s tough.’ Jarred Connolly College Captain
‘I came to the realization that my life wasn’t something I was necessarily proud of as there were so many things I could have done differently. After coming to this realisation I felt it was time to change all that and give myself the confidence to live a life that was true to myself. Because I think the whole concept of having courage isn’t about facing your fears as such, but simply recognising that potential you have within yourself. Each of us has this incredible ability within us to do whatever we want! You simply let go of your fears, care less about what people think and care more about how you see yourself. How you want your life to pan out. Because that’s the thing. IT’S YOUR LIFE. Don’t wait until something bad happens before you realise this. Take this opportunity and create a life that makes you proud. Be confident and be you.’ Emily Burnell College Vice Captain ‘Everyone has had different experiences and are a part of different situations. This means their view on courage and what a courageous act is also differs from the people around them. For many people, public speaking is extremely challenging, for others it may be walk in the park. For some, looking out of a high rise window is scary because of the heights, where for others it is not difficult at all. This begs the question, is it our fears which define what we think is courageous? In many cases this is true. For the person afraid of the action it takes courage to face it. For the person who sees no difficulty in it, courage is not really needed. Often people will need support to tackle their fears and display courage in the face of adversity. For others, to offer support, we need to be authentic in what we need help with. Only once we are true and authentic to ourselves and then willing to communicate it to others, can we receive that support and tackle our fears and have the courage we need. Everyone’s different. We need to help others see things from our perspective before they can have any idea how to help us. This means staying authentic in your actions and accepting your faults.’ Alex Blackborough College Vice Captain ‘Martin Luther paved a way for people to love, not fear. For us to go to God at our worst and not be afraid. For us to recognise we are children of God and we are so so so loved. If nobody’s told you this already, God loves you so much. More than you could ever dream of. More than you could ever begin to understand. This is why Martin Luther risked his life, he wanted you all to hear that. It took a foundation in faith and blind hope so you could hear this today. Martin Luther lived and breathed the words in Ephesians 2:10. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” I know
it may seem like Martin Luther might be just some guy who lived in the time of dinosaurs, but his message and actions can be used in all of our lives. Martin risked his life to be authentic, to bring good into the world in his own way. So here’s what we can learn from him. Embrace your purpose in this life and let it define you. Bring goodness into this world even if it’s small. Encourage, empower and just be you.’ Olivia English College Captain
Finishing Strong Tonight the students in Middle and Senior School will enjoy the SRC Disco which is being held in the MPH from 7.00 – 9.30pm. This will be a great mid-term celebration. In the coming weeks there is much work to be done. I’d like to remind students that now is a very good time to revisit their goals; academic and otherwise, to reflect on their progress towards achieving them and to make a plan to tackle the busy assessment period that lies ahead. We are working right up to the end of term. On our last day of term, Friday 31 March, we will run our Inter-House Cross Country carnival in the afternoon. Please contact me should I be able to offer any assistance to you or your child(ren) virginiaw@salc.qld.edu.au Virginia Warner Deputy Principal Head of Secondary School
As Middle and Senior School parents, I hope you enjoyed the opportunity to get a glimpse into one of the many reasons I have the best job in the world! I get to spend my days amongst these inspiring young people. Years 7-12 SALC Swimming Carnival Congratulations to all of the students for their wonderful participation and spirited competition at the Inter-House Swimming Carnival. A special congratulation is extended to Binging House; led by the House Captains, Kara Batchelor and Emily Steele (Senior School) and Kirrah Wood and Jack Read (Middle School), on their hard-fought win, and to all of the competitors for their spirit, enthusiasm and participation. The event in itself was superb due to the active involvement and House spirit shown by all students! Sincere appreciation is extended to Miss Casey West, Mrs Libby Wood, the Grounds Staff and Sports Department team, and also to the staff and parent helpers for their assistance at the pool. It was great to see so many parents coming along to support their children. Age Champions will be listed in the Sports Section.
Middle School News Participation in the Life of the College In the course of the next fortnight we will have students commence participation in the Gold Coast Debating Association’s annual season. These students will spend some lunchtimes honing their debating skills across Years 7-11. Opportunities for participation in College life beyond the classroom are plentiful and I encourage all students to find something throughout the year which will afford them to develop new skills and to pursue new interests. Robotics, Futsal, Coding, Music, Running Club, Chess and many other activities take place on the campus each week. Students should maintain a focus on the daily notices to ensure that they stay abreast of the offerings as they commence. Academic Stress It is usually at this time of term that students begin to feel the weight of their academic commitments for the term. Anxieties tend to arise regardless of year level and all students will develop strategies to deal with these stressors; however, whether those strategies are positive or negative in nature is the pertinent question. I encourage students to discuss study plans with their LAG teachers and to seek advice from specific teachers about the best plan of attack for each subject. Anxieties and stresses are an inevitable part of growing up – how we learn to face those anxieties and what we can put in place to diminish their impact is the more practical issue. As always please contact me should you wish to discuss anything further tomc@salc.qld.edu.au Tom Casey Head of Middle School
Chaplains Chat
The Year 6 Students and accompanying staff have just completed the annual adventure to our Nation’s Capital. It is a wonderful opportunity to take in some of the history and current structures that contribute to our Nation being arguably the best place in world to live. It is inspiring visiting such places as the War Memorial and the Institute of Sport where we are able to look back over the action and achievements of past Australians that have shaped the very fabric of who we are as a nation. There is, of course, the investigation of how our Nation’s political system functions and in preparation for this the students have been looking at government structure and important concepts such as our Australian Constitution. Our carefully crafted treatise that is the touchstone of all decisions that are made down through the past century since the inception of our nation. All the rulings by our governments need to align with what is documented within it. At a basic level it can be compared to how the Bible functions within our Christian life. Ideally, all our actions and aspirations are aligned with what God has conveyed to us through His Word recorded at the time of Christ. It is an interesting exercise to compare the two documents. On one hand our Australian Constitution was compiled by a group of people to ensure fairness and equality for all in the future. While the Bible was written to ensure that God’s will and action of rescue was recorded for future generations. As this was investigated by myself in a year level chapel with Year 6 it was interesting to note how our Constitution has been reviewed and altered down through the decades as ‘errors’ have come to light. At this time, the need to suitably include the presence of our indigenous brothers and sisters within it is under investigation. At the same time, the Bible has stood the test of time with the text we read today still the same as that recorded in documents such as the Codex Sinaiticius which is still in physical existence even though it was written in 340 AD. It is very reassuring to know our faith is based upon Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever and His love for all people never changes. May we continue to live in this love and care as we endeavour to have it inspire all our actions and aspirations in the year ahead here at St Andrews. Graeme Schache Chaplain
Student Development Invitation to Boys Becoming Men Over the past few years we have developed ‘Growing Good Men’ as an opportunity for boys to experience and grow through participating a meaningful project. The program is offered to Years 9 and 10 boys. This has been identified as a time of transition and change in a young man’s life and there is a need to honor his journey into manhood. The course will be facilitated by male mentors including teachers, our Principal and grounds staff. The boys will experience some teaching, some humor and a meaningful work project that will help them in their development. The course will run Thursday afternoons of March (9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th) from 3.15pm to 5pm in J1 and the garden outside J Block. Afternoon tea, refreshments and work booklets will be provided. ‘Growing Good Men’ is a gender-specific program for boys that draws upon a wide range of literature on Bringing up Boys, Manhood, Boys in Schools, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership and Rites of Passage. It is a deliberate attempt to give young St Andrews men a clearer sense of their identity, their dignity, their values and their potential in the context of a physical challenge and creative work project, under the mentorship of staff they respect and trust. We are pleased to be able to offer another round of activity and service for our students. If you would like your son to participate please RSVP to jamesn@salc.qld.edu.au James Nelson Director of Student Development
Flourishing in the Senior School Positive Education Growth Mindset www.mindsetworks.com/science/ In the Senior School we regularly talk about a growth verses fixed mindset. That is the underlying beliefs we have about our learning and our intelligence. Carol Dweck, who has done 30 years of research on this subject, believes that a growth mindset drives motivation and achievement. That is, when students believe they can get smarter, that effort makes them stronger or better and they focus on learning as a goal then they are motivated to put more time into their studies and work harder. The result is higher achievement. It is important for our students to understand about brain plasticity. That is, that the brain is malleable, able to change, develop new connections between neurons or strengthen existing ones due to the actions we take. This includes, using good strategies, asking questions, practicing, following
good nutrition and sleep habits. It also includes some form of self-assessment as outlined below.
tunity to check the quality of your work? Did you ask someone else to review your work?) 8. Is my work something I am proud of – would you be happy to show it to a large audience? (did you put 100% into that task?) Congratulations to: • The Leos for delivering roses to our Aged Care residents. It brought many a smile to young and old faces alike. Pictured below – Jordon Dillon (Leo President), Maddie Tritton, Hayden Verschuure (Leo Vice President) and Clare Verschuure with their deliveries and having a chat.
The following is an outline of a series of self-assessment questions that our students can use to evaluate their practices and stimulate personal growth. Obviously, we would like to see a ‘yes’ answer to these questions but more importantly, a reflection of where our students could make some changes to promote their growth mindset and thus their learning and academic success (achievement of personal bests). 1. Did I work as hard as I could have? (Were you lacking in energy (tired due to poor sleep) or were you stuck?) 2. Did I set and maintain high standards for myself (Were you lacking in vision or worthy examples to inspire you, did you begin the work with this is impossible, what motivates you – pride in effort or fear of failure?) 3. Did I spend enough time to do quality work? (Did you schedule time to work on the task, were you inefficient and waste time?) 4. Did I regulate my procrastination, distractions and temptations in order to complete my work? (Did you prioritise your time, schedule in breaks to clear your mind and refocus, set a time limit on your breaks or was the break longer than the work time?) 5. Did I make good use of available resources? (Our greatest resource is people – did you go to a tutorial, organise a study group with friends – Remember as they say at Hogwarts “Help will always be given… to those who ask for it”.) 6. Did I ask questions if I needed help? (Did you think that your question might sound silly? There is no such thing as a stupid question, teachers want you to ask questions to clarify your understanding.) 7. Did I review and re-review my work for possible errors? (Did you run so short of time that you had no oppor-
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The Year 12’s who have done such a great job so far as Seniors. Last week they showcased their willingness to get involved in College life, lead by action and demonstrated House spirit at the Swimming Carnival.
The Community Service Captains and Student Representative Council – Liliani Mikami, Rory McLynskey, Keely McVay and Patrick Silveira who attended the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal Breakfast. They took away some great service ideas that we look forward to implementing this year. Finlay Wardrop, Harrison Craig-Ward and d’Artagnan Barnard (and in his absence Kieran Croker) who have organised their own study group. A great example of goal setting and academic tenacity.
If you have any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me on tanias@salc.qld.edu.au Tania Stewart Head of Senior School
Performing Arts News Spotlight on... Percussion Ensemble After multiple performances with the Senior Dance Troupe of Tribal Beat Sound System in 2016, Percussion Ensemble is currently in rehearsals for their first performance of 2017 at the College Fete. This year, we have welcomed five new members to the ensemble, and we’re looking forward to exploring a variety of new music. Unlike other Music Ensembles, Percussion Ensemble relishes in the fact that we can use almost anything to create our music. Our repertoire for this year will feature the use of traditional drums, mallet instruments and small percussion equipment, as well as voices, balloons, cups, and a multitude of other novelty items. We are looking forward to a number of performances this year, and the enjoyment of creating new and exciting music.
Idea of North On Wednesday 8 March our Senior Choir has the opportunity to travel to Brisbane and participate in a workshop and concert with The Idea of North alongside several other Lutheran Schools. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to not only share the stage with a world class acapella group, but to also see other Lutheran choirs perform and be a part of a combined choral experience. Parents are encouraged to come along to the concert. Tickets are available via the link on the College website. Cilla Scott Head of Arts
LOTE News St Andrews were recently visited by five students and two teachers from Ehime Senior High School in February. Only one day was spent at school, however, we managed to do a wide range of activities with the students and they made some lovely friends with our students.
Thank you to the families who hosted students. I have heard of some wonderful ‘Aussie’ experiences that were shared and the students have gone back to Japan with magical memories of their time here. Thank you to the St Andrews students and teachers who made the day so special, and the whole school community for your continued support of the Languages Department.
Kerry Forrest Head of LOTE
Sport News SALC Swimming Carnival The definite sports highlight of this week and the term so far is definitely the Middle and Senior School Swimming Carnival. Last Thursday it was wonderful to celebrate House and School Spirit through outstanding participation in this important calendar event. The introduction of the 100m Open Freestyle was the opening event and incredibly well represented. This level of enthusiasm flowed on to the 50 m freestyle with most students entering either the championship or participation races. This day not only showcased the positive culture of our school with the introduction of the “minute to win it� war cries, but also the talent of some amazing swimmers. In the end it was Binging who took home the trophy, and I am sure they will want to carry this winning culture through to the upcoming Cross Country Carnival at the end of this term. Congratulations to all of our students for their fine efforts on the day, however special acknowledgement needs to go to our Age Champions. Regional Swimming This week nine of our Middle and Senior School students will represent the Hinterland District at the Regional Swimming Carnivals. I wish them all the very best as they endeavour to qualify for the Qld School State Championships. Madyson Cloherty Ellena Perry Misha Varley Daniel Craig Ieuan Watkins
Scarlett McMurtry Sophia Murray Jack Read Jed Walter
District and Regional Team Success Congratulations to the following students who have been successful in making Hinterland and or Regional teams. GIRLS
1st
2nd
12Yrs
Madyson Cloherty
Scarlett McMurtry
13Yrs
Sophia Murray
Ellena Perry
14Yrs
Shelby Walter
Paige Burnett
15Yrs
Alexandra Holloway
Sam Todd
16Yrs
Misha Varley
Ella Atkinson
17Yrs +
Jacinda Mulholland
Mackenzie Bell
BOYS
1st
2nd
12Yrs
Jed Walter
Fynn Andrews
13Yrs
Daniel Craig
Oliver Thackwell
14Yrs
Jack Read
Jett Andrews
15Yrs
Kali Williams
Finn Hazir
16Yrs
Ieuan Watkins
Aidan Dunn
17Yrs +
Aiden McNeill
Callum McInnes
Tiana Campbell - U15 girls Volleyball Georgia Eller - U16 girls AFL Cassie Crowe - U16 AFL Jack Read - Triathlon Tom Atkinson - Triathlon William Atkinson - Triathlon Kieran Croker - Triathlon Darcy Scott - AFL Zac Nussey - AFL SE Qld Futsal Titles Next week approximately 120 of our students, both boys and girls, will represent the College at the upcoming SE Qld Futsal Titles. Successful teams will go on to play in the finals day on Friday 17 March. I look forward to reporting on how all our teams go. Libby Wood Secondary School Sports Coordinator
P & F News The P & F Committee for 2017 are as follows: President: Julieanne Andrews Vice President: Jeffrey Bauman Secretary: Nicole Ainger Treasurer: Julie Dignan We look forward to seeing you at some of the events listed below. The first P & F Meeting is Wednesday 8 March 7.00pm in the J Block Boardroom (J10). We welcome all parents and guardians to attend. Picnic in the Playground is held in first Term down on the Junior School oval, this will be on Friday 17 March 5.007.00pm. This is an exciting evening with entertainment from students at the College and will also feature a jumping castle and photobooth. It is a great opportunity to meet new parents and families. Mr David Bliss our new Principal will be attending and this will be a great social event for all families to introduce themselves to him. There is a sausage sizzle with BYO drinks as well as a coffee van onsite. The P & F would like to invite all the families of St Andrews to attend making a great community evening.
St Andrews Fete 2017 College Fete - 20 May 2017 SATURDAY 20 MAY 2017 The first Fete meeting is Wednesday 8 March 3.30pm in STSchool ANDREWS the Junior Library.LUTHERAN Meetings willCOLLEGE be held every fortnight from this date. 10AM to 4PM Donations of chocolates and bottles of wine are required for the College Fete as we arePRIZES running *the Chocolate Bed * RIDES * RAFFLE SHOWBAGS * and Wine* COFFEE Bottle Lucky Dip. Wine must be dropped off to * CENT AUCTION * LIVE MUSIC * the Collge* by an adult. All donations can be taken to the Junior FOOD MARKETS * CRAZY HAIR * ART * School* Administration Office, Junior School Library or*Cecile TALENT SHOW * HOUSE OF HORROR Ryan Centre.
* CHOCOLATE BED * TATTOOS * & MORE! *
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED WE WANT
DONATIONS REQUIRED
STALL HOLDERS objectsWANTED please!
* BOTTLES OF WINE * CHOCOLATE
your recycled Please contact: Please contact: Please bring to fete@salc.qld.edu.au fete@salc.qld.edu.au Can you please collect your tissue boxes, toilet rolls, Junior Administration or Libraries paper towel rolls and egg cartons and send them to VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Please contact fete@salc.qld.edu.au the Senior Art Room - Year 3 will thank you!
Dates to Remember Monday 6 Year 11 Legal Studies Excursion Year 10 Geography Excursion Wednesday 8 Year 12 Artist In Residence Workshop Years 7-12 SE QLD Futsal (8-10 March) Volunteers Induction, Junior School Library – 9.00am The Idea of North Workshop & Concert, Redeemer Lutheran College P & F Fete Meeting, Junior School Library – 3.30pm P & F General Meeting, J10 – 7.00pm Thursday 9 Growing Good Men – 3.15pm Friday 10 QCS Workshop – Year 12 Monday 13 It’s In The Bag Excursion Tuesday 14 University Showcase Year 12 Students and Parents, CRC– 3.30-5.00pm Wednesday 15 Lending a Helping Hand at ROSIES Thursday 16 Growing Good Men – 3.15pm Friday 17 Years 7-12 SEQ Qld Futsal Finals P & F Picnic in the Playground, Junior School lower oval – 5.00pm
VOLUNTEERS INDUCTION Our next Volunteers Induction will be held at 9:00am Wednesday 8 March in the Junior School Library. Everyone who volunteers in the College is required to have attended this workshop which covers such issues as Valuing Safe Communities, Child Protection, Privacy and Fire Evacuation. Please register with Karen Deacon either by emailing: jsadmin@salc.qld.edu.au or by phone 5568 5901. A reminder to all existing volunteers that we request you to sign in and wear your name badge at all times while volunteering in the College. If you do not have a current name badge then once again, please contact Karen Deacon. We value highly the wonderful support all Volunteers offer the College in their various roles either in the classroom, on excursions, in the Library, Tuckshop, Uniform Shop or as Traffic Safety Attendants. These are just a few of the places where we find you helping out and we thank you for all you do. A welcoming cuppa and morning tea will be provided from 8.45am. Just come straight after drop-off and enjoy some social time.
St Andrews Fete 2017 SATURDAY 20 MAY 2017
ST ANDREWS LUTHERAN COLLEGE
10AM to 4PM
* RIDES * RAFFLE PRIZES * SHOWBAGS * * COFFEE * CENT AUCTION * LIVE MUSIC * * FOOD MARKETS * CRAZY HAIR * ART * * TALENT SHOW * HOUSE OF HORROR * * CHOCOLATE BED * TATTOOS * & MORE! *
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Please contact: fete@salc.qld.edu.au
DONATIONS REQUIRED
* BOTTLES OF WINE * CHOCOLATE Please bring to Junior Administration or Libraries
STALL HOLDERS WANTED Please contact: fete@salc.qld.edu.au
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Please contact fete@salc.qld.edu.au
St Andrews Fete 2017 St Andrews Fete - Saturday 20 May 2017 - 10am-4pm It is time for all students and families to get excited and enthusiastic for this years College Fete!! They only come around every two years and this will prove to be the best yet. The Fete Committee are requiring a lot of community support to make this a success ranging from donations to volunteers. Fete Meeting The first Fete meeting is Wednesday 8 March 3.30pm in the Junior School Library. We will keep you updated via this article on when the next meeting is. Donations Required: » Prizes for the Cent Auction » Bottles of Wine (delivered by adults only please) » Blocks of Chocolate All donations can be taken to the Junior School Administration Office, Junior School Library or Cecile Ryan Centre. Guinness World Record Attempt A Guinness World Record will be attempted of 500 capes in one area on the Village Green during the College Fete. This will be an official Guinness World Record which we will be aiming for. Cake Stall Closer to the time all you bakers out there, we will require cakes or biscuits and slices for the cake stall. Boxes will be sent home with your students the week before the Fete with delivery instructions for you to return the baked goods. Volunteers: will be needed to help man stalls as well as assist in coordinating the parking. All volunteers can send through their details to: fete@salc.qld.edu.au It is the College community help which makes this day exciting for all students and our local community. To get in touch and be a part of this great day please contact: fete@salc.qld.edu.au Stall Holders We are looking for stall holders to join us at the Fete. All parents or families are invited to have a stall, there is a small charge for hire of the site, anyone who would like information please enquire at: fete@salc.qld.edu.au
Sponsorship of Prizes for Cent Auction Once again we will be holding a Cent Auction at this year’s Fete. Its success is dependent on community support and your generous prize donations. So if you have a business or know anyone who would like to donate an item that can be used as a prize we would be very grateful. Please contact Jessica Russell on 0408 125 310 or russell.lj@bigpond.com Those businesses that donate prizes will be recognised with their business’s details displayed on Fete day and in a list of prize donors in the College Bulletins and Newsletters in the lead up and immediately after the Fete. A big thank you to the following businesses for their generous donations to the Cent Auction! Bunnings, Burleigh Burleigh Brewing Company Currumbin RSL Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Doughnut Time Draculas Dreamworld Epic Skate, Tweed Heads Furniture N More, Burleigh Grill’d, Robina JFK Woodfire Kitchen & Bar Kaiser Craft, Robina Kidz n Play, Robina McDonalds Mudgeeraba Cutting & Colour Shoppe Norwex - Consultant Shavaun Brazel Pancakes on the Rocks PHJ Services Plantation House Cafe Rocks Resort, Currumbin Spot on Lawn & Garden Maintenance Super Cheap Auto, Robina Club Talle The Arts Centre Gold Coast Tupperware - Consultant Nurit Dimanstein Twin Towns Clubs & Resorts Vapiano, Surfers Paradise Witches Falls Winery, Mt Tamborine Xtend Barre, Burleigh
WANTED: * VOLUNTEERS * STALL HOLDERS * DONATIONS * SPONSORS
For more information please contact fete@salc.qld.edu.au
Picnic in the Playground Friday 17 March Junior School Playground
5:00pm - 7:00pm Please come and join the College community for our Term 1 social event. sausage sizzle & drinks for sale. * * * *
Raffle Live Music BYO Drinks Jumping Castle
* * * *
Sausage Sizzle Undercover Area Playground Photobooth
Please RSVP by Saturday 4 March pandf@salc.qld.edu.au
POSITIVE PARENTING
How to get kids off to school on time without yelling, whining or constantly reminding! By Michael Grose If you struggle with peace, harmony and getting kids focused on school these 6 suggestions will help your mornings run a littler smoother. Getting kids to school on time can be infuriating and anxiety-inducing for parents, especially if you work! The clock just keeps ticking and doesn’t make allowances for morning meanderers. It’s easy if your child is the brighteyed, bushy-tailed type who wakes up ready and focused for school. But what if you have a child who
needs time to wake up, and is easily distracted by the television, a pesky sibling or even the family pooch that wants to be patted? What if you have a child who drags the chain and wouldn’t get to school without at least five parental reminders to hurry up? In these cases mornings can be chaotic and very stressful.
If you struggle with peace, harmony and getting kids focused on school these suggestions will help you make mornings run a littler smoother.
1. Prepare as much as you can the night before It may be stating the obvious but the less that children have to do in the morning the better. So putting clothes out, preparing lunches and snacks and having school bags packed and ready the night before will mean there is less decision-making and less for everyone to worry about in the morning.
2. Identify and overcome distractions As mentioned above, children can easily be distracted before school. If possible remove distractors such as televisions and digital devices. Allow them when everyone is ready for school. Minimise the impact of other distractions such as managing argumentative siblings. Stay out of these arguments as your attention usually just inflames sibling disputes. Be liberal with encouragement, affection and once-only reminders in the morning and minimise conflict resolution, arguments and angry words.
3. Make your morning routine visual If, for whatever reason, your child randomly and dreamily wanders from one activity to another then consider placing a sequenced photo chart of
parentingideas.com.au
now we know.
POSITIVE PARENTING
How to get kids off to school on time without yelling, whining or constantly reminding! 4 or 5 main activities (e.g. wake up, breakfast, get dressed, chores, pack bags) in a prominent place that he or she can refer to each morning. This visual prompt will help put some routine into your child’s morning, as well as reduce their dependence on you.
4. Delegate some responsibility Consider delegating the job of keeping a wayward child on track to a capable, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed sibling. Let me explain. If you come from a family of four or more children then there is a reasonable chance that either you or a sibling took charge of many aspects of the family routine, including getting kids up each morning and off to school. This is not so much a case of parents neglecting their responsibilities but rather letting go of the minutiae of management. When this happens a capable and caring child will generally fill the parental void. Alternatively, a parent may purposefully give that job to a child. Either way, delegation is a great way of instilling parenting skills into the next generation as well as keeping children from being dependent on their parents.
5. Make yourself scarce If you find it impossible to ignore your child’s morning meanderings or misbehaviours, or if you think that there is no way your child would get to school without your timely reminders then try keeping yourself busy.
Get yourself ready for the day and give your children the space to work things out themselves. You may be surprised how capable your child is, when no one reminds him or her of their responsibilities. A word of warning: Your child may test out your resolve by doing very little to get him or herself ready. If so, be prepared to give the next idea a go.
6. Be willing to take your child to school even if they aren’t fully ready If keeping up appearances is important then you will struggle with this idea, but bear with me. Your job as a parent is to shift the responsibility of getting to school to the person who should bear it – that is, your child. When you worry more about something than a child then that task becomes your responsibility. Mornings will always be stressful if you take responsibility for kids being at school on time. One way around this is to be willing to take your child to school even if they are not fully ready. It may mean your child has to hurriedly put his or her shoes and socks on in the car, or perhaps finish that piece of toast on the way to school. Doing this may make you feel like a mean parent but if you do it in a reasonable, matter-of-fact way then you are guilty of nothing more than putting a little responsibility the way of your child. Children will usually learn more from your actions than your words.
It’s times such as bedtime, mealtime and mornings when children transition from one activity to another that brings so much stress for parents. Often children just want to keep doing an activity they enjoy rather than go to bed, join you at the meal table or go to school as required. It’s easy to be drawn into arguments and disputes with children who don’t want to play the cooperation game. It helps at these times to stick to a known routine (that may be individual for each child); to talk a little less (cue them once but no more); and be willing to put a reasonable action or consequence in place so that children take some responsibility themselves.
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