Dear Parents and Guardians,

Kids are our most precious resource.  As a society we should never tire of looking for ways to protect them and grow them into resilient, responsible, thoughtful and well-educated young people.  As a parent, one of the hardest things to do is to say “NO” when the whole world seems to be saying “YES”.  An article on the Catholic.net describes how “cool” things previously reserved for teenagers have crept into the lives of primary school-aged children. So how do parents wisely decide what to allow when children insist “But everybody’s doing it!”? Unfortunately, no magical list exists, nor should there be one.  Rather, parents can remain strong in the knowledge that you know what is best for your child.

Concentrating your time and energy on to your children is a huge investment in their future and the future of society.  Kids are precious – love them.

 Working Bee

A huge THANK YOU to the Hancock, Argent, Matissey and Huni families who helped out with our working bee on Friday. We managed to get our hedge trimmed, garden’s mulched and free of weeds. We still have lots to do on our jobs list.

 Term Fees

Term 2 fees are now overdue. Please make payment as soon as possible. Please be mindful and check your emails to ensure delivery of your fee statement. A reminder that every family will receive a fee statement regardless of payment arrangements or concessions, to keep you informed of your current balance. We are looking to make the fee payment system easier for parents by changing to a process were all fees are set up through a direct debit system used by many schools.

National Reconciliation Week This week we remember and celebrate National Reconciliation week and the theme for 2019 is ‘Grounded in Truth, Walk Together in Courage’. It is an opportunity for our community to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. The dates for NRW (27 May to 3 June) are chosen to remind all Australians about two significant events in our history. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey - the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision. At the heart of reconciliation is the relationship between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To foster positive race relations, our relationship must be grounded in a foundation of truth. At St Joseph’s we seek to create a culture that is welcoming and inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

At this week’s Assembly the Year Three class reminded us that reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Disparities in education is one of the key issues creating a gap in the outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Our school is working to address this issue by working with our CES Education Officer on such initiatives such as having a personal learning plan for every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student.

Students are permitted to wear their supporter gear for the State of Origin, either blue or maroon, on Wednesday 5 June. This is a free dress day only. No donation necessary. Go Queensland!!

Student Well Being -

The following parenting article is written by Michael Grose, founder of Parenting Ideas, is one of Australia’s leading parenting educators. He’s the author of 12 books for parents including Spoonfed Generation and the best-selling Why First Borns Rule the World and Last Borns Want to Change It. His latest release Anxious Kids, was co-authored with Dr Jodi Richardson

https://www.parentingideas.com.au

                                                                                                                          ‘Developing Healthy Friendships'                                                                         Children who develop healthy friendships generally have a definite set of social skills that help make them easy to like, easy to relate to and easy to play with. One such skill is the ability to adjust their behaviours to suit the social requirements of a particular situation. Many boys struggle in this area and can be loud, overbearing and bossy when their peers want them to be quiet, cooperative and to follow others. You can coach your child to fit in with the requirements of many of their social groups using this three-pronged approach:                                                                                                                                The primary school age is an ideal time for children to form friendships with both girls and boys. This is particularly valid if your child has siblings of their own gender, or don’t have siblings.                                   

Demind: Be preemptive with your teaching. Before your child visits their friends provide some relevant pointers about their behaviour. “Remember to say hello quietly and ask them if they’d like to play with you.”                                                                                                                                                                          Rehearse: It’s useful to practise with children how they should act in social situations. “Okay, Jeremy tell me what you will say when you want to enter a game. Let’s practice waiting for a break in the game, approaching someone you know and saying, “Excuse me. Can I play with you guys?”                                                                                       

Revisit: Give your child feedback after the event but keep it positive and upbeat. “That was great the way you let the other kids lead the way. Your friends love it when you let them be boss.” Boys, in particular, benefit from being told what works well in terms of their friendships behaviours.

Encourage healthy friendships

The wellbieng of many primary school girls is heavliy impacted by her relationships with her peers. When relationships are going well she'll tend to be happy, however when friendships become tricky then she can feel unhappy, evne distraought. Help your daughter identify what a healthy friendship looks and feels like - she should feel safe, valued and able to speak up. Unhealthy relationships, such as cliques, are restrictive, one-sided, full of gossip and criticism. To assit them to reflect on the nature of healthy relationships help your child to formulate responses to these questions: "What does a good friend look like? How does a good friend behave? What do good friends do?"

Encourage friendships with both genders The primary school age is an ideal time for children to form friendships with both girls and boys. This is particularly valid if your child has siblings of their own gender, or don’t have siblings. It’s through these early relationships that we gain the confidence to mix with different genders in the later years. Forming friends across genders helps to break down the mystique that sometimes forms, when a child has little contact with the ‘other’ gender.

Understand the impact of gender on friendships Research shows that boys’ friendships groups are more inclusive and less changeable than friendships enjoyed by girls, particularly those in the eight to twelve age group. If you have a girl, be ready to support your daughter through the hurt of friendship breakdowns and remind them that new friendships are just around the corner. Many girls take a disagreement with a friend personally as they don’t have the emotional development to deal with conflict constructively. Help her reflect on her own place in a friendship breakdown and encourage her to be open to restoring a relationship once emotions are in check.

Remember, friends a feather flock together If you think that your child doesn’t have as many friends as a sibling or other children their own age, don’t be too alarmed. On average, children usually have only two or three significant friendships at any one time. It’s the quality rather than the quantity of friendships that counts. If you are concerned that your child lacks friends at school encourage them to take up a variety of extra-curricular activities. It’s easier to strike up a friendship with someone when you have something in common.                                                                                                             

Above all else, encourage your child to be friendly by talking to others, showing an interest in what other children do, offering help when needed, and being willing to enter a game or social situation. Consider teaching your child, if necessary, alternatives to fighting and arguing when there is disagreement and conflict within groups.

God Bless!

Megan Pearce