Dear Parents and Guardians

The following article is from Happy Families by Justin Coulton and gives some perspective on working mothers.

“Will I ruin my kids’ lives by working too much?”

– A note of comfort to working mothers

Apparently, a stay-at-home mum should earn $184 000 a year. That’s how hard the typical stay-at-home mum works for her family, doing everything from being the head chef, to first aid provider, to dental hygienist. While motherhood may be the most rewarding job on earth, the sad reality is that it’s also the lowest paying job on earth. And with increasing interest rates, increasing inflation, and an increasing cost of living, many women are faced with increasing mother’s guilt – either guilt for not contributing financially, or guilt for working and not being there for the kids.

Interestingly, mothers have always worked, right from our hunter-gatherer days. It’s only recently that mothers have felt guilt for working outside the home (thanks in part to societal pressure such as the ‘perfect 1950s housewife’). And with that guilt has come the question – “Will I ruin my kids’ lives by working too much?”

The reality is that there is some evidence for negative impacts on our kids when mothers jump into full-time work very early. However, most mums choose to delay getting back to work until after the first year or two of their child’s life – and the research supports this. While not everyone has the choice to stay home, when full-time work is commenced in the first year of the child’s life there are small negative effects on child development and the quality of the attachment relationship.

But long term, maternal employment seems to have a lot of benefits for children. A longitudinal study showed that there were better socio-emotional outcomes (such as increased prosocial behaviour and reduced conduct problems) for children whose mothers work. And an international survey of over 100 000 people showed that as adults, daughters of mothers who work are more likely to be employed and earn higher incomes, and the sons of mothers who work are more likely to spend more time caring for family members. The data definitely shows that you are benefiting your children by returning to the workforce, and that the benefits extend into adulthood!

However, while your kids may be thriving with a working mother, you may not be. In fact, while you may have increased feelings of self-worth and competence from being in employment, working mothers are twice as likely to experience high stress compared to their non-working counterparts. Balancing paid employment with all the demands of motherhood is not simple, and parental burnout often results. According to research, part-time employment seems to provide the best balance for mothers, resulting in fewer depressive symptoms and better health, more involvement in learning opportunities, and more sensitive parenting than full time employment.

If you’re a working mum, either by choice or due to financial necessity, full-time or part-time, here are 5 quick tips to improve your work/life balance and ditch the guilt:

Find your why behind working and embrace it.

It’s great to have a job you’re passionate about, but it’s also great to admit that you’re working to afford the mortgage repayments on your house. Own your reason.

Create more time by saying no to unnecessary commitments.

That might mean saying no to taking on another project at work, but it also might mean saying no to your child joining the soccer team. When time is limited, you don’t want to squander it. Spending time together doing nothing much at all is one of the most valuable gifts you can give your kids.

Implement rituals of connection.

Make time for daily family dinner. Or cuddle your kids and read them a story before bed. Just make sure that there are predictable moments throughout your day where you will put away distractions and focus on connections.

Start family traditions that you can all look forward to.

It can be as simple as a weekly movie night, or as elaborate as a yearly holiday to an exotic location. The enjoyment comes from looking forward to the tradition.

Take time to meet your own mental and emotional health needs.

You can’t be there for your kids if you’re burnt out. Taking time to look after you is the first and most important step in being able to look after anyone else.

You’re definitely not going to ruin your kids by working. In fact, they’ll probably benefit from it.

But I don’t think anyone, at the end of their lives, has ever said, “Gee, I wish I’d given more time to my work. I sure regret spending so much time with my family.”

Make the most of the time you have.

It doesn’t matter if you only have 10 minutes a day with your kids, make it the best 10 minutes of your whole day.

You will never regret it.

Wednesday 5 April – Final Day of Term

STUDENTS CAN WEAR FREE DRESS – HOUSE COLOURS

Bring a gold coin for Caritas

Please remember suitable footwear for PE and outdoor play

EVACUATION DRILL

On Monday we will be having an evacuation drill as part of our ongoing safety plan. Please talk with your children (especially those who may have sensitivity issues) about the loud noises that will occur and the fact that this is to keep us safe.

School Advisory Council (SAC) – Call for Parent Representatives

Our School Advisory Council (SAC) is needing new parent representation as many of the parents on the SAC last year have now ‘graduated’ from St Clare’s School.

The SAC is a vital conduit between parents and the school administration and has input into policies and practices in the school.

The SAC meets one-two times per term – on a Tuesday at 5pm. Meetings do not go beyond 90 minutes.

If you would like to nominate yourself or a parent within our school community, can you please complete the attached form and return this to school by Tuesday 4 April.

SCHOOL FEES

Thank you to the many families who have begun paying their school fees for this year.  

I understand the rise in mortgage rates and the cost of living – and the school has experienced these rises also.  However education is not free and commitments from the school still need to be met. I am asking therefore that parents continue to pay their fees and that the families who have not paid anything as yet please do so before the end of this month.

For those experiencing difficulty in paying fees, please contact the school immediately via email finance@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au.  All conversations are treated confidentially.

For those who have a Health Care Card, please inform the school immediately so that your school fees are reduced.   

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Attention Year 4 Families:

Please note an additional Mass has been added for First Holy Communion - Sunday 4 June at 10.30am.

The Parent Evening on Thursday 1 June is held at St Patrick’s Parish Hall at 7pm. Students do not attend and unfortunately we cannot provide supervision of students on this night.

All bookings for the First Holy Communion Masses occur via a link on the Parish website. This link is provided at the Parent Evening on Thursday 1 June and will be opened on Friday 2 June.

Could families in Year 4 who have enrolled their children as Catholics (which means your child/children have been baptised) and wish for their child/children to receive First Holy Communion please complete the survey below by Friday 31 March.Thank you to those families who have already done this.

First Holy Communion Survey

Queries can be directed to Gab Verstraete gverstraete@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au

CARITAS Boxes

At the beginning of Lent each family was given a Caritas money box and asked to try to put some money aside for Caritas. Students can now return these boxes to school. We will need to have any boxes containing money returned by Wed 5 April. Students are welcome to wait until Wed 5 April and put the money in their box on our Caritas coin line on this day. Money cannot be accepted after this date.

This term we have had a whole school focus on our school wide expectation of RESPECT.

Students have been involved in a series of lessons on what respect looks and sounds and feels like at St Clare’s. 

In addition, Staff have been using consistent language around RESPECT by asking students, “What’s your job? What’s my job?”

Students are beginning to be able to say, “My job is to…..”. 

By doing this, Staff are able to see if students know what the task or game involves and what the steps are to complete the task or game.

Staff are also consistently using the Remind, Re-teach and Choice prompts. When students are not showing respect (or not doing their job) Staff are reminding students of the expectations around showing respect while learning or playing. If the student is not able to change his/her behaviour then Staff re-teach the expectation and the work task or game expectations are clarified and the student is supported to try again. If the student is still not able to be respectful (do his/her job) then the student is provided with a choice which may involve some time away from the game or finishing the task in another space or at another time.  

Next term, we will continue to support the students with showing RESPECT and also focus on being SAFE (another school wide expectation).

EASTER RAFFLE

FUN RUN

SECONDHAND UNIFORM SHOP

This is your last chance to visit the Second Hand uniform shop before the end of term so don’t delay:

• Thursday 30^thMarch 2:30-3:10pm

If you have any uniform you’d like to sell please make sure;

• it’s been washed and saleable (no rips/major stains).
• Place it in a bag with your name and phone number.
• You can add prices you’d like to sell for or we can do this for you.
• Bring it into the uniform shop when we’re open or drop it to the office.

At the end of each term if you have sold items you will be sent a text message and money can be either sent home with your child or collected from the office.

*Please note that $1 from the sale of each item is donated to the P&F

ST CLARE’S COMMUNITY FACEBOOK GROUP

Did you know there is a St Clare’s Community Facebook Group?  We encourage every parent or family member to join the group to keep up to date with what is happening around the school and for reminders of important dates and activities.  It is also a great way to connect with other fellow parents and families that you might have met!  

To join, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/1159577690721184 answer a few short questions and you are in!

SCHOOL FEES

Term 1 fees are now well overdue.  Please contact the office to arrange payment or  to set up a direct debit ph 5940 6777 or email finance@stclarsofficer.catholic.edu.au

If you have a Pension or Health Care Card please ensure you have provided the school with your current card.  If our records show that your card expired in 2022 you will be charged full fees in 2023

If you have any questions please contact the school or email finance@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au

If you family is having financial difficulty with payment of fees, please email the school via finance@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au  to arrange a confidential discussion.

PAM - Parent Access Module

Here is the link for the St Clare's Parent Access Module (PAM)

St Clare's PAM

You username is the email address that you have registered with the school.  The first time you log in we ask that you use the forgotten password feature to set your own password.

ALL parents must access PAM to receive up to date information and grant necessary permissions.  Students will miss out on events if permission is not granted.

REPORTING AN ABSENCE

To report your child's absence please do so via PAM, email absent@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au or call 5940 6777

In this edition of SchoolTV - MANAGING SCREEN TIME

As a result of the global pandemic, there has been a noticeable shift in the amount of time people spend on screen-based devices. Families are transitioning back to pre-COVID routines but many are still struggling to re-establish the boundaries and rules around screen use. Some continue to deal with digital conflict and tech-tantrums on a daily basis. The latest research found that 77% of teenagers spend more than five hours on screens per day, but it is important to note that not all screen time is considered equal.

Parents play a crucial role in modelling a positive and healthy approach to using screens and assisting children to navigate the content they watch. It is better to model and mentor screen use, rather than monitor it. Children tend to do more of what they see us do, and less of what we tell them to do. However, it is still important to outline the risks and highlight the benefits of screen use to ensure you keep a balanced attitude. Encourage discussions around the issues that people experience in monitoring their screen time and be honest about your own difficulties.

Parents need to remain firm in their approach to managing screen time. Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a child’s overall wellbeing. Ensuring the correct privacy settings are in place is vital to prevent children from being inadvertently exposed to inappropriate content or online predators. Parents need to also be mindful of the potential impact screen time can have on a child’s social, emotional, educational, behavioural, and even physical domains.

In this edition of SchoolTV, care-givers will be provided with a range of guidelines and strategies to help manage screen time at home.

We hope you take time to reflect on the information offered in this edition of SchoolTV and we always welcome your feedback. If you have any concerns about your child, please contact the school counsellor for further information or seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to the Managing Screen Time edition of SchoolTV

https://stclaresofficer.catholic.schooltv.me/newsletter/managing-screen-time

How to Help Kids Stay Safe Online

Adapted from:  https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/blog    Office of the eSafety Commissioner

1. Start the chat

It’s not possible to be at your child’s side every second of the day, so it’s important to talk with them about online safety issues to help develop their critical thinking and ability to make good choices. It’s also good to let them know they can come to you for help if they have any concerns. You may feel they know more about the latest technology than you do, but you have more life experience to guide them.

• With primary school aged children use online devices in the open living spaces at home to make parent supervision part of the expectation for your child.
• Take the opportunity to set some boundaries around when and where they can use devices  like tablets, smart TVs and gaming consoles, to help limit potential tech tantrums — you could even fill in an Early Years Family Tech Agreement 
• Screen free time before bed is important for good sleep. Consider charging devices in a central location at a regular time each night to allow an hour screen free before bed.
• While you are all at home more, it’s a great time to co-view and co-play with your kids, so you can understand what they are doing and experiencing online.
• Learn about the games, apps, social media and platforms they are using at The eSafety Guide, including how to protect their information and report inappropriate content or conduct.

2. Use parental controls and safe search options

Parental controls can help block your child from accessing specific websites, apps or functions. They can also monitor your child’s use of connected devices and set time limits. But beware! You cannot always rely on them — they should be used in combination with other online safety strategies.

• Parental controls are available on most tablets, smartphones, computers, TVs and gaming consoles.
• You can also download family safety controls or buy robust filters out of the box. 
• You can set up child-friendly search engines, or select safe search settings on digital devices, to help prevent your child from stumbling across inappropriate sites and content.

3. Check smart toy settings

It’s surprising how many toys or devices can connect online these days, from drones and smart teddies to tablets and wearables. While they can be both entertaining and educational, they can reveal your child’s personal details and location — and allow other people to contact them without you knowing. You can help keep them stay safe by:

• setting strong passwords
• turning off location settings 
• limiting the amount of personal information shared.

The eSafety Gift Guide has advice on what to check for and how to stay safe.

4. Look out for unwanted contact and grooming

Unwanted contact is any communication that makes your child feel uncomfortable or unsafe, even if they initially welcomed the contact. It can come from a stranger, an online ‘friend’ or even someone they actually know. At worst, it can involve ‘grooming’ — building a relationship with the child in order to sexually abuse them.

You can help by:

• making sure their accounts are private — including chat functions on games
• encouraging them to delete requests from strangers and any contacts they don’t know in person
• checking in with your child as they use online devices in the open living spaces at home
• reporting and blocking anyone suspicious on a website or service 
• remembering that if suspicious online contacts become aggressive or threatening you should contact your local police.

5. Know the signs of cyberbullying

Kids who are bored by long periods at home can pick at each other, and that happens online too. So it’s important to keep an eye out for cyberbullying. It can include mean posts, comments and messages, as well as being left out of online group activities like gaming. 

• Remember, when they are away from school, kids have less access to their usual support systems, including friends, teachers and counsellors. 
• eSafety research shows that girls are more likely to be affected than boys and the person doing the bullying is generally someone they know from school.
• Watch out for signs such as your child appearing upset after using their mobile, tablet or computer, being unusually secretive about their online activities or becoming withdrawn.
• Cyberbullying can make social isolation worse and the longer it continues, the more stressed kids can become, impacting on their emotional and physical wellbeing.

What to do if your child is being cyberbullied

As parents, our first instinct may be to ban our children from social media, disable the wi-fi or turn off the data access. But this can actually compound the problem, making your child feel as if they’re being punished and heightening their sense of social exclusion.

There are four simple steps that can help minimise the harm:

• report the cyberbullying to the social media service where it is occurring
• collect evidence of the cyberbullying material
• if the material is still public 48 hours later, make a report to eSafety — we work with social media platforms to have the harmful content removed.

block the offending user.