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Dear Parents and Carers
MODELLING SELF KINDNESS
This has been a tough parenting year. On a personal level it’s been challenging, but when you add the extra difficulty of helping children and young people navigate this year, you’d be forgiven for feeling like you’ve had enough.
It’s timely to look at US-based academic Dr. Brene Brown’s research that informed her book The Gift of Imperfect Parenting. Brown’s core finding was that the best parenting strategies rely on modelling for them to be adopted by children. That’s a little scary as it means we need to be the adults that we want to our kids to become.
There is great power in kids watching us practise how we manage hardships, frustrations and difficulties. Whether we use self-kindness or self-put downs, either will leave an impression on our kids. Not only do they see how we react when we stumble or make mistakes, but we give them permission to act in the same ways.
It’s hard to be self-kind
If you’re a goal-oriented type of person, highly-judgemental or someone who likes to get things done, then self-kindness can be difficult to befriend. It goes against the grain to laugh at your mistakes or miss a deadline, even though it won’t be the end of the world as you know it. If you recognise this type of rigid approach, then it may be time let go of some old ways. Inflexibility is the enemy of healthy wellbeing, which thrives on adaptability and self-forgiveness.
Let them hear the process
Giving a child or young person insight into your thinking is a powerful parenting strategy. Sharing your struggles and mess ups with kids in age-appropriate ways takes vulnerability and promotes empathy. It takes courage to share a comment such as, “I keep putting myself down, which is not helpful. I’ve got to talk to myself as if I’m talking to someone I love.” Disclosing this type of self-talk is only useful if it’s done in a safe, matter of fact way and a child is comfortable with the message.
Self-kindness means acting compassionately toward yourself when you are struggling to meet your own expectations, meeting with unexpected difficulties and/or met with failure. It’s time to drop the stiff upper lip, put aside the strict schedule and stop berating yourself. Instead say to yourself, “This is really tough right now. How can I take some comfort and look after myself?” This is a message worth modelling particularly, if you are living with a perfectionist or a child with tendencies toward anxiety.
Taken from Michael Grose – Parenting Ideas
After School Pick-up
Thank you to everyone for your patience and understanding as we all work together to facilitate the pick up of 500 students. We remind parents to ensure they remember to social distance when they are waiting at the gates and be mindful of our neighbours when you are parking. For those coming through the carpark to utilise "kiss and drop" we ask that you do not arrive to early. The school students are not dismissed until 3.10pm and we need to allow for children to be picked up frm the ELC at 2.30pm.
Year 6 Graduation
An email has been sent to parents last week regarding Year 6 Graduation which will take place on Monday 14 December. We are working through the finer details of the evening and once we have had these approved by DOSCEL we will provide parents with a further update.
Monday 14 December |
Year 6 Graduation |
Wednesday 16 December |
Final School Day for Students |
Friday 18 December |
School Office Closes |
SCHOOL FEES - If your situation has changed meaning you now have a pension or health care card please let us know at the office or email finance@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au This can make a substantial difference to you school fees.
Families who have concerns about their financial situation are asked to contact the school via email finance@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au, so that we can explore confidential financial support arrangements.
DIRECT DEBITS 2021 - For those families who havea direct debit set up, a letter will come home with the students later this week outlining the new direct debit amount for 2021. if you have any queries please contact the school on 5940 6777 or email finance@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au
VISITORS TO SCHOOL - For the safety of all, visitors to the school are being kept to a minimum and entrance to the office is only when essential. Please contact the office on 5940 6777 if you have any queries or require assistance.
EARLY PICK FROM SCHOOL - For those students who are being supervised at school, should they need to be collected early we ask that parents ring the school once they have arrived at school to collect the child. We will then arrange to bring the child out to you in the "kiss and drop zone". We ask you to also bare in mind that from 1.30pm to 2.10pm the students are outside. While we can call for them over the PA System, the students do not always hear it while they are playing.
Edition 8 of Scholastic Book Club is now available.
All orders are to be placed using the LOOP portal as we are unable to accept cash sent to school.
Orders will close on 30 November 2020 so we can ensure delivery before the end of the school year.
Camp Australia - Out of School Hours Care
Please see below session days and times
Bookings now open for 2021
Families can prepare for the new school year as OSHC bookings for 2021 are now open. Registration is free for families interested in attending Camp Australia – and we recommend that all families register so that they can access care whenever they need it. They simply have to login and register through the Parent Portal and start booking.
Every day counts at school – so please ensure your child attends each day provided they are well.
In the event of your child being absent, the school MUST be informed by 9:00am. This can be via email absent@stclaresofficer.cathlic.edu.au, through the Skoolbag app or on the phone 5940 6777. In the case of an unexplained absence, you will be contacted via SMS and then telephone.
While you may email the Learning Group Teacher we also ask that you ensure you also email absent@stclaresofficer.catholic.edu.au as this email is monitored by more than one staff member.
Please note that we are required by law to report unexplained or unreasonable absences to the relevant Government Authorities.