Wear College T-Shirts Monday, October 3

Throughout the year we will have days everyone is encouraged to wear college T-shirts or colors of their favorite college.  This year we are picking days that are meaningful in the college world. Please, have your child wear a college T-shirt or colors on Monday, October 3 to celebrate the changes to the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Visit HOMEROOM to learn about the changes. This is also a great time to talk to your child about paying for college.  Are you paying for their college? Are they expected to earn scholarships? Start the discussion so there are no surprises later. If you have any questions contact Hayley Arnold, school counselor.

Proactive Parenting

Four Steps to Proactive Parenting

Our children are constantly watching and listening to what we say and do.  Author Brene’ Brown says, “Are you being the adult you want your child to grow up and be?” Below you will find four steps you can take to help your child grow up and be the adult you want him or her to be.  

Step One - Reflect

Take time to reflect and ask yourself these questions.    

• Am I using the tone of voice, words, and body language I want my child to use?
• Am I responding to unexpected situations like I want my child to respond?
• Am I doing things for my child that he or she can do for themselves?
• Am I celebrating my child’s effort or looking for perfection?
• Am I letting my child fail?
• Am I spending my time outside of work like I want my child to grow up and spend their time?

Step Two - Select

Select something you want to improve and be intentional about improving that area of your life.  In the book, Burn Your Goals, the authors Joshua Medcalf and Jamie Gilbert say we only have 86,400 seconds in a day and our outcomes will change when we change what we are doing on a daily basis. We all want to raise independent and successful children. What can you change in your daily life to get this desired outcome?

Step Three - Act

Make an action plan and stick to the plan. For example, I am going to stop cussing in front of the kids. I will stop bringing my child’s lunch to school when they forget it. I will start taking deep breaths when an unexpected situation happens. I will quit complaining about work. Once you have established your plan, spend a little time each day thinking about if you did what you said you were going to do.  Continually ask yourself, Am I being intentional?

Step Four - Repeat

Once you feel like you have mastered your plan. Start the process over again.

Reflect, Select, Act, and Repeat four steps to being a proactive parent! Our kids are growing up fast and we want them to have it all.  All they really want is YOU!  Remember you are enough and have much to offer your child.

If you are looking for more information on parenting, Julie Lythcott-Haims a former Stanford Dean wrote How to Raise An Adult. It is a great resource for parents of all ages.  Providing a back to basics blueprint of what you can or should stop doing to help your child be successful.

Safe Touch Discussion Questions

This week Old Bonhomme students participated in a Safe Touch class presented by Jewish Family & Children Services,   unless parents asked for them to not participate in the class. Below are some questions parents might want to review with their child at home.   All answers are taken from the American Academy of Pediatrics website information on Child Sexual Abuse. 

1.      Which parts of the body are considered private, and what are they called?

a.       The parts of the body that are private are the vagina, penis and bottom.  It’s important for kids to know the anatomically correct terms for their private parts. In early childhood, parents can teach their children the name of the genitals, just as they teach their child names of other body parts. This teaches that the genitals, while private, are not so private that you can’t talk about them.

2.      What are the reasons that an adult might have to look at or touch the private parts of your body? 

a.       The only reason that an adult would have to look at or touch the private parts of your body is to keep you healthy or keep you clean.  For example, a doctor might have to look at or touch a child’s private parts during a checkup.  A parent might help a child get dressed or take a bath, which helps keep them clean.  But, that person should NEVER ask the child to keep it a secret.

3.      Do we keep secrets from our parents?

a.       Teach children early and often that there are no secrets between children and their parents, and that they should feel comfortable talking with their parent about anything -- good or bad, fun or sad, easy or difficult.  Surprises, like gifts, parties, etc. are different, because they are secrets that someone will eventually find out.  Abusers rely on secrecy in order to get away with abuse.  Without secrecy they are not able to abuse.

4.        What do we do if someone does touch our private parts in a not okay way?

a.       Follow the body safety plan: Say no, run away and tell a trusted adult!  Some examples of trusted adults are parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, teachers, counselors and principals. 

If your child discloses any history of sexual abuse, listen carefully, and take his or her disclosure seriously. Too often, children are not believed, particularly if they implicate a family member as the perpetrator. Contact your pediatrician, the local child protection service agency, or the police. If you don’t intervene, the abuse might continue, and the child may come to believe that home is not safe and that you are not available to help. Most offenders are known to the child; they may be family members, relatives, friends, teachers, coaches, babysitters, and others in positions of authority.

Be Proactive

During CARE (Communicating About Real Experiences) lessons, students learned we each have choices about how to respond to a situation and we are in charge of our own thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Kindergartners learned the difference between water bottle responses and soda can reactions. We also discussed different ways to solve friendship problems.

  

First grade learned about clay and rock problems.  Clay problems you can fix and rock problems you learn to cope with. 

Second grade learned about pause, think, and choose so you can respond like a water bottle instead of reacting like a soda can. We brainstormed and practice several things to do when you pause and think.  For example, counting to ten, deep breaths, dots, squeezies, heart to home, and push pull dangle. 

Third grade did a Be Proactive Scoot, practiced identifying the difference between proactive and reactive situations, and demonstrated making proactive decisions.

Four grade learned about the Circle of Concern and Circle of Influence. We discussed proactively being able to affect change by spending your energy in your Circle of Influence.

Get Involved with Character Council

It's time for Old Bonhomme's Character Council 2016-2017 application process to get underway! Character Council is comprised of third and fourth grade students who participate in different activities throughout the year to promote good character to everyone in our building.  This is a SOARiffic way for students to develop their leadership skills and give back to our school.  If you have a third and/or fourth grade student, please consider talking with them about this opportunity!

Click on the link: Character Council Application to go directly to the online application.

Interested students should fill out the application and submit it by Wednesday, September 7.  If you have any questions contact Mrs. Arnold at harnold@ladueschools.net.