Dear SKS Families,

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.”
                                                                            -Chinese Proverb

Welcome to my September blog. This blog usually goes out once a month. There’s no rhyme or reason to the written content. It may be an educational/parenting article I found informative. It could be about the state of our  school at that particular time. I always try to include several pictures, because I believe pictures always tell a compelling story about SKS: This is a happy place where learning takes place and we take heart in educating the whole child. 

We have had a good early run. Thank you for all your support, encouragement and positive messages. I hope you found the Back to School Nights informative and helpful  as we begin to make connections and build relationships for the good of each child. 

Some of you may know of our partnership with a local Berwyn based organization called Speak Up! This highly respected organization has connected with dozens of schools for two decades. You can visit their website at www.speakup.org. While their mission is primarily with families of students  from the middle school years on up, I think they are still a great resource for parents of younger children.  As it says on their website:

“ We hope to create a culture of communication in our homes and schools where it’s ok to talk about difficult topics.”

A handout I received from SpeakUp has a list of things they have learned from listening to adolescents, teenagers and young adults for the last twenty plus years. I think it is solid advice for any parent and educator:

  1. Let them know you love them no matter what they do.
  2. See children as problem solvers, not problems to be solved.
  3. Keep the conversation going and don’t just have “the talk.” 
  4. Think coping, not character.
  5. Stay calm. 
  6. Acknowledge and validate their feelings.  
  7. Be equals in conversation instead of talking down to them.
  8. Allow them to enjoy their interests without the pressure of perfection. 
  9. Apologize when you are wrong. 
  10. Let them know their mistakes or their achievements  do not define them.
  11. Clarify what they want in the conversation: advice or just to vent.
  12. Ask: “What would help you in this situation?” 
  13. Share your experience rather than your advice. 
  14. Stay present and in the moment with your child
  15. Share your family background. 

I have often said that parenting is not an exact science and much of it is trial and error. It helps to have and try different strategies like the ones above.  Also, I said in a previous email that none of us are perfect and we have to stop trying to be. In your very own family you know that each child is different and a strategy for one doesn’t necessarily work for the other.  “Fair is not always equal”  is a saying that educators know to be true. It’s the same at home.  We all struggle, at times, as parents,  no one has all the answers, and let’s not compare families or children.  We rely on our faith and each other because it “does take a village to raise a child.”   

The pictures in the blog always tell our story.  This month’s blog  shows pictures of  happenings with the start of school, the Flag Folding Ceremony for the 20th Anniversary of 9/11,  The One Book ,One School activity with iour buddies using the book The Wish Tree, Youth Group at Abby Fest, and other activities in and out of the classroom. This is a good and happy place.

Every morning we pray: “God is good, all the time. All the time God is good.”

Take care,

Bud