Newsletter Contents

• Publisher's Pen
• Empowering Parents and Teachers
• Empowering K.I.D.S. (Kids In Daily Situations)

Publisher's Pen: Parents - How's Your Report Card?

“A family in harmony will prosper in everything.”       
                                                           ~ Chinese Proverb

November is the month when the first report cards are due, signaling the end of the initial 10-week marking period in the traditional September to June school year. However, brain research supports how well children are loved at home reflects their grades at school. Take the example of Elizabeth Smart…..

What happened to her level of thinking is the same thing that happens to elephants who are tied up from a young age and then released when they are adults – they don’t try to run away. And Elizabeth didn’t try to run away either, even when her captors took her to a party.

Constant barraging of her self-esteem shut down her thinking that she could escape, that she could do better. The same thing can happen at home or in the classroom, but in a more powerful way when it comes from people whom children care about, want to please, or depend on for sustenance. We own the power to influence our children to do well or to do poorly.

Unconditional love is the most important factor in influencing our children to do well in school and in life. Beyond tending to physical needs, children need to know that they can express their feelings, explore their natural learning tendencies and experiment within a safe and loving environment. If we take the focus off of academic standards, and get back to the basics of what is important, what is on the inside of us  – the life skills needed to succeed will manifest on the outside, in the form of success at school and life, in spite of what the grades may tell us.

Look for ways to catch your child doing something right. Look for ways to encourage him/her. Say to your child, “What a wonderful learning experience! What do you think will happen next?” Remove yourself from the situation. Your child is not you. Hold your head high in regard to your child. Stand your child’s ground when he/she needs you to do so. Remember the timeless biblical principles of not provoking your child to anger, and of being the head of the household in love (not commanding blind obedience).

May we remember to tell our children that we love them no matter what  and mean it.  May we have a revelation about the veins of gold we have not discovered within our children, and make a firm commitment to let them shine!

 Smiles,

Elaine

Empowering Parents and Teachers:

Here is a Parent Report Card. Under which category do you fall? This report card could be used as a gauge for the classroom teacher as well.  Once the grades of the parent and/or teacher improve, so will the grades of the child. Give it at least six weeks, as change does not happen overnight.
 

Category A: Grade A Parent.  Give yourself an A if you do the following: 

1. Do I give my child encouragement every day?

2. Do I give my child hugs?

3. Do I tell my child that I love him/her (no matter what happens)?

4. Do I tell my child that I am proud of him/her?

5. Do I give him/her appropriate boundaries?

6. Do I set a good example for my child?

7. Do I discipline fairly, by making the consequence fit the offense?

8. Do I provide learning experiences?

9. Do I spend time just listening to my child?

10. Do I send my child to bed in a peaceful atmosphere?

 Category NI: Needs Improvement Parent.  Give yourself an NI if you: 

1. Do I call my child names (tattletale, lazy, monster)?

2. Do I hit my child?

3. Do I withhold my love when I am angry?

4. Do I show disgust for poor performance?

5. Do I let my child do what he/she wants and then get angry?

6. Do I talk disrespectfully about others in front of my child?

7. Do I discipline by constantly saying “don’t!” or “because I said so!” or by extremes-severe sometimes, or sometimes not at all?

8. Do I remind my child of past mistakes & say, ”you’ll never be…”?

9. Do I act like my child is in the way of living my own life, spending little time with him/her?

10. Have I sent my child to bed with threats, yelling, hitting, or without supper?

Just 15 minutes a day of quality time with a child by a warm and caring person has been proven by studies to increase scores at school. Be honest with yourself as to where you may need improvement. We’ve all been there with kids. 

 As your grades improve, so will those of your child’s!

Empowering K.I.D.S. (Kids In Daily Situations):

What can you do to empower yourself and your friends to get better grades? You might be surprised at the answers. Yes, it is cool to do well in school! Here are some empowering thoughts to post in your room at home or your locker at school. 

Encourage your classmates, friends and family members by using the “thumbs up” sign, or “high five” sign often.

Make friends with someone in your class you do not know.

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes before making a comment to him/her.

Outside your classroom or home, act as you would in front of your teacher or parents.

When a challenge comes up, say to yourself, “I have the ability to handle this.”

Every day, in every way, know that you are getting better and better.

Recognize that everyone is different, not weird, cause God doesn’t make any junk!

Kindness goes a long way – what you give out will come back to you.

Inside the classroom or at home, follow the rules to the best of your ability.

Discover who you are and the special talents that you have and work on them.

Stay true to yourself; don’t try to be who someone else thinks you should be.

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