Principal's Post

REMINDERS

Nut Aware School

Please be reminded that we are a ‘nut aware school’. As such, no nut products should be brought to school. This is 100% about the safety of our students. Thank you for your support in this matter. I have to say our kids are pretty outstanding in keeping on top of this.

Car Parking in the Kiss and Drive

Please remember the Kiss and Drive is not a parking area between the times of 7.45 am and 9.00 am. We have an arrangement that parishioners will park in this area from around 8.50 am in the morning for daily Mass. It is important to respect this arrangement between the school and parish with regard to this shared space. While we all appreciate the busyness of parents in the morning, and the rush that comes, let’s be mindful of this mutual agreement. Your efforts are appreciated in the management of this in the future. The parishioners appreciate our consideration.

Families leaving at the end of 2019

If any families are not returning to St Columba’s in 2020 please notify the office in writing as soon as possible if you have not already done so.

Booklists 2020

In 2020, we will be continuing the trial this year of having bulk orders for all booklists. We trialled this in Year 1 and 2 in 2019, and have had great success in reducing booklist costs, but also assisting in the management of stationery across for the year. These booklists will come through in the next couple of weeks. Parents will be required to complete this order through our stationery provider. Specific details will be forwarded in the near future.

Important Dates to remember

Monday 18/11 to Friday 22/11 – Year 3 swimming lessons continue
Friday 22/11 – Final Assembly
Monday 25/11 to Friday 6/12 – Year 1 and 2 swimming lessons
Saturday 30/11 – Parish Christmas Carols & Mass
Monday 2/12 – Year 6 Graduation Mass & Awards (Years 4 – 6 to attend)
Friday 6/12 – Whole school end of year Mass 9.00am & end of year concert 6.00pm
Wednesday 11/12 – Year 1 – 5 Incursion and Year 6 Excursion
Friday 13/12 – Term 4 ends for students

School Counsellor News

Avoid doing deals with kids

by Michael Grose

Have you ever said something like this to one of your kids? “If you eat all your dinner up, I’ll let you use my iPad for five minutes.”

Most kids under the age of ten would empty their plate in an instant with that sort of carrot dangled in their face. But it’s a tricky game you play when you start to do deals with kids to win their cooperation. For a start, you need to be prepared to raise the stakes as the novelty of five minutes of iPad use will soon wear off.

This would also mean you need to be prepared to keep dealing with your kids, as they soon learn that if they hang out long enough, Mum/Dad or whoever will offer me a juicy enticement to win my favours.

You get what you negotiate

Keep doing deals with kids enough and they learn that they get what you negotiate. That’s fine in the business-world, but hard work in families.

I’ve seen mums who deal with kids because they just want peace and quickly. I’ve also seen dads deal with their kids because they simply enjoy negotiating. They see it as a game. That’s hard work for their partner who doesn’t use those methods.

Kids who do deals

Sometimes it’s kids who do the negotiating. “You want me to go to bed at 8.00pm do you? Well I’ll go to bed at 8 o’clock if I can have a TV in my room” says a born negotiator.

It takes a savvy parent to say, “Actually, no. That’s not going to happen.” Sometimes we become involved in child-initiated deals before we’re even aware it’s happening. Again kids can take advantage of busy, tired or time-poor parents.

The last resort

If doing deals with kids to get cooperation is a strategy you use then it should be a strategy of last resort (to use when your mother comes to visit; when you are dog-tired; or when you want a cosy Sunday morning in bed), not the first one you use when you want your kids to behave well.

Here are 5 alternatives to ‘doing deals’ with kids:

1. Catch them doing the right thing: Make a bit of a fuss when your kids behave as you want. Tell your face that you are pleased with your kids so it lights up, and kids get to notice you are happy with their behaviour. This is based on the premise that parent recognition (“Mum/Dad is happy with me”) is a high driver for many kids.
2. Reward them after the behaviour you want: Avoid saying, “If you behave well on our shopping trip I’ll buy you a matchbox car.” This is bribery, which is tied up with the art of dealing. Instead, show your appreciation with a treat after they have behaved well. The order of events makes a huge difference!
3. Manage like a cat: There are times when a child or teen needs to know that “No means no” rather than “No is just a suggestion”. A message delivered with firm body language, a still head and a clear, flat voice without intonation indicates to a child or teen that you are serious and that no further communication is to be entered into. This non-verbal communication is quite cat-like, thus the cat metaphor for parent credibility.
4. Let consequences be your friend: Let your actions, or lack of action, do the talking. Rather than negotiating with kids to pack their toys away, put toys that are left around into the ‘mystery bin’ for a time. You may need to hold firm to a tantrum when you use this method, but hang tough so your child sees that you really mean what you say and do.
5. Focus on you, not them: Want them to go bed on time? Then start reading their bedtime story at the agreed time whether they are there or not. (This works well if your child is a reader! Not so good if your child isn’t interested in books. It’s the principle that counts). Resist calls for ‘that’s not fair!’ as not being in bed at an agreed time is not fair on you either! The simple shift from telling them what to do to telling them what you will do makes a massive difference particularly when you have a child who doesn’t like to be told what to do.

Nothing works all the time so smart parents know they need to have a number of different strategies at their disposal when they want cooperation from their kids. They also have a hierarchy of responses that places ‘making deals with kids’ their last resort, rather than their first option.

In fact, it may be best to leave doing deals out of your parenting armoury altogether and focus on using other communications methods instead.

Jennifer Maughan
Social Worker
Tuesday & Wednesday
9208 2703
jenny.maughan@cewa.edu.au

P & F News

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777 Pharmacy 

Don’t forget to mention that you are a St Columba’s family if you are shopping at the Maylands or Bayswater 777 Pharmacy. 10% of all retail sales goes towards the P&F.

Library News

Pastoral Care

Community Notices

Are your kids glued to their screens everyday?

Is it difficult to get them to talk to you without checking their messages?

Does interrupting gaming sessions cause huge meltdowns in your family?

Do screens diminish the quality time in your family?

Do your children constantly pester you for expensive games and apps?

If this sounds like your family, then come along to the 2nd of a 12-month series of information nights for parents and professionals, drawing upon behavioural, cognitive and neuroscience and latest research on child behaviour.

In this second information night, Mandy Mason, Clinical Director of Fit Learning Australia, will discuss how parents can use screen time as an effective tool when promoting change in children.

Mandy is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst who has been working in the field of learning science for close to 15 years. She is the Australian affiliate of Fit Learning that has been drawing upon the best of behavioural, cognitive and neuroscience for more than 2 decades and transformed the lives of thousands of students.

Attending this seminar will teach you how to use screen time to motivate your kids, as well as how to reduce behavioural challenges surrounding their screen usage.

The seminar will include practical examples and question and answer time to address your own challenges

Details

Wednesday, 27th November

6.30-8:30pm

The Grove Community Centre

1 Leake St, Peppermint Grove WA 6011, Australia

Free parking underneath the Peppermint Grove Library

Food, wine and drinks provided.

Register via:

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/overcoming-screen-addiction-in-children-tickets-80419018449?aff=ebdssbeac

or email mandymason@fitlearning.com.au

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Early in 2020, Mercedes College will commence interviewing Year 4 & Year 5 students who are due to start Year 7 in 2022 & 2023 respectively.  If you are considering enrolling your daughter and have not yet requested a Prospectus, please contact Mrs Julie Lamb on 9323 1340 as soon as possible.

Enquiries are also welcome for places in Year 7 for 2020 and 2021.   For more information please refer to the College website, www.mercedes.wa.edu.au.

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Saint Columba Dolphins Swim Squad – Current Year 3-5 Only

With summer around the corner and the faction swimming carnival in Term 1 we are delighted to start another fantastic season of swimming!

The first session will kick off on Friday November 29 from 6:30am – 7:30am at Bayswater Waves followed by breakfast in the parish hall during the school term.

Fun school holiday sessions are also available at a more reasonable time.  These are a great way to get the kids out of the house and swim with their mates!

Please see enrolment form attached to this newsletter for further details.   Enrolment forms and fees are due November 22nd.

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Bayswater Primary School

As you may be aware, this year is the 125th anniversary of Bayswater Primary School.

The Parents and Citizens Association will commemorate this event as a part of our biennial fete.  With the anniversary in mind we have decided to organise around the theme “Back to the Future.”  This year’s fete will be held on Sunday 24th November 2019 from 10 am till 3 pm.  A copy of the poster has been attached.

We are also holding a School Reunion Luncheon as part of the above.  Further details are found here https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/baysie-primary-alumni-school-lunch-tickets-71770586757?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&fbclid=IwAR3CEo3h4OANhXDQ1YSlU2YlOdszK9P_ObiVTXMe4utnYEVAiVy2Dh0i6sk

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