Principal's Post

As I am away for the Principal’s Conference all week I will write my usual Donegal next week.

However, please read the following important information:

School Uniform Update

• The uniform shop will now be open on a Thursday morning from 8.30 to 9.30am for size fitting.
• On-line orders will be delivered to classrooms each Monday.
• Returns and exchanges will be collected through the school office and processed.

Community Mass this Saturday Evening at 6.00pm

This Saturday evening at 6.00 pm, we have our Community Mass, which also doubles up as our Penance and Confirmation Enrolment Mass. You know how much I love seeing our families at these Masses each term. In Term 2, we had such a wonderful response. You also know I appreciate how busy your lives are. All I am saying is, if you are free Saturday evening and feel like coming to our Community Mass, then know you are so very welcome. As I say to our staff, if you can make it, you make it. If life makes it not possible, no guilt.

Bayswater Primary Busy Bee

The Bayswater Primary School P and C are having a busy bee this Sunday morning at 8.30 am on their school oval. As you may have noticed, they are doing much work in improving the oval for school use. As a part of this, they have been allowing our kids to use this space at lunchtimes a few times a week. For example, this week, we get to use it every day. They have invited a few of us to help out on Sunday morning if we wish. I will be there with my shovel for an hour or so. If there are three or four parents who would like to come and spend a couple of hours helping out and forming connections with the Bayswater Primary parents, that would be fabulous. Please email me directly on art.lombardi@cewa.edu.au. I appreciate the short notice, however if you have a couple of hours, that would be pretty special in showing our appreciation for the use of their play space. It will show that we are committed to working together to bring the school communities closer in this very special place, Bayswater. I do know how busy you are, so no pressure, although it would be good if someone could show me how to use a shovel. Thanks again for even considering this in your busy lives.

City 2 Surf Columba Runners Team

Columba Runners has registered a team for the upcoming Perth City to Surf. There are lots of distances to choose from and get active. So a family fun run/walk of 4km, a challenging 12km, or dare I say a crazy 21.1 or 42.2km, it is a great way to say goodbye to winter.

Anyone within the St Columba community can join our team, however, only Columba Runner members can add the City to Surf distances to their club tally. All registrants for our team receive 15% discount at the checkout.

To join the team please go to https://perthcitytosurf.com/ to register.
Team name: Columba Runners
Team Password: ColumbaRunners2019.

Father’s Day Breakfast

Father’s Day is fast approaching.  Please keep you eye on future Donegals for further information.

Have a good week.

Art

School Counsellor News

Creating a consistent parenting storyline

Here’s more from Michael Grose for families in our community with younger children
www.parentingideas.com

This is typical of many comments I’ve been hearing lately from participants at my Anxious Kids workshops and seminars. It’s a healthy recognition that parent consistency is a significant element in successful parenting, particularly when facing a child’s behavioural or wellbeing challenge.

It’s also recognition that one of the biggest challenges for many couples is creating the same parenting storyline. It’s a common challenge.

You may be strict, while your partner is lenient. You may value family mealtime highly, while your partner is ambivalent about breaking bread as a family.

Differences in parenting are natural, reflecting past parenting experiences, gender differences and personal experiences of children. They are a sign of independent thinking, and can provide a sense of balance to family life.

Parents who work together need to know when to compromise, when to keep out of the way and when to present a united front. Knowing when to take each approach takes practice and depends on the issues at hand, your parenting styles and your individual values.

Differences can be stressful

Different approaches can cause discomfort, stress and anxiety to one or both parents, particularly when communication and empathy levels are down.

In some cases, the differences can lead to inconsistent parenting where there is no agreement on rules and standards of behaviour and inconsistent follow-through when kids behave poorly. It’s like driving a car when there are two sets of road rules. There’d be accidents in the first five minutes.

Similarly, there is chaos in a family when there’s more than one set of rules. The rules and boundaries the govern children’s behaviour and family life need to be agreed upon.

Parents who work together need to know when to compromise, when to keep out of the way and when to present a united front. Knowing when to take each approach takes practice and depends on the issues at hand, your parenting styles and your individual values.

Creating the same storyline

Agreeing to the same parenting storyline as your partner takes work. It can be done whether you and your partner live together or not.

Here are some ideas to help

Keep your partner informed
It helps if the primary parent can keep partners informed about what’s going on in children’s lives. These can include updates about behaviour, educational achievements and their general well-being.

Defer to your partner
Kids have a habit of putting their parents on the spot, particularly with issues such as going out or buying the latest fad. Rather than responding to children’s requests yourself, get into the habit of referring to your partner. Not only does this keep your partner in the communication loop, it helps you work as a united front.

Share insights with your partner into your own childhood and family
These types of reflective conversations can lead to a deeper level of understanding and often reveal why you both feel strongly about different parenting matters.

Divide areas of responsibility
Don’t keep all the responsibilities to yourself. Bring your partner into the loop, and give them a share of the parenting jobs.

Communicate concerns to your partner about differences
Avoid disagreeing openly in front of the children. Find a time later to air any concerns you may have and generate alternate strategies or ideas for your partner to try.

Work out your family brand.
In my book Thriving, I showed parents how to establish a strong family brand. That is, work out the type of family atmosphere you’d like to establish; the values and attitudes that are important to you; your preferred parenting style and identify the family traditions and rituals you’d like to nurture.

From my experience, parents can get away with parental differences when kids are young, however it can become a big problem in adolescence. Some teenagers are become adept at driving a wedge between parents who are on different wavelengths. They generally go to the parent who will give them the answer they require when it comes to the tricky areas such as going out, access to alcohol and relationship issues.

That’s why one of the greatest gifts you can give your children is the consistency they experience when both parents work together using the same parenting storyline.

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

P & F News

Thank you
Rachel Lange
P&F President
rachel@galleriapodiatry.com.au

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