St John the Baptist Ferntree Gully Newsletter

Welcome to Term 3. I hope everyone is feeling replenished after our two week holiday break. It has been great to talk to the children about their holidays. The highlight for most of them is the people they spent time with. Positive and nurturing relationships are so important for our children. I read an interesting article over the holidays written by Dr. Luis Rojas Marcs, Psychiatrist based on the work of Paediatric Neurologist, Dr. Ovid. The article made me reflect on the enormity of the task of raising our children. Unfortunately they don’t come with a guidebook and we need to grow and learn with them along their life journey. I thought this article had some great insights that may support you in the most important and rewarding job any of us are ever charged with...the responsibility of being a parent. The article talks about the foundations that support a healthy childhood, such as:

• Emotionally available parents

• Clearly defined limits

• Responsibilities

• Balanced nutrition and adequate sleep

• Movement in general but especially outdoors

• Creative games, social interaction and spaces for boredom. 

All of us strive to raise our children to be happy and healthy individuals contributing to our world in positive ways. In order to achieve this the article suggests that we need to get back to ‘basics’ by following these recommendations:

• Set boundaries and remember the adults are the captain of the boat. Our children feel safer knowing the adults in their life are in control of the rudder.

• Give our children a balanced lifestyle filled with what our children need, not just what they want. Don’t be afraid to say “no” to our children if what they want isn’t what they need.

• Provide nutritious food and limit junk food.

• Spend at least an hour a day outdoors doing activities like bike riding, playing ball games, walking, bird/bug watching.

• Enjoy a family dinner without smartphones or technology that distracts them.

• Play board games.

• Involve your children in helping around the home with an age appropriate task (folding clothes, sorting toys, setting the table, feeding the pets, making their bed)

• Implement a consistent sleep routine to make sure our children sleep long enough. Hours are even more important for school age children.

• Teach responsibility and independence. Don’t protect them too much from frustration or error. Being wrong will help our children to develop resilience and learn how to overcome life’s challenges.

• Don’t do for our children what they can do for themselves (Pack their school bag, carry their school bag, peel their banana, undo containers). As the very wise saying goes, “instead of giving our children  the fish, show them how to fish.” 

• Teach our children how to wait and delay gratuity.

• Provide opportunities for boredom because boredom is the moment creativity wakes up. Don’t feel responsible for always keeping our children entertained.

• Don't use technology as a cure for boredom. Nor offer it at the first second of inactivity.

• Avoid using technology during meals, in cars, restaurants, shopping centres. Use these moments as opportunities to socialise by thus training brains to function when they are in mode: “boredom.”

• Help them create a ‘Bottle of Boredom’ with ideas for when they are bored.

• Be emotionally available to connect with children and teach them self regulation and social skills.

• Turn off phones at night when children need to go to bed to avoid digital distraction.

• Become an emotional regulator or coach of your children. Teach them to recognise and deal with their own frustrations and anger.

• Show them how to share without saying anything, say thank you and please, recognise mistakes and apologise, be a model of all these values.

• Connect emotionally - smile, kiss, tickle, read, dance, jump, play. 

(Article written by Dr. Luis Rojas Marcos. Psychiatrist)

Just a reminder that all parents, grandparents and visitors to our school must check in via the QR-Code that is readily available in all entrance ways to our buildings. This is currently a mandated law in Victoria due to COVID-19. Anyone who drops off or picks up their children without entering the school buildings is not required to check-in using the QR-Code System. 

Just a reminder all calendar dates for Term 3 can be accessed on our school website - www.sjferntreegully.catholic.edu.au by clicking on the current parent tab and then the drop down calendar tab.