WHAT’S INSIDE: 1. letter to a parent 2. past events 3. upcoming events 4. parents share 5. did you know that? 6. healthy & yummy
The new
SUPPORTS HELPS ANSWERS RECOMMENDS
MARCH 2018
WELCOME to the NEW PTO SHARE NEWSLETTER! Dear ACS Athens Community, Please flip through our newly designed PTO SHARE Newsletter! Starting this month, SHARE will be featuring an article “Letter to a Parent” by ACS Athens parent, journalist and Family Counsellor, Rania Thraskia. We hope you will also enjoy our new columns “Parents SHARE” and “Did you know that...?”. In addition, we bring you interesting links to healthy food recipes for kids and teenagers, under our column “Healthy & Yummy”. Last but certainly not least, SHARE will be presenting news about events, programs and initiatives at our school. Along the way we have many new ideas in store for SHARE and as always your thoughts and suggestions are welcome! We hope you will enjoy and embrace the new bimonthly SHARE Newsletter! PTO President
Manya Louvari
LETTER TO A PARENT:
It’s all about choices Helping children make good choices is like any other skill—it has to be learned. Very often, as parents, we look for something wrong our kids will do, and step in to correct it. But isn’t one of our main goals to raise them so they can make those decisions capably on their own? Because there will come a time when we can’t or shouldn’t monitor their choices. How will our kids know what to do when we’ve always made those decisions for them? Children learn more by doing things for themselves and making their own decisions. Even if they do not handle it correctly or if it leads to serious consequences. So, how can we stop policing our kids and instead help them make good decisions on their own? Here are a few tips I’d like to share with you: It’s better not to critique your child’s attempts A constant barrage of critiques will only make kids less likely to take the initiative next time. They’ll stop trying because they will believe they’re incapable of doing anything. Even if your child makes a mess or does things in a less efficient way, don’t send them away or stop their progress. You can still suggest or correct, but do so in a loving and grateful way. Don’t get angry at your child’s mistakes This is one of the hardest things about parenthood. But no matter how frustrating or disappointing our kids mistakes may be, we need to let them happen. If we can’t control our anger, it becomes more about us than it is about them. Don’t make your child’s problem yours We’re so aware of everything our kids are doing that we assume their problems are ours. We don’t allow them to own their problems and, more importantly, the lessons they can learn from them. Use “thinking words” Very often we use threats, orders and commands to get our
kids do something. And it’s normal—these are natural reactions to behaviors that make some sense to us. But instead of forcing or threatening, we could set limits using thinking words. These are questions or statements to get kids to think about their behaviors, and then make the right choices. Model good decision-making for them Make good choices in your own life and point out to your children when you are doing so. They learn more out of watching us and the choices we make every single moment, rather than any lecture we will ever give them. Don’t punish This is perhaps one of the most misunderstood parts of parenthood. We assume handling kids means teaching lessons through punishment, except it doesn’t work. This doesn’t mean you should be permissive - you should still hold your child accountable for his/her choices. But rather than punishment, allow the natural consequences of their choices to play out and teach him/her a lesson. You want what’s best for your children. For them to grow into independent, self-reliant people who will be able to make healthy choices for themselves regardless of reward or punishment. The beginning of that skill starts as early as two years old! So, use your love and logic, and empower your children to make their own choices.
I’m very happy for this new way of communication between us, starting today! See you next month with another letter to a parent”. Best regards Rania Thraskia (Mother of 2 at ACS Athens)