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)
ACS ATHENS SHARE NEWSLETTER //MARCH 2018
PAST EVENTS PTO Van Gogh Outing / Jan Not your usual museum tour! Our PTO Community event outing was enjoyed by parents and kids alike. During our bus ride to Megaron, our Elementary Art teacher Ms. Trina Langsenkamp talked to us about the life and works of Vincent Van Gogh, thank you!
Third Grade Wax Museum / Feb At the touch of a button, third graders treated guests to brief biographies of famous people throughout history. Great job all!
PTO Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week/ Mar Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week was a wonderfully successful affair thanks to everyone’s efforts. Lots of parents brought in delicious, homemade dishes and the PTO team welcomed teachers and staff on two occasions, for Appreciation Breakfast and Lunch. At the end of the Week we placed a little surprise gift in everyone’s mail box! Until next year, thank you!
PTO Cooking course with Alexandros Papandreou / Feb Our PTO community event, “Healthy Meals and Snacks for Kids” was immediately embraced by parents. ACS Athens parent and celebrity Chef Alexandros Papandreou gave us a 2,5 hour course in his beautiful, state of the art cooking studio. We left with many new cooking tips, 5 new recipes and a professional chef’s apron as a gift! It was a a wonderfully bonding experience, that we all thoroughly enjoyed!
Fundraising for Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief / Feb Elementary students had a blast this past month taping ES Principal Ms.Sophia Moros, along with several teachers to the wall while raising money for the Puerto Rico Hurricane relief.
PTO Greek Dances Workshop. OPA! / Mar It was another PTO community event that brought us all closer together! We learned several Greek dances and we had lots of fun! And just like the memorable movie quote “Teach me to dance” our wonderful instructor Cindi Trent inspired the inner Zorba the Greek in all of us!
ACS ATHENS SHARE NEWSLETTER //MARCH 2018
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Color of Peace Event April 20, 2018 ACS Athens School Campus “World Peace Day is envisioned to become a moment of global unity - it is up to each and every one of us to make this a reality”
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday May 19th International Food Court Fun activities for the kids Bouncy Castles Young Entrepreneurs Marketplace
Don’t miss our Carnival themed
PT O Spring Fair
Silent Auction …and lots more!
To volunteer for the event contact Eleni at elenimastrogamvraki@gmail.com or 6944652921
ACS ATHENS SHARE NEWSLETTER //MARCH 2018
PARENTS
DID YOU KNOW THAT...? ...you can send us your thoughts and suggestions through the PTO feedback form on the school website or by simply clicking HERE
Each month an ACS Athens parent answers these 10 questions! Please drop us a quick note in our feedback form if you would like to share!
http://www.acs.gr/pto-about/
….there are brand new Incubator Programs. Find out more by clicking HERE
http://www.acs.gr/storage/learning-commons/incubator/pictures.html
….tennis was originally played with bare hands.
….Einstein slept for 10 hours a night.
….the island of Jamaica has 120 rivers.
Manya Mom to George, 2nd Grade
What is the nicest thing your child has ever said to you? I want my second life to be exactly the same as this one and I want you to be my mom again.
What is the most hurtful thing your child has ever said to you? I don’t like you. What is the funniest thing you remember your child saying? I don’t remember a specific thing.
HEALTHY & YUMMY This month we present:
Healthy recipes kids can make https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/recipes-for-kids/ healthy-meals-for-kids/healthy-recipes-kids-can-make
Healthy Chicken Pot Popovers
But he has an amazing sense of humour, makes me laugh all the time.
What is your child’s favourite sport or hobby? Gymnastics
How do you get your children to eat vegetables? I try very hard to disguise them in his food! It never works!
How did you choose your children’s names? My son, George Francisco took his two names from his granddads.
What’s guaranteed to make your child smile? Doing a backflip, a hoverboard ride and ordering souvlakia.
What is the best thing you enjoy about being a parent? The many different ways my son and I learn from each other and care for each other every day.
What’s the hardest thing about being a parent? Having had to put a hold on some of my dreams and worrying about everything.
Please complete the sentence anyway you like “Being a parent means…” ..unconditional love and a never ending feeling of concern.
A big THANK YOU to Gefsinus, our cafeteria company, for their generous provision of coffee and tea at our PTO General Meetings!