Raising Emotionally Resilient Children

There are two common misconceptions that hinder parents from raising emotionally resilient children. The first is that “healthy children” have appropriate emotional reactions. The second is that “good parents” are immediately able to help their children overcome negative emotions.

First, do not believe the lie that only “healthy children” have appropriate emotional reactions. You may become fixated on solving a problem that does not exist. If your child is under the age of 8 and your ONLY concern is that he/ she displays overly negative emotions, please know that this is completely age appropriate. Children tend to become upset when they are denied access to what they want, are made to do what they do not want to do, are not given enough attention, or are physically overwhelmed (tired, hungry, etc). If they are over the age of 8, you should see a SLOW improvement in their ability to display self-control when they become upset. Once puberty starts, just try to remember how hard that season of life was on you and model the reactions you want to see.

Second, the idea that “good parents” can immediately manage their child’s negative emotions is false. If children are not forced to struggle through their own negative emotions, they are bypassing a vital part of the developmental process. Sometimes what appears to be “good parenting” is detrimental for character building. We help children build character and emotional resilience by simply sitting with them in difficult moments.

What does it mean to “sit” with your struggling child?

1. It is telling your toddler that he cannot have another cookie and holding him close when he starts to cry. It is not redirecting his attention to distract him from the frustration.

2. It is actively listening to your preteen tell a story about how mean her friends can be. It is not helping her see another per- spective or telling her how to respond more appropriately.

3. It is letting your child be afraid. It is not dismissing the fear or allowing it to dictate his behavior.

4. It is letting your daughter push the Legos away when her Lego tower falls apart. It is not giving her instructions on how to take deep breaths instead.

Excellent parents just sit in the struggle with their children. They save teaching for when learning is optimal. They do not attempt to solve, control, or avoid their child’s negative emotions. Despite the circumstances, they remain focused on their goal of raising emotionally regulated adults who can respond appropriately when things do not go their way. Excellent parents focus on actions more than feelings and attitudes. When they do this, they help their children learn that their feelings cannot dictate their behavior. They do not attempt to make their children “feel good” about doing hard things. Instead, they do it with them. If their child does not want to go to the bathroom, they take her anyway. If their child is afraid of jumping in the pool, they jump in with him. It is easy to parent with words, but excellent parents speak with their actions.

Excellent parents help their children understand that it is normal to experience all 87 emotions. They do not teach their children to chase “good” emotions and avoid the “bad”. They help children understand that negative emotions are not problematic, but a normal part of enjoying life to its fullest.

Be an excellent parent by being strong enough to just sit with your children when they experience negative emotions, stay calm when they display inappropriate reactions, and take the necessary actions to do the hard things with them instead of simply talking to ease your own discomfort.

Buckmaster Expo 2023

August 18-20

Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Convention Center Shop more than 300 vendor booths

Bulls & Buckmasters - Professional Bull Riding event

Hog Days of Summer

Saturday, August 26 * 2PM - 10PM Union Station, Montgomery

The Druids Charity Club is pleased to event benefitting Hogs for the Cause and other carefully selected local charities. Our best lineup yet will be rocking the shed including Drivin N Cryin, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio and Southern Avenue Once again, our patrons can look forward to enjoying BBQ from the River Region’s finest BBQ establishments. Visit www. facebook.com/HogDaysMGM/.

FGC’s Heart & Sole “Sneaker” Gala

Saturday, August 19 * 6PM Alley Station, Montgomery

This exciting event to benefit the Family Guidance Center of Alabama will include dinner, cash bar, music, silent auction and 3 cash drawings. Grand prize: $5000; 2nd prize: $3000; 3rd prize: $2000. Tickets: $125 for two people. www.familyguidancecenter.org

Friday and Saturday nights – (located directly in front of the Renaissance). See the high-flying Action Dock Dogs Free Riverboat rides Watch the 4-H & Collegiate Top Bow Archery Competition And see the archery record book Buck. Bring your deer racks to be scored FREE all weekend. And many special guest appearances over the weekend! $1 DONATION or 1 can food per person per day. Visit buckmasters.com/resources/expo.

Summer Edit

Thursday, August 10 * 6 to 7:30 PM Near South Boutique, Shoppes at EastChase, Montgomery

Enjoy live music, pop-up vendors and giveaways. Vendors include: Aqualime Skincare, Bloom Cart, Bone and Arrow Jewelry, Nothing Bundt Cakes, South Boutique, Studio Panache Photo Booth, and more. The first 100 attendees will get complimentary EastChase swag! www.theshoppesateastchase.com

August Fun with the Montgomery Biscuits

Visit https://www.milb.com/montgomery/.

Saturday, August 12

Game at 6:05 PM; Birmingham Barons

Halloween Night: Prepare for a spooky evening as we break out the Halloween decor for an unforgettable night at the ballpark! Stay after for MAX Fireworks Show!

Sunday, August 13 3:33 PM, Birmingham

Backpack Giveaway presented by Whata burger. Check a new backpack off your back to school shopping list!

| Gates: 2:30pm | First

Bring your dog out for some fun in the sun and glove and a ball to play catch in the outfield from 2:30 - 3:00pm. Stick around after the game to take a trip around the bases!

Labor Day Weekend Music Fest

Friday & Saturday, September 1 & 2 Labor Day Weekend music is back at Lake Martin for two nights! YES, two nights of music on the Town Green at Russell Crossroads. Oh and by the way, there is no charge! Visit www.russelllands. com for more information.

Youth Fishing Rodeo

Saturday, August 5 * 7 am to 11 am

Alabama Nature Center (Lanark), Millbrook

The AWF Youth Fishing Rodeo program is designed to provide Alabama’s youth a chance to experience the outdoors and learn about fishing. Bring the kids, a few fishing poles, and a cooler and join us early this morning down at the catfish pond!

Children 15 and under can catch and take home up to 5 catfish each (catfish only), but can catch and release all they want! Each young angler will receive a t-shirt and will be eligible for door prizes. Snacks and drinks will also be available. Participants are encouraged to bring their own fishing equipment and bait, though a limited number of loaner rods and reels and some bait will be available on site. Register online at www.alabamawildlife. org/youth-fishing-rodeo/.or call (334-285-4550). Space fills up quickly! Admission is free.

River Region LOBSTER FEST 2023

Friday, August 18 * 5PM * Church of the Ascension, Montgomery

We are flying in fresh lobsters from Maine! Proceeds benefit Ascension Day School and FUMC Respite Ministry. We are having dine-in meals together, but we still have Lobsters To Go if you prefer to pick it up live or cooked! Along with lobster, you will get sides, dessert, bread, butter and lemons. Dine-in also includes a 30-minute reception before the dinner. Please consider making a donation (also available under ticket options) to provide a meal to Memory Care. Visit riverregionlobsterfest.org.

Midtown YMCA

Tailgate BBQ Cook Off

Saturday, August 19 * 11AM - 1:30PM, 3455 Carter Hill Rd, Montgomery Food, family, music, and games! Better yet, bring your own grill and register to enter!

Plus, Cornhole Competition, Kids Play Zone, Football

Toss. $10 per person; $5 for ages 1

0 & under Members AND non-members welcome! For information: Lachresha DeMoss, ldemoss@ ymcamontgomery.org or (334) 269-4362.

Hot Air Balloon

Glow & Fireworks

Labor Day Weekend * Callaway Gardens

A three-day celebration at Callaway Resort & Gardens! Stay and play all day with garden and beach access, waterfront activities like putt putt, and endless entertainment. After a day full of fun, stay after sundown to watch the beach transform with the light of gigantic, glowing Hot Air Balloons and three nights of fireworks! Visit callawaygardens.org.

Family Movie Night: Finding Nemo

Monday, August 7 * 7:30PM - 9:30PM

Riverfront Park

The City of Montgomery Department of Cultural Affairs and Guardian Credit Union invite you to Family Movie Night at Riverfront Park. Admission is free! Remember to bring your blankets and chairs!

When you think of a preschool teacher, some things that come to mind are nurturing, encouraging, and engaging. They are the first teachers to make an impact on children and parents. They shape the foundation for young minds at an early age.

Teshia Brown, a Pre-K Lead Teacher at Halcyon Elementary, is passionate about her craft. She shares, “It’s something about the early learning experiences I enjoy, and through prayer, where God led me. To be transparent, I will always be a child at heart and feel I can identify with their needs more than older children. I love the art of learning through play and how it impacts their development.

Mrs. Brown graduated with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Alabama State University in Early Childhood Education. She uses her skills to master the art of learning, and teaching doesn’t feel like work. She explains, “The old saying that if you love what you are doing, it’s not work. That’s how I feel about teaching. It’s allowed me to do what I love. It’s allowed me to be a part of my student’s foundation. I ensure they are strong emotionally,

Teshia Brown

Halcyon Elementary School

physically, mentally, socially, etc. No bullying on my watch, and giving them some love along the way is the cherry on top. I try to teach them like they are my own.”

Like all teachers, Mrs. Brown has three goals in her classroom: To nurture healthy relationships with the child, develop family relationships (because they are all in it together), and ensure learning through play. It should be productive, engaging, and hands-on. Teshia believes students hold onto information when it is memorable and impacts them the most. “No one child is the same, and you have to be able to differentiate your daily instruction based on each child’s needs and exposure.”

After teaching, she would still like to involve children in her life in some way during retirement. Whether that is becoming a child advocate, adjunct instructor, daycare mom, or nurturing grandmother, she’s not finished helping children.

What’s New in MPS This Year

We are gearing up for a transformational year in Montgomery Public Schools. My goal has always been to work to ensure that students are engaging in 21st century learning experiences, and this year we are making strides toward that goal.

There will be some noticeable changes this year and others that may not be as obvious. Below are a few of the things that are different about this school year.

• New website. We are rolling out a new website with greater functionality and a more engaging design. Our goal is to make the website a user-friendly resource you can turn to throughout the school year.

• Leadership team. We also have a newly revamped leadership team that has already begun working to transform the district. These team members will be out in the schools and community but also will be working behind the scenes as we refine strategies and map the future of MPS. This includes numbers of changes in school principal leadership.

• New school names. Two of our high schools have been renamed. The former Robert E. Lee High School is now Percy Julian High, named for the accomplished scientist. The former Jefferson Davis High School has become JAG High School, for Frank Johnson, Ralph Abernathy and Robert Graetz, three icons of the Civil Rights Movement.

• A new school building. Booker T. Washington Magnet High School students will be going to school in a new building. The school had been housed in a former elementary school after a fire forced the school to move. This new facility is fully equipped to accommodate both the academic and artistic programs the school offers.

• Ninth Grade academy. George Washington Carver High School has a brand-new Ninth Grade Academy under construction and will begin welcoming students who previous ly would have been attending Sidney Lanier High School. This year, Lanier will house students in grades 10 through 12 as we begin the process of phasing out this school.

• More art and music. Throughout the district, we will have more art and music offerings because we recognize the importance of self-expression and the ways that the arts improve overall academic performance. This is just one of the improvements made possible by the increased local funding the people of Montgomery voted for back in 2020.

I’m excited about this school year and am looking forward to working with our team to take MPS to another level. We see no reason why we cannot be a model school system for the state and the region. The work we do every day will move us closer to this goal. I can’t wait to get started, because as you will hear us say, “there’s more with MPS.”

Montgomery County Schools

ACA Bass Fishing Team Wins State Two Years in a Row

ACA’s Bass Fishing Team are back-to-back ASABFA Classic High School Tournament Champions and 3rd place Team of the Year! We are so proud of this team and all of their hard work and dedication. We are blessed to be a part of a great Christian school like Alabama Christian Academy and thankful to represent them! Thank you to our Coach Randy Gardner for your hard work, guidance, and dedication to this team. Under his leadership three of our boats headed to the 2023 Bassmaster High School National Championship on Lake Hartwell at the end of July.

Congrats to Hayes Finch and JT Lamberth on their 2nd place finish which double qualified them for the National Championship! Congrats to Alexander Costanza and Kade Brannen on their 4th place finish which qualified them for the National Championship!

Congrats to Ethen Gardner and Hayes Boyd on their 24th place finish! They moved up almost 40 places from Day 1, which helped clinch our Classic Team Win. They are also qualified for the National Championship for their 2nd place angler of the year finish in the ASABFA Three River Throwdown.

ECA Senior Class Graduates

Evangel Christian Academy recently held its graduation ceremony for the class of 2023. Family members, faculty and friends gathered together to mark this milestone in the students’ lives. Pastor Michael Rippy, senior pastor of Evangel Church and presi dent of ECA, addressed the students and their guests. During the ceremony a video presentation was shown high lighting each graduate’s life. After the video, the graduates presented roses to their parents. The Valedictorian for the graduating class was Sarah Paterson and the Salutatorian was Cyrek Smith

Saint James Students Earn Global Seal of Biliteracy

Saint James School is proud to announce that five of its high school students have earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy. This means they have reached profi ciency in both English and Spanish. They tested in Spanish for reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Sean Duong, Veronika Kocian, Brea Ledford, Rylee Richardson, and Cora Wojak have earned the Global Seal of Biliteracy. All five of these students received Functional Fluency status. These students are taught by Mrs. Rhea Grate and completed Spanish 3. Saint James offers Spanish classes at

TEA Academy Planning For Successful Year

TEA Academy, Inc. staff and Board Member Leon Allen met to discuss the 2023-2024 school term. The meeting focused on successful school initiatives, the accreditation, staff professional development, recruiting efforts, enrollment, and preparation for a successful year. TEA is committed to the development of the whole student; therefore, orientation with parents and students will be held prior to the beginning of school to discuss the strategic plan for the upcoming year. An enriching technological approach, biblical principles, and intervention meeting strategies with diverse assessments will be the building blocks for a continuous and successful school year as we move forward. TEA Academy will continue to embrace and adhere to its motto: “Taking an Extra Step Towards Educational Excellence.”

According to The Global Biliteracy Seal website, “In a global society where intercultural communication has become increasingly important, the Global Seal provides a unique and recognizable certification of language skills. The Global Seal of Biliteracy provides a universally consistent and inclusive microcredential to increase opportunity for bilinguals from middle school through adulthood. It is our hope that those with language proficiency will credential their skills at one of our three certification levels and then continue to grow their skills in order to ‘Level Up’.”

Macon East Rising Senior Attends Alabama Girls State

Rising senior, Anna Watson represented Macon East Academy at this year’s Alabama Girls State event at Troy University recently. Alabama Girls State is a week-long, fun-filled, hands-on learning opportunity for some of the best and brightest young women in the State of Alabama. Sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA), Alabama Girls State is a premier youth leadership program which offers a one-of-a-kind experience to its delegates. Anna was a member of the Senate and the Federalist Party at Alabama Girls State where she campaigned for the office of county commissioner. Anna looks back on her experience at Girls State “It is a wonderful experience because I got to meet people from all over the state and hear thoughts and ideas different from my own. I made connections with people I would otherwise never encounter.” Selection as a delegate for Alabama Girls State is an honor, and the experience that Anna had through this prestigious program will shape her as a leader at Macon East and in her future endeavors.

MA Athletes Selected AHSAA South All-Stars

Congratulations to our outstanding studentathletes, Win Berry (soccer), William Hall (golf),

Montgomery County Schools

Macon East Cheer Squads Attend UCA Camp

Macon East Academy’s Junior Varsity and Varsity cheer squads recently attended UCA’s cheerleading camp for AISA schools. The annual camp held at Troy University offered an exciting week of learning new material and stunts for the upcoming season as well as evaluations from the staff and end of the week competitions. Senior Kaiden Byrom was selected as an AISA All-Star and will represent Macon East at the all-star football and basketball games. Alexis Davis received UCA’s coveted “Pin It Forward” honors from the camp staff for leadership, spirit, and motivation. Three Macon East Varsity cheerleaders (Kacy Rutland, Kaiden Byrom, and Alexis Davis) were selected as UCA All-American Cheerleaders. Macon East’s Varsity was awarded 2nd place for cheer and 3rd place for sideline on the last day of the camp. Both our Varsity and Junior Varsity squads received blue superior ribbons all week and were awarded Top Banana. The Top Banana is awarded to the teams at camp that demonstrate qualities of leadership, spirit, and the overall ability to work hard while still having a blast! Our JV Squad was awarded 1st place in camp dance and 4th place in sideline. Bella Ann Spires was selected as an UCA All-American and was a Jump-Off finalist. Alumnus Rai Pritchett and Summer Kyser both worked with the squads and joined them at Troy University for great leadership and such a fun cheerleading camp. The Macon East cheerleaders are looking forward to cheering on the Knights during the upcoming football season.

Montgomery Academy Girls Volleyball Team Earns Academic Award

Congratulations to The Montgomery Academy’s 2022-23 Varsity Girls Volleyball squad and their leader, Coach Julie Gordon, on their recent recognition by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for excellence in the classroom! The team earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for maintaining a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale). Additionally, the Eagles Volleyball Team achieved placement on the Team Academic Honor Roll,

Saint James Josephine Foshee Named IEA Hunt Seat National Champion

Saint James freshman Josephine

Foshee has been named as the 2023 In terscholastic Equestrian Association

Hunt Seat National Champion.

Josephine represented the Varsity Trojans Equestrian Team at the 2023 IEA Hunt Seat National Finals in Tryon, North Carolina.

Josephine was competing in the 2 ft. Hunt Seat division. In order to compete in Nationals, Josephine had to accrue enough points in the regular season and Zones. Her first-place finish at Zones secured her spot at the National Finals.

Saint James School is proud to be the only school in Alabama to support an Equestrian Team for its student body. Congratulations to Josephine on this incredible accomplishment!

Montgomery County Schools

Trinity Fourth Graders Create Alabama’s State Cookie

Curriculum, collaboration, and a unique K3-12 campus created a recipe for sweet success. Fourth graders in Trinity School`s Alabama History classes took a routine trip to the library and with the help , embarked on a memorable journey of discovery, researching Alabama’s state symbols for the oldest and most unusual to include in a multimedia presentation for class. It quickly became clear that Alabama did not have a state cookie, and a new and exciting mission was launched! The fourth grade classes started baking, hoping to create a recipe that embodied the state of Alabama. The class taste-tested twenty four different recipes, evaluating them not only on taste, which was very important, but also on the ingredients. From there the Alabama Yellowhammer Cookie was born! Thank you for the hard work of the Trinity Presbyterian School fourth grade classes who supported the vote of the Yellowhammer cookie, submitted by fellow 4th grader Mary Claire Cook, as the winning recipe. The Julia Bennett, Hudson Cornett, Luke Harrison, Russell Powell, and Margaret Roby, was instrumental.

Alabama House of Representative member Reed Ingram and Senator Will Barfoot partnered with the students and sponsored House Bill 421. The bill passed unanimously through both the House of Representatives and the Senate. On Friday, June 2, 2023, Alabama Governor, Kay Ivey, signed House Bill 421 into law which officially made the Yellowhammer Cookie the state cookie of Alabama. “Sweet Home Alabama just officially got a little sweeter!” Ivey said after signing the bill into law.