Sunnyside Scoop, November 2018

SUNNYSIDE SCOOP NOVEMBER, 2018 Principal Points November 2018 Making Time for Family Just last week my family had an abnormal evening for our household since the start of the school year. Both of my daughters, my wife, and I were at home after dinner at the same time with no evening activities or homework that needed to be attended to or completed. Between school work, soccer, dance, softball, volunteering, church activities, and friend time most of our kids school nights are often filled with places to be and people to see. Keeping it all straight can often feel overwhelming at times. Add in a smart-phone for my teenager and an iPod for my youngest, and the battle for a child’s attention can be immense On this particular evening both of my girls were so excited to have nothing on the agenda they asked to spend quality time visiting with their mom and dad...just kidding, they wanted to watch a movie. My wife and I could have easily agreed to this, after all, we both had busy days at work, and some time to “veg out” would have been nice. Instead, we made the conscious decision to say no electronics, it was a family game night. For the next two hours we played checkers, legos, and both of my girls took turns trying wrestling with me to show me how strong they were. It was an amazing night...all done without electronics. I recently read a statistic that stated almost 9 in 10 parents think modern technology impacts negatively on the hours they are with their children. This article shared that, on average, families spend just three weeks of real quality time together each year - and just 36 minutes on the average weekday. But children spend most of their time - around two hours and 22 minutes a day - playing computer games or are on a mobile device watching YouTube. As parents there are a lot of demands on our time, and it can be easy to allow our kids to play an extra few minutes on the phone, the Playstation, or just watch an extra show on T.V., but I’d encourage you to find time to pull the plug on the electronics, and make time for family. For children the interpersonal times where they connect with us as parents and adults teaches and reinforces life skills. They learn how to focus, have in-depth conversations, and build stronger relationships with family members. It also creates a strong family foundation for kids when times are hard and they need someone to talk to. If it’s part of the norm already, they are more likely to come to you in the future. Wishing you and your family a fabulous fall! Dr. Nathan Flansburg Principal

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