STUDENT FREE DAY TUESDAY 10^th JUNE

On Tuesday June 10th there will be a student free day as teachers will be participating in their NCCD moderation day. Please put this date into your dairy as there is no school for children on this day. Camp Australia will be operating for any students needing school care. Please see the details below.

GCPPA PRINCIPALS CONFERENCE

Next week, Wed 11th - Friday 13th June, I will be attending the annual Sale Diocese Principal's Conference. In my absence Jacqui Greco will be in the roll of Acting Principal and Caitlin Noonan will be in the role of acting Deputy Principal.
Any Issues, wonderings or concerns, please contact either Jacqui or Catlin on 5623722 in my absence.

ST VINCENT De PAUL WINTER APPEAL

Every year we help support our amazing Drouin St Vincent De Paul group by supporting their annual winter food appeal. This time of year, there are those less fortunate in our community that rely on the support of St Vincent Depaul who struggle keeping their food pantry stocked to support people in the Drouin community who basically struggle to feed themselves during the colder months leading into Winter.

Our job is to help restock their food pantry by having a pyjama / plain clothes day for all students on Friday 13^th June. Kids will be able to bring non-perishable food items on the day instead of a gold coin donation. It is a great opportunity to support this wonderful group who support those in our community who need assistance. The St Ita’s learning community sincerely thanks you for supporting this important social justice issue.

INAPPROPRIATE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOUR CHILDREN PICK UP ON

Don't be fooled by little ears — though they be small, they may also be fierce.

Children’s developing brains are constantly working even when we think they might not be focused, tuned in or listening to you. Their brain gears are constantly churning, and the bits of information they pick up from overhearing inappropriate conversations can have some pretty serious results. Even what seems like a simple everyday chat, can be conversations that you don't realize hurt or damage your kids.

It may seem difficult to restrict all adult topics to a time when the kids aren't around to overhear, but it's beneficially to keep certain subject matter out of a child's earshot. As renowned child psychologist M.S. Potash says, "you shouldn't have adult conversations when your kids are around and then try to convince yourself that they're not listening or don't understand." Although kids may not grasp all the details of the situation, they can pick up on the vibe that something is wrong. Furthermore, they may allow their imagination to fill in the blanks of the parts they do not understand. This is a slippery slope that can lead to feelings of anxiety and stress in young children.

The effects of your adult conversations on young ears can have more impact than you realize, so try to avoid these conversations you until your children are not around.

Severe Weather Concerns

My youngest son became extremely upset when he overheard adults talking about a possible tornado coming through on Christmas Eve. Ditto that for thunderstorms and lightening on any given night. According to Mayo Clinic, even though severe weather may frighten kids, they want to understand what's happening — so you should explain storms to kids matter-of-factly and answer their questions as straightforward as possible.

Money Problems

Talking — even jokingly — about being short on money can cause a lot of worry for little ones who don't understand the way finances work. As Women's Day pointed out, kids can interpret money concerns as more serious than they may be. Conversations about family finances should be kept between adults, when little ears aren't listening.

Grown Up Arguments

It can be scary for kids to see and hear adults fight. Name calling and hurtful statements exchanged between the people they rely on to keep them safe can threaten a child's sense of security and cause stress. Arguments are going to happen, so following up with your kids and reassure them that even when adults fight, they work it out and move on. This will give your little one a better understanding of the situation they witnessed.

Home Safety Threats

Even something as routine as replacing the batteries in your smoke detectors could signal a wave of panic in your child. They may begin to worry that the house will burn down and they will not know how to stay safe. Talking about what to do if there is a fire in your home is a conversation the kids should always be included on — not one they hear grownups discussing. There are lots of sites to help kids deal with home safety, which helps them to understand and learn in an age-appropriate way.

Mature News Stories

Discussing current events and topics with heavy content can be confusing for kids to overhear. According to Kids Health, children can image the event happening to them, even if the context of the event has nothing to do with them. For example, if you are discussing a subway bombing in another country, your child may be fearful of using your city's public transportation.

Negative Self-Talk

It's one thing to give yourself a hard time in your own mind when you went to the store and came back with nothing on your list, but using negative self-talk in front of kids will influence the way they use self-talk as well. Children use the self-talk modelled by their parents and caregivers. This means all those put downs or abuse you hurl at yourself under your breath will be the same things your child says when they become frustrated.

Concerns For Their Safety

Every parent is concerned for their child's safety, but when parents fixate on rare and intense events, it can lead to a lack of resilience in children, according to NPR. Although the typical safety worries parents have for their children are ones that will likely never happen, children start to fear these incidents and perceive the world as a scary place to be, rather than build the skills to feel confident and safe.