Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

Following a weekend when our homes were adorned with Mother’s Day cards it is timely to suggest families consider the use of Wall Decals to communicate within the family (special words and messages stuck on a wall).

While they have many uses parenting consultant Michael Grose suggests Wall Decals can be effective in assisting with management of children’s behaviour in the home – eg with sibling conflicts.

Most homes are highly verbal places. We tend to do most of our managing and motivating of kids verbally. But there are times that we need to go visual to communicate to children.

This use of Wall Decals as visual props to communicate with children can be highly effective as a way of illustrating and confirming expected or agreed family behaviour. Here are some other examples of using visual communication:

√ Help Rosters: It’s the roster rather than you that does the reminding.

√ To do lists: Puts things in order for kids.

√ Morning routine in pictures or photographs (Maximum of 5 activities): Helps kids to sequence activities.

√ Jobs list: Want kids to help in a busy patch? Then write all the jobs that need doing on a board and ask kids to do them if they can, and tick them off when they are done.

√ A wink is as good as a nod: Teachers intuitively know how to praise kids with a smile or tick them off with a look. You can save your voice yet manage and motivate your kids in the same way.

There are lots of ways of communicating visually with your kids. You just need to develop the visual communication mindset and be open to opportunities to communicate in this way.

Mothers and Daughters Program

As advised last week an opportunity exists for mothers to attend an information session about a program called Mothers and Daughters on Monday 20th May at 2.00-2.45pm at our school. This program is designed for girls aged 10-14 years old and their mothers. The program is to be offered later in the year. The presenter is Moana Pearl and she can be contacted on 66849394. Please advise the school office on 07 55241444 if you wish to attend this information session. (Mothers Only)

Dean Files

Principal