As some of you would know, I have returned to the workforce recently as a Christian Pastoral Support Worker at a local primary school. I am loving the job! What a privilege to have the opportunity to work amoungst the staff, students and families of the school!
My first term at school is nearing its end, and I thought I would post some of my newsletter entries from term 3. I hope you enjoy reading.
God's Blessings 2 U
Kaz
04/09/08
Father’s Day
This Sunday is Father’s Day. For some it’s a happy day, for other’s a day of sorrows, or one rather forgotten. Once it was a day where we celebrated our Dad’s and their role in our lives. Today, Fathers day has changed along with the dynamics of families in our society. Today we celebrate Dads, Step Dads, Grandfathers, Uncles, and other adult male figures in our, and our children’s lives.
Our families aren’t all as they used to be. For many families are all mixed up, spread out or both. I know for myself, I have had many male figures in my life, Dad, Step Dads, Grampy, Grandpa, Pa and Papa. Certainly, in our lives there is, or has been an adult male whom we have loved and looked up to as a “Father Figure”.
As a daughter, I love my Dad dearly. As a mother, I appreciate that parenting is the most challenging, heartbreaking and rewarding occupation known to man, where many mistakes are made along the way…
So I leave you with a few interesting quotes. Happy Father’s Day to all concerned!
Karen.
Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope. ~ Bill Cosby
"It no longer bothers me that I may be constantly searching for father figures; by this time, I have found several and dearly enjoyed knowing them all." -- Alice Walker
Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers and fathering is a very important stage in their development. ~ David Gottesman
When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. ~ Mark Twain
21/08/08
Karen’s Corner
Students have been reminded at the Drug Awareness Expo of the need for making good choices.
As Parents and Carers we can help our children learn good choices by modeling them in our own lives. This means we need to put our hand up when we make a mistake!
I know my kids often hear an “oops” or “I’m sorry” from me when I make a mistake, where I’ve had to explain what I had done and why it was wrong. Children need to know that adults aren’t perfect and that it is normal to make mistakes sometimes. What is important is that our children and we as adults are able to forgive and be forgiven, giving us the ability to move on and learn from our mistakes.
I heard the other day; a friend’s kids put her into time-out for putting herself down, afterwards they gave her a hug.
That’s pretty cute, although I don’t recommend that happen too often otherwise our kids might just start trying to wipe our noses, tell us to clean our room and send us to bed before them!
Karen
180908
Karen’s Corner
Are you smarter than a 6th grader?
A recent email contained a variety of statements about motherhood. One I can relate to well at the moment is this:
“Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.”
This week I called into a Year 6 class and had a look at what the students were up to. The visit was going fine until I was asked to help with a problem. It was maths time. Maths used to be one of my better subjects at school, or so I thought.
“What’s this mean?” I was asked. I looked at the word and had a major blank. I admitted I had no idea and asked if they had a dictionary.
Now one thing I am learning in my short time here, is that I probably should carry a dictionary whenever entering a classroom as I am bound to strike a question to which I’ve forgotten the answer.
With memories refreshed of what ‘algorithm’ meant, the problem was soon solved!
In so many ways our children learn from us, but I think we could definitely learn a thing or two from them as well. And for when your kids ask for help with homework, make sure you have a dictionary!
I hope that ‘Spring’ puts a spring in your step for the rest of the term and in the break to follow.
Karen.
In the Valley 
