Sabbath Week and Beyond

Now that the school term is well and truly established, you may have noticed that your family's afternoon schedule is becoming very full. Sabbath Week is a time to take stock of the busy-ness and consider changes that could be made to ensure that all of us - parents, children and teachers - are looking after ourselves. This week, monitor how your children are going. If you’re observing more frequent after-school meltdowns, then it might be time to simplify your after-school routine to make afternoons more peaceful. 

Your child might be on their best behaviour at school, and then the minute they get home, they become angry or sad or argumentative. This is fairly typical behaviour. At school, your child works very hard to follow all the rules, complete their tasks in the classroom and engage in social interactions - with varying degrees of success. This is very tiring. You should expect that they might not behave as you’d wish when they get home. Here are some ideas to implement to ensure a calm transition to dinner, bath and bed-time. 

Plan for restful afternoons

School days can be exhausting,  and your child needs to balance the demands of the school day with some relaxation and rest. When you notice a pattern of after-school meltdowns, clear the afternoon/evening schedule for the week where possible. Postpone playdates, skip the supermarket visit after school, and go straight home to provide an opportunity for your child to unwind.  

Plan for healthy snacks

Your child might not eat or drink enough at school, primarily because they’d prefer to be social!  Be ready with a nutrient-dense snack. 

Plan for calm play

Run a bath with lots of bubbles and their favourite bath toys. Or put on some calm music and let them relax with a puzzle, play dough or kinetic sand play. This type of creative play soothes anxiety and helps children to move back to a calm, restful state. 

Plan for later discussion about the day  

You’re probably so excited to see your child/ren at the end of the day, to give them a hug and find out all about what they got up to at school. But you might find that when you pick them up, they are tired, and grumpy and provide one-syllable responses to your questions. Don’t feel disappointed or rejected. Give them space, time, rest and food, and wait for a later discussion (perhaps around the dinner table?) about the happiest, funniest, or most challenging parts of the day.  

For more ideas, read this great article on tantrums and after-school meltdowns.

Enjoy a restful Sabbath Week! 

Petra Cole

petra.cole@cg.catholic.edu.au

Welcome back to another edition of sports talk. Here is what has been happening at St Matthew's:

ACT Touch Football Clinics

Kindergarten to Year 6 has been enjoying learning and practising passing and running skills during our touch football clinics. If your child is interested in playing touch football, sign up for this season can be found here: Junior - Touch Football Australia

Swimming Carnival Ribbons

Congratulations to all of our students who received ribbons for our school swimming carnival! Another big congratulations to all of our students who will be representing our school and competing in the 12&U Belconnen Regional Swimming Carnival on the 25th of March.

Regional Swimming Carnival Helper

If there are any parents who are available to help with a job at the Belconnen Regional Swimming Carnival, could you please email me at dillon.payne@cg.catholic.edu.au? Each school is required to send one helper in addition to a teacher to this event. 

School Cross Country Carnival

We will hold our annual Cross Country Carnival at the Stromlo Walking Park on the 28th of March (Week 8 Friday). If any parents can help transport/set up marquees, help direct students through their course, and, of course, cheer them on, please email me at dillon.payne@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Sports Superstars

This week, we have three superstars! First up is Violet and Summer in Year 6. Congratulations to Violet and Summer for participating and playing at a representative level for OZTAG at Coffs Harbour. Well done, girls!

Next, we have Carter, whose team placed runners-up in their Under 7’s ACT Oztag Competition. Well done, Carter!

Stay Safe While Online Gaming: Importance of Positive Engagement with Your Children

As we navigate the digital age, online gaming has become increasingly popular, particularly among children at home during their holiday breaks. With easy access to the internet and a wide array of available games, it's important for parents to stay vigilant and ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming experience for their children.

First and foremost, parental supervision is crucial when it comes to online gaming. Parents should:

• actively engage with their children
• guide them in choosing appropriate games
• monitor their online activities

Regular communication with children about their online experiences can help foster trust and ensure that they understand the potential dangers associated with interacting with strangers online.

Chat features in online games can be a double-edged sword, allowing children to socialise and make friends but also exposing them to potential predators. Parents should educate their children about the importance of not sharing personal information, such as:

• full names
• addresses or
• phone numbers while playing games online.

Instilling caution and reminding them to only interact with trusted individuals can significantly reduce the risk of encountering dangerous situations.

It's important to strike a balance between gaming and spending quality time with the family.

• Setting limits on gaming time and encouraging children to engage in other activities can help avoid excessive screen time and promote a healthier lifestyle.
• Establishing clear rules and expectations about when and how long children are allowed to play games can effectively manage screen time.

Another crucial aspect of online gaming is financial safety. Parents should NEVER share their credit card details with their children to make in-game purchases. Some games offer virtual currencies or items such as coins, coupons or diamonds that can be bought with real money. To prevent children from overspending or falling for scams, it's important for parents to monitor and regulate in-app purchases closely.

Ensuring the safety of the entire family while playing games online is paramount. Parents should take a proactive approach by implementing security measures, such as:

• Using trusted antivirus software
• Regularly updating devices and gaming platforms
• Enabling parental controls.

Being aware of the games your children are playing and monitoring their online presence can help create a secure environment for them.

Additionally, educating children on the importance of online privacy is crucial. This includes not sharing personal information with strangers and being cautious about clicking on suspicious links or downloading unknown files.

Online gaming can be a fun and engaging pastime for children at home during their breaks. However, parents must actively supervise their children's gaming activities and stay informed about the potential risks associated with online interaction. By setting clear rules, maintaining open lines of communication, and implementing safety measures, parents can ensure that their children have a safe and enjoyable online gaming experience.