Principal Message
Be Kind, Be safe, Be respectful, Be responsible, Be resilient, Be ready
Dear Parents
Friendships are important for a child’s happiness and well being. The majority of children learn by observing adults- parents, relatives, teachers, childcare professionals and other significant adults in their lives.
There are five social attributes that adults can model when they interact with children that will increase their ability to make friends.
These attributes are:
Acceptance: When adults show tolerance for children's behaviours and personal idiosyncrasies they teach children to be accepting rather than critical of other children’s actions, dress or habits.
Attention: The quality of the attention children receive when they are in our company influences the way children interact with others. By calling children by name, listening attentively, making eye contact and giving nonverbal signs that display interest you are modelling basic but essential relationship skills.
Appreciation: Give children positive feedback, letting them know that you appreciate their behaviours and attitudes. If a child is to show appreciation to someone else they must first experience appreciation from those whom they respect.
Affirmation: Respond positively to your child's desirable social behaviours, while ignoring or responding with less enthusiasm to unsociable behaviour. Remembering of course that all behaviour, good or bad is for a reason.
Affection: When we show children kindness or compassion or tell them we love them, not only do we model appropriate behaviours but we let them know that they are lovable.
As children grow and develop we can encourage a variety of friendship skills and talk with them about friendship difficulties that they may encounter. It is the basic friendship skills that adults model for children that will have the most far-reaching effects. Taken from parentingideas.com
Have a very happy and safe holiday and we look forward to seeing you all on the 7th October.
Thank you and keep smiling
Cathy
