Principal's Message

Dear Parents,

Feel like sharing a few romantic words? Then, read on:

“Look there, two people, hand in hand, slowly making their way across the grass, how small they seem from this height, but there is no mistaking their togetherness, it fills the frame. We are too far away to hear their voices, but if we could, it’s likely they’d be sharing a joke, well-chosen words, or the silence that says everything. As it is, looking from afar, we can still see love in the spring of their step, can recognise two good friends who have been walking together for a while now, and find it still makes sense.”

Extract. Bird’s Eye View. Jan Sutch Pickard.

What a beautiful expression of friendship in marriage. No wonder marriage counsellors advise husbands and wives to be friends suggesting that you might divorce your spouse but you would never divorce your friend. The writer, Elizabeth Foley, emphasises the importance of friendship when she says that friendship doubles your joy and divides your grief and that the most rewarding discovery that true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart. There is no doubt that friendship stabilises relationships, is priceless and should be cherished, cultivated and nurtured. If friendship is so important for adults, then what about children? Research shows that children who are able to form friendships at school are far happier, learn better and have a positive, long-term outlook for social and academic success. Children can be taught friendship skills but besides being taught, these skills can be caught. For example, to have a positive, supportive relationship with your child is good role modelling. Playing with your

child can demonstrate correct social behaviours such as good manners and sharing. Being friendly and approachable and having positive body language can show up in your child who feels comfortable with this interaction and would like to share it. To talk respectfully to your child will encourage your child to speak respectfully to other people. To listen attentively to your child, make eye contact and ask questions about what was said, will lead to good conversation and offer an alternative to argument and bickering – so very important for good friendship “from rocking horse to rocking chair”. If your child is not “catching” these skills, then, there is the need for you to “teach” them. We should be grateful for the friendships we have for, besides having a positive effect on our health and well being, they greatly enrich our lives.

 So: “Don’t protect yourself by a fence but rather by your friends.” Czech Proverb.

“Lord, thank You for the friendship You offer to me by the indwelling of Your Spirit. Teach me that time spent talking to my friends about books, about sport, about last night’s television, is not time lost but time enriched. Amen.”

Have a lovely and enjoyable break

Leonie Burfield

Principal