Pastrol Care Worker
Pastrol Care news
Term 3: Week 4
Strong and Happy Families
I meet many families each week and it got me thinking “what is it that helps a family to work well together?”.
Whilst parenting websites can sometimes differ in their advice, some common themes that come through are:
- Making a time for talking and listening; giving a time for each family member to be heard. This could be through regular family meetings. Just as important is for couples to have quality time together without the children to allow space for them to support each other.
- Warmth, care and positive attention; everyone feels good when they are encouraged. Let your children know you love them, show affection, be thoughtful and kind. Create fun shared times together and create special one-on-one times doing something you both enjoy.
- Create family rules and routines. Share the chores among family members, work out the jobs each person will do; help children from an early age to take on chores suitable for their age. This helps children to feel they are contributing to the family. Having a daily routine helps children to feel secure. Routines and chores can be adapted as children get older.
- Connect with family and friends. Connecting with wider family can help children to understand where they fit within a family (grandchild/cousin/niece/nephew), it helps children learn to relate to different people and can help develop their self-esteem. For parents having someone else to turn to when things get tough can be helpful.
- Create your own family rituals, or continue with family traditions already established. These can be as big or as small as you like from how you meet/greet each other each day, what you do at mealtimes or how you celebrate birthdays or other special occasions. These traditions/rituals can help to build and bond a family and create a sense of belonging.
If you would like to read further about how you can strengthen your family the above information can be found in the attached PDFs from Raising Children Network and Kidsmatter. Information can also be found in the Parent Easy Guides “Families that Work well; Parent Easy Guide 36”. Hard copies are available here at school or can be downloaded from the Child and Youth Health Website.
Sandy Altmann
Pastoral Care Worker
Lockleys North Primary School
Tuesdays 8.30am to 3.30pm
Phone: 8443 5544 (Lockleys North Primary School)