At the end of the week, we
will pause to welcome the Fall. I used to say that autumn was more of an
abstract concept than a reality here in the Sonoran Desert. Seasons where
I grew up involved leaves turning color and cider made from the apples
growing in your back yard. I remember wearing a down coat over my
Halloween costume. It was cold enough to need mittens and a hat! That was then . . .
Seasons, for me and many
other educators, are as much about what is going on at school as they are about
the weather. While nature is magnificent, so is the pleasure of traveling
the road of life with 600 middle school students. We don't need to see
leaves falling to tell us that change is around us. This week marks the
end of the quarter. The year is 25% over. Our students are turning
into 6th, 7th and 8th graders. It is an amazing metamorphosis.
How do we capture these
times? Fall Break is the perfect invention. We should have thought
of it long ago. It's a great time for parents and students to connect and
reflect on the last two months. Here are my humble suggestions on things
to do to instill confidence and enjoy the company of your child during the
break. I've based my "tips" on a playlist of Beatles songs to provide
some mental Velcro (plus, The Beatles make everything better).
I've included links to YouTube, lest you might really want to listen to
the FAB 4 during your down time.
So, here we go:
1. "Twist and
Shout"
Do a happy dance with your
kids because they have a couple of days off!
2. "Here Comes
the Sun"
It's Arizona! Enjoy
the outdoors together!
3. "All My
Loving"
It's what kids need most
and parents are the best at showing kids how to love themselves.
4. "We Can Work
It Out"
Kids need to know that
most everything can be worked out and that parents are here to help.
5. "There's a
Place"
Kids need parents even
when they say they don't. Friends come and go; parents are forever.
Mary Setliff
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