School Counseling and Guidance Newsletter

Unity School

 

259 Boonshill-Petersburg Rd.

Petersburg, TN 37144

Phone: 931-732-4136

Fax: 931-732-4374

 

Mandy J.S. Pitts, counselor

 

 

September newsletter

 

 

Children Who Have Rules at Home Behave Well at School

Children who are aggressive at school usually act the same way at home.  Parents can help their children by setting clear rules.

Here are some rules to share with your children:

·        Don’t hit or kick.  Don’t’ allow your child to strike anyone else.

·        Don’t swear.  Don’t allow your child to use language that is obscene or vulgar.

·        Don’t throw temper tantrums.  If your child becomes upset, send him to his room until he is calm.

·        Cooperate.  Do chores together.  Solve problems together.  When you can, involve your child in making decisions.

·        Show respect.  Teach your child that everyone in a family deserves respect.  Members of the family are the most important people in the world.

·        Don’t threaten others.  Don’t allow your child to threaten anyone, either with words or with physical force.

·        Do something nice.  Ask each person in your family to do something nice for at least one other person each day.

·        Don’t talk back.  If a parent is talking, teach your child to listen without interrupting.

·        Show love.  Tell family members you love them every day.  Show them with hugs, kisses and pats on the back.

·        Live the Golden Rule.  Teach your child to treat others the way he wants to be treated. 

That is the key to getting along.  Write these rules down.  Talk about them with your child.  Then put them into action in your home.

Source: Terry L. Hyland & Terry Davis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bully Tips for Parents

Bullying is defined as constantly saying or doing nasty or unpleasant things or teasing in a way someone doesn't like. Here are some tips on dealing with bullying from the 120-year-old children's crisis charity, KidsPeace.

Be on the lookout for:

  • Sudden fear or reluctance to go to school
  • Ripped or torn clothing at the end of the school day
  • Frequent cuts or bruises and excuses to explain them
  • Lost lunch money or possessions and excuses you have trouble believing
  • Spending more time alone
  • Grades that begin to fall
  • Spending less time doing activities once enjoyed
  • Changes in sleeping or eating
  • Physical complaints
  • Looking and acting sad

What to do
Pay attention to the problem, says KidsPeace President & CEO C.T. O'Donnell II. Parents need to help their child deal with bullying, and, in some cases, to protect the child from emotional and physical harm.

  • Talk - Let your child know you know something's wrong
  • Listen - Encourage your child to talk
  • Support - Let your child know it's not his fault
  • Protect - If your child is in physical danger, talk to the school authorities
  • Encourage - Suggest your child talk to the bully (only if he is not in physical danger)
  • Reach out - Tell a teacher or guidance counselor if necessary

My child might be a bully
"Bullying can be serious - for the bullier and the child who is bullied," says Alvin Poussaint, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and National Director of the KidsPeace Lee Salk Center for Research. "It's important to address the underlying reasons before they lead to even more harm."

Kids bully because:

  • They need to be in control
  • They're jealous, but have trouble sharing
  • They learned threats or violence get them what they want
  • They've seen those close to them bully someone else
  • They've been bullied and may be trying to get back at somebody without realizing it
  • They have trouble controlling anger
  • They don't know how to talk about how they feel
  • They're used to getting what they want
  • They have low self-esteem
  • They see a lot of violent shows or games

I want to help
Try some of these suggestions:

  • Awareness - Let your child know you're aware of bullying behavior
  • Stick to it - Even though he denies it
  • Show real concern - Let her know you want to help and are concerned about her behavior
  • Talk - Talk about what you've seen or heard, but don't judge him
  • Teach her - She may not know how to talk about feelings. Be open about the importance of talking, especially about upsetting things
  • Be careful - Bullying, frequent yelling or violence at home can affect younger children

 

 

Websites for Families

·          A+ Math http://www.aplusmath.com/ : This website helps

·          students improve their math skills interactively with games,

·          flashcards, and math word puzzles. Try the homework helper to check your homework answers.  

·          Awesome Library http://www.awesomelibrary.org/ : This site links to carefully reviewed resources to find information by school subject.

·          FunBrain Games http://www.funbrain.com/ : Great collection of interactive word, number, and science games. You can search for games by age, subject, title, or keyword.

·          KidsHub http://www.kidshub.org/ : Kids Hub is a fun interactive learning center for elementary and middle school students. It includes educational games, puzzles, quizzes, spelling activities, and subject guides.

·          National Geographic for Kids http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/ : One of the best resources for information on the Net about the world, its people, and its wildlife.

·          The White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/ : Take a tour with Scotty the Bush family dog and find out about life in the White House.

·          Disney Channel http://www.disney.go.com/disneychannel/ : Activities and games with characters on the Disney Channel.

·          PBS Kids http://pbskids.org/ : Games, stories, making of the show, color and draw and many more fun activities featuring PBS characters from Sesame Street, Clifford, Sagwa, Arthur, Caillou and more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September Happenings

 

September 1: Labor Day – No School

 

September 2-5: Intro to a Counselor’s Job; Learning Tips & Habits; Champion Learners

 

September 8-12: Good Attitudes; Champion Learners; Learning Tips

 

September 15-19: Learning Tips & Habits; Good Attitudes; Champion Learners

 

September 22-26: Learning Tips & Habits, Good Attitudes

 

September 29-30: Positive Thinking, Study Skills, Following Directions