From the P&F Association
Dear Parents and Friends
Welcome back to Term 3, more than half way through the year already. We hope the break was restful and you are ready to join us for an array of exciting events this term!
The P&F Committee have quite a few events planned in the coming weeks and we will share them with you once the final preparations are made.
Make sure the mums and dads of Kindergarten, Year 5 and Year 7 check out the planned events below so that you can catch up and mingle, meet new friends and catch up with the old ones!
As you know the P&F Committee is organising the Santa Trivia Night on 20 September 2024. The Santa Trivia will now be held at Del Monte Hall! We are finalising the details and can’t wait to share them with you soon!
Father’s Day Gift Wrapping Volunteers
We are thrilled to announce that after our recent call for volunteers for the Father’s Day Gift Wrapping event, we have had an overwhelming response! Scheduled for Tuesday 14 August, from 8:30am to 2:00pm at Del Monte Hall. If you still haven’t volunteered we would love your help, from wrapping presents, cutting ribbons and having a great yarn we would love to see you there.
Father’s Day Stall & Breakfast
With Father’s Day around the corner we will be reaching out to our wonderful community for assistance for the Father’s Day Stall and Breakfast. Please keep an eye out for the callout in the WhatsApp year groups.
WhatsApp Year Groups
Don’t forget that the best way to get updates about all events of the P&F and for your particular child’s year activities, is by joining the WhatsApp groups for your child’s year group. Please reach out to our P&F Communications Rep Jumana Commisso on 0403355115 and she will make arrangements to add you to the appropriate WhatsApp year group.
Parent and Family Catch Ups
We have several Catch Ups over the past few weeks and more Save the Dates below so please mark them in your calendar!
We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Warm regards
The P&F Association
Upcoming Events
🎉 Save the Date: Santa Trivia Night!
NEW DATE 🎉
Are you the smartest table in the room? Prove it! Come along to the Santa Trivia Night for an evening of fun and a chance to put all your knowledge to good use! Start forming your groups of ten!
🗓 Date: Friday 20 September 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30pm for a 7:00pm start
📍 Location: Del Monte Hall
The trivia ticket will include Dinner. Drinks are BYO.
Parent Catch Ups
🌟 Dads’ Night for Kinder, Year 5 & 7 Dads! 🌟
Don’t forget the dads’ night for dads who have kids in grades K, 5 or 7 is on this Friday! Join us for a night of bowling and drinks. You can still RSVP if you would like to attend. The competition will be fierce!
🗓 Date: Friday 9 August 2024
⏰ Time: 7:00pm
📍 Location: Kingpin North Strathfield
Bowling and finger food for $40
🌟 Mums’ Night for Kinder, Year 5 & 7 Mums! 🌟
Mums this night is for you. Come dine and unwind with us! All mums new and existing in Years K, 5 & 7 are invited to create connections and friendships within our wonderful Santa community.
🗓 Date: Friday 16 August 2024
⏰ Time: 6:30pm
📍 Location: The Concord Community
Order your own dinner and drinks on the night.
🌟 Year 2 Family Catch-Up! 🌟
Hello Year 2 families! If you haven’t already sent the RSVP make sure you do it soon. This catch up is around the corner. You know that there will be plenty of laughs and entertainment floating around.
🗓 Date: Saturday 17 August 2024
⏰ Time: 5:30pm
📍 Location: The Brasserie at Canada Bay Club
Order your own dinner and drinks on the night.
🌟 SAVE THE DATE – Year 6 Dinner Dance! 🌟
Save the date for the Year 6 Dinner Dance for the Year 6 students and their partners.
🗓 Date: 29 November 2024
⏰ Time: 6:00pm
📍 Location: Details to come.
Past Events
🌟 Year 9 Mum and Daughter Dinner! 🌟
The Year 9 mum and daughter dinner was a great success. The girls enjoyed one-on-one time with their mums and friends. The girls have such a special friendship and it was special to see their bonds with their mothers flourish.
🌟Year 8 Family Gathering 🌟
The Year 8 girls and parents had a wonderful night at the Home Grounds. It was great to see mums, dads and their daughters enjoying this catch up with lots of laughs and an array of great food! The next dinner is already in the works.
🌟 Year 12 Graduating Parents of 2024 🌟
On 2 August the Year 12 parents attended a lovely lunch at Strathfield Golf Club. This was the end of a schooling era for many of the Year 12 parents so it was lovely to get such a crowd. Much fun and many laughs (and some tears) were had! The pictures below speak for themselves.
Parent Education
Individuation: What is it and Why is it important? By Debra Brodowski
Remember a time when your child was little, before school, where they listened to what you said, looked up to you, maybe even said things like ‘I want to marry you one day mummy’ or ‘Daddy you are my hero’. Over time, subtle shifts occur as they become self aware and develop their own interests and identity. There is a shift towards, friends and activities. This process in developmental psychology is called Individuation.
Individuation in developmental psychology refers to the process by which an individual becomes distinct and self-aware, developing a sense of personal identity separate from others. In a developmental context, individuation involves several key components:
- Self-Concept Development: The formation of a stable and coherent sense of self, including personal values, beliefs, and goals.
- Autonomy: The ability to make independent decisions and take responsibility for one’s actions.
- Emotional Independence: Developing the capacity to manage one’s emotions without excessive reliance on others for validation or support.
- Relational Identity: Understanding oneself in relation to others while maintaining a distinct personal identity.
This doesn’t happen overnight. Their entire schooling experience is one long process of individuation.
What does this process of individuation mean for us as parents and caregivers? You’ll notice that your young person:
- disagrees with you more
- has their own point of view on matters
- feels ‘cringe’ by some of the things that you might say and do.
This can bring tension, frustration, and confusion to your family dynamic (‘Why can’t they just agree with me?!) but it can also bring joy as they can share with you another perspective on a topic, another way to understand.
Whilst it can be frustrating, fostering individuation in your young person will help in so many ways their development into adulthood as it:
- builds confidence and emotional resilience
- builds autonomy and independent thought
- fosters positive mental health.
Individuation is critical for our young people to reach adulthood in an adaptive way. There are some key elements that can help foster individuation in your young person:
- Encourage Independence: Allow your young person to make age-appropriate decisions and solve problems on their own. This can be as simple as choosing their clothes, making their lunch, deciding which extracurricular activities to pursue and supporting their interests. Over time, this may also mean allowing them time to spend with their friends and without you.
- Provide a Safe Environment: Create an environment where your young person feels safe to express themselves without fear of judgment or ridicule. This encourages them to explore who they are and what they believe in. A safe environment ensures that clear boundaries are also maintained.
- Encourage open communication: Listen without judgement, promote independent thinking, ask questions, and engage in discussion. Acknowledge and validate their emotions. This helps them understand and trust their feelings, which is essential for emotional independence.
- Encourage Social Connections: Help your young person develop healthy relationships with peers and other adults. Interacting with a diverse group of people allows them to understand different perspectives and reinforces their own identity.
By incorporating these practices into your parenting, you can help your young develop a strong, independent sense of identity. In the meantime, if you haven’t done so already, go and watch the movies Inside Out and Inside Out 2. These are both wonderful representations of some of the normal experiences and challenges that occur with the process of individuation when ‘growing up’.