This
term I am going to share with you about child development, and the
kinds of issues that you can expect your child to be going through at different
stages. Basically, we all grow to develop increasing awareness throughout our
lives, and our experiences shape the person we are and will become.
First,
we will look at Preschool child development.
Between
birth and 6 months of age, children learn who they are physically. Suddenly they become
aware of the fact that they have a hand at the end of their arm!
But
so many more important things are going on. At this stage healthy children
obviously have a close relationship particularly with their mother.
Children
learn in this time either TRUST or MISTRUST. They learn this
by having their physical needs met (when hungry they can trust that they will
be fed, when cold they will be warmed, when wet they will be changed). As
emotionally healthy parents, we go about these functions naturally without
realising that what we are actually teaching is TRUST.
Without
realising it, when as parents we play peek-a-boo - or later hide and seek -
with our children, we are teaching them "Mum is not here....I am
alone....but I am OK....she will be back and we are happy" and through
this the child learns to moderate their feelings of anxiety of being left alone
and to TRUST. It is amazing how significant these little games are! Little did
we know!
Trust
is foundational for the development of faith later that God is good, that God
and others love me, that I will be looked after, that life will be OK. Trust is
the foundation for confidence.
At
this early stage, the child cannot work out what is going on, but deep
impressions are happening that impact his or her emotional development, and in
fact until a child has had a healthy attachment to someone they
can trust, they will not be an emotionally healthy person. Their 'normal'
will be to attach to other untrustworthy people.
Our
local community, and our schools, have many people who have 'missed out' at
this stage, and as many of us in MCS
families
have learned that God is trustworthy, our community can be, and often is,
a wonderfully supportive environment that can provide healing for others.
The
Bible shows us that in the early stages of the Israelite culture, while it was
most common for cultures of the time to believe in angry distant gods and to
feel unsafe with tribal tensions, the lesson they were learning about God was
that God is Good, that God is with them, that God would protect them. It was a
big step to learn to TRUST.
Next
time I write on development we will look at the development of autonomy or
shame in early childhood.
Praying
that you will have a great week, noticing and trying to moderate your own
anxiety and choosing to rest in trusting a God who loves you!
Have
a great week.
Helen
School News
Meeting
The
Parenting Meeting is occurring tonight at 5.30pm at the Baptist Church. Please bring
soup or buns to share.
Teacher only day
Our
teacher only day is on Monday 10th August.
Parent
Group
Minute to Win It!
This Saturday - 8th August!
6.45pm
Teams of 3-5
$15.00 per team
Raising Funds for a sandpit sun-shade and play
equipment
Registrations
Close Wednesday 5th August, 12 noon!
See you there!
Friday lunches will start next Friday - August 14th.
The hockey draw this week is:
MCS Rockets vs M SUperstars – 9.20am, Field 1
SB Snapdragons vs M Falcons – 9.20am Field 3 /4
SB Strikers vs M Eagles –
10.10am Field 3 /4
Assembly
This Friday, Room 2 will be taking
assembly. Parents,
caregivers and friends are all welcome to attend.
Wanted
We are in need
of some older people or mums to listen to children reading on a rostered basis.
Can you, or someone you know help once or twice a week for 30 minutes to half
an hour? Please contact Helen.
Community Notices
Wired
to Connect – a Fresh Look at Behaviour and Learning
Internationally renowned Canadian
Developmental Psychologist – Dr Gordon Neufeld will be speaking to parents and
professionals on the latest in attachment science. He will be speaking at either The Parenting
Place or Laidlaw College from Monday 9th November – Friday 13
November.
Further details can be found at www.gordonneufeld.co.nz, and tickets can be purchased
from www.iticket.co.nz
Children’s
writing competition
This is the term of the Children’s Writing Competition! It’s a
great chance for your students to see their work in print. All those whose
writing is selected for publication will receive a free copy of the book, Kids in Print 2014. There are other prizes too and $50 for
the winner of the Val Shearer trophy.
The closing date for the competition is Friday 11th September. Students can send in one
piece of writing or they can enter in all three categories: fiction,
non-fiction and poetry. The entry fee is $5, however many pieces are submitted.
Further information is available on our website www.HibiscusCoastWriters.weebly.com or you can email g.k.henderson777@gmail.com.
Parenting Evening
Westminster
School is running a parent evening with quest speaker Yvonne Godfrey, on
Thursday 10th September 7.30pm – 9pm.
Yvonne
Godfrey is the author of Parenting Yadults.
The meeting will be held at Westminster School - 31 Westminster Gardens, Unsworth
Heights. Gold coin donation. Further details can be found at
www.parentingyadults.com
Middle
Years Toolbox Parenting Group
A toolbox parenting group will be
run at Mahurangi Vineyard Church – 21 Hamatana Road, Snells Beach. The course starts on Monday 10th
August at 10am and runs for 6 weeks.
Please contact Diane McKinstry for further details on 021 292 4105 or
aucklandnorth@theparentingplace.com
Current
Home Builders Courses:
Arthur Hopkins Pruning for Beginners
From learning how to select and buy quality trees to pruning
mature trees this workshop takes you through the fundamentals of pruning and
caring for your trees.
Date: Friday 14th August 9.30-12.30 Warkworth
Chris Pedersen’s Innovative ways to prepare vegetables
Come along to a practical workshop that inspires the use of
vegetables to enhance your main meal of the day.
Date: Friday 21st August
9.30am - 12.30 am. Warkworth
Chris Pederson’s Baking Course
Baking ideas that will help top up those lunch boxes and bring
home treats into the cake and biscuit tin.
Date: Friday 18th of September 9.30-12.30
Warkworth
Free child minding is also provided if notified on
enrollment
To enroll or join our email list contact us
on Homebuilders.courses@hotmail.com, or phone 09 4257048, or text 0276226809.
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