Welcome back for Term 2, PPN family. There was a real buzz of excitement amongst staff and students yesterday as we all caught up with one another and found out what people got up to during the break.

Term 2 is a busy one for our school with events like Athletics Carnivals, Growth and Development classes, NAPLAN, and Mid-Year Reports, to name just a few. We are really looking forward to lots of great learning and growing experiences in the next couple of months and I hope you are as well.

This Sunday is a special day where we take time to honour our mums and those in our lives who fulfil a mum role. If you are anything like me, when you reflect on the difference your mum figure made in your life, you are left with a sense of awe, appreciation, and “how on earth were you ever able to do what you did”.

Below is an article with lots of challenges for those of us who would really like to lift up mums. It is not aimed at mums, but rather at the rest of us who rely on them so much.

“Mother’s Day is a sensitive topic to write about. While it is a day of joy and delight for many families, it can also be a day of difficulty, and even pain, trauma, or sadness for many others. Many of us have farewelled a mother, experienced a relationship rupture with our mum, or experienced other challenges. And so many mums, this Mother’s Day, will be grappling with co-parenting, separation or divorce, or an inability to be with their children in loving and meaningful ways.

There are two other challenges that Mother’s Day brings:

First, even on the day when Mum should be feeling loved-on by everyone, the overwhelming load of cooking, cleaning, and even thinking about what the kids should “surprise her with” still falls to too many mums. This is not how it ought to be. And second, one day of bliss (if it works out that way at all) is nice, but what about the other 364 days of the year?

So this is a Mother’s Day Insights with a difference. This is for the dads, the co-parents, the partners, the ex’s, and anyone else who wants to make sure that the Mum of the house gets the love and respect she deserves, not just on Mother’s Day, but on all of the days.

Mum, pass this on to your partner and others who matter. This is not for you this time. It’s for them to read, memorise, and live.

Help mum develop a sense of time affluence

Have you noticed how often Mum is flustered? How often it seems like there’s not enough time? And what time there is floats through the day like confetti, with just a minute here or there… and then the never-ending demand that she get back into the rat race?

Recent research tells us our happiness goes up as our rushing goes down. It’s called “time affluence” and it means that we slow our lives down so that it literally feels like we have more time, even if we don’t.

How can partners do this? Help Mum build a sense of time affluence (or abundance if you prefer) by going for a walk rather than driving – and not walking for exercise. Create it by having a “yoyo” night (You’re On Your Own) where the kids sort themselves out with leftovers or cheese toasties. Create a system where Mum doesn’t have to feel obliged to do everything for everyone every time. Step back. Slow down. Or at least, let Mum do that a little more.

Be open to mum’s influence

Have you noticed how Mum is always the one who steps back and let’s everyone else decide? What would it be like if we were more inclined to look to Mum when decisions are being made and say, “Would you like to decide this one?”

It’s true that sometimes Mum is tired of making decisions. Perhaps she doesn’t want to. But studies show that even in our modern 2022, Mum is often voiceless. Everyone else gets what they want while Mum serves and does what she’s told. If everyone could stop being a bossy boots and let Mum have a clearer, louder voice, not by yelling, but by seeking her counsel and inviting her opinions, it might make life nicer for all, especially Mum.

Ask how you can help

If everyone said, “Mum, how can I help?” or if partners said, “Honey, what do you need?” it might make Mum’s day.

You know what’s bigger? Help without asking. It shouldn’t be up to Mum to have to tell everyone how to help and when to help and hassle them for not helping already. Do it without needing to be asked. This means remembering to empty the garbage or run the bins to the street, cleaning the kitchen, putting a load of washing on… you know, all that stuff that the cleaning fairy usually does.

Drop your agenda and help her with hers

It’s easy to get caught up in our own agenda and forget that the woman we’re brushing our teeth next to in the bathroom is a real person with hopes, dreams, and desires. Recognise her perspective and elevate her by treating her so well that your children will know how the most important person in your life ought to be treated. That way, when they’re bigger (or even now), your kids have no doubt how they ought to treat their partner when they are old enough – and how they should expect to be treated.

The greatest compliment any dad could ever hear is “You always treated mum like she was the most wonderful woman in the world.”

Bring that approach to every interaction. Make mum’s day – every day.

(And a quick bonus tip: Do the leg work to make sure Mum actually has a nice Mother’s Day and that she doesn’t end up cooking, cleaning, or choosing her own gifts!)” (Coulson, 2022)

Have a great week your kids,

Mark B

Hey PPN Family! 

It’s Mal here. I hope you have all had an amazing school holiday, full of fun and relaxation. It’s Term 2 already! I can’t believe how fast this year has gone. Another term of learning and growing together here at PPN.

An encouragement to help us start this new term comes from something that Jesus said. He says this in Mark 10:27. He says: 

“Jesus looked at them intently and said, 'Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.'” 

Jesus was talking with His disciples and some people about how easy it was to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus was saying in this verse that with God in the equation, it is possible only through Him. It’s that easy.

This can apply to all facets of our lives. Problems that we face in our lives can seem impossible, but with God anything is possible.  

I hope this serves as an encouragement for you as we tackle this new term together.

Peace and blessings,

Mal Naseli

Can Star Wars help your mental health?

The Star Wars series of movies is one of the most successful franchises in history,  touching the lives of adults and children alike for more than four decades. Part of what makes the Star Wars series so special is the abundance of positive mental health advice and philosophies it shared.

Today is Star Wars Day (May the 4^th), so let’s take a look at just a few of the best quotes from the series.

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“You will find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.”

— Obi-Wan Kenobi, Return of the Jedi

Uttered by Obi-Wan in a conversation about Luke’s father, Darth Vader, this is another popular quote that relates to our belief systems and how they can shape our reality.

Our experiences in life contribute to our view of the world, but that does not mean that these beliefs are accurate. Our beliefs can become so strong that we deem them to be ‘truth’, but when closely examined they are simply our interpretations of our experiences.

What seems to be true for you may not be so for others. Obi Wan is reminding Luke to keep an open mind, but also explains a core philosophy of positive mental health – our points of view can shape the way we interpret everything in life and thus create our reality, so make an effort to take a positive view!

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“You can’t stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting.”

– Shmi Skywalker, The Phantom Menace

Anakin Skywalker’s mother, Shmi offers this pearl of wisdom to her young boy who is resisting leaving her for the life of a freed slave.

Change is a constant in our lives and much of it is beyond our direct control, but many of us spend a lot of time fighting against change. While there are certainly changes that are worth fighting against, sometimes the best path for positive mental health is to accept that change is coming and re-position yourself to make the best of the situation rather than fighting the inevitable.

Once you accept change, it can be an empowering opportunity to start things anew.

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“The greatest teacher, failure is.”

– Yoda, The Last Jedi

Yoda counsels Luke with this sage advice when Luke despairs about his failure in losing his disciple to the dark side.

This idea shows us that what we view as our failures can often carry the biggest lessons for us and the biggest opportunities to make long term positive change in our lives.  It’s OK to fail, failure is there to help us improve. The key is to learn from it.

Read more about the positive mental health advice contained in Star Wars by clicking here. It might just be the encouragement you or a loved one needs today.

Mother's Day Stall