I’m not even sure who’s idea it was, but as our girls came to the end of their last year of high school, Alison and I decided to present them with a passport and take them to a surprise location in the world, just the three of us.

We would leave travel brochures for lots of different destinations around the house in the time leading up to leaving to help create mystery, intrigue and excitement. Each of those three trips away became very special times for each of us. What I didn’t realise was that we actually creating a family Rite of Passage. A special time spent with each of our kids, stories told, celebrations had, visions of where to next captured.

As a society, Australia tends to have a bit of an aversion to formal, structured celebrations, but I think there is great value in thinking about and planning family rites of passage for our kids. The message of belonging it sends is a strong, deep and lasting one. That belonging is something our kids need and so do we.

You may have some of these types of events in your church or religious life, in cultural practices, even in sporting clubs, but I think it is also vital we create them as part of our family life. I read an article recently from the founder of an Australian organisation called Rites of Passage (https://ritesofpassageinstitute.org/), Dr. Arne Rubinstein. There are some really great points to ponder and practical ideas to follow. I hope you find it helpful.

“Why create Rites of Passage?

At some stage all of our children will become young adults. Having worked for nearly 20 years as an Emergency Medicine Doctor I know that the event that marks this critical transition can be anywhere from a joyous and positive family celebration to a disastrous and damaging episode from which they may never fully recover.

Indigenous and traditional communities have for thousands of years created ceremonies to support major life transitions, the most important of which is the entry into young adulthood. Unfortunately, we have abandoned this custom and instead allow our kids to create their own Rites of Passage through excessive alcohol, schoolies, losing their virginity and many other inappropriate high risk episodes that can include car accidents, drug overdoses or self-harm.

With a rise in Youth Mental Health issues and a desire by more and more parents to protect and support the mental health of children there has been a huge increase in the number of families and schools looking at ways to bring back healthy Rites of Passage.

What kids need.

The benefits of healthy and properly run Rites of Passage should include:

· Having a strong sense of Belonging

· Feeling Safe and Supported

· Gaining critical 21st Century Life Skills including Resilience and Emotional Intelligence

· A clear sense of Self and Purpose

· Healthy Family Relationships

How to create healthy Rites of Passage

The structure of a Rite of Passage is consistent in all communities around the world. However, the way it is presented will differ according to the community in which it takes place. It is possible to use our knowledge of this structure in an appropriate way for our kids in our communities.

A healthy Rite of Passage will first involve creating a set time and a specific place. It may happen on a school camp, a family holiday or at a camp. Importantly there must be a clear intention to set up a process that marks and acknowledges your kid moving to a new stage in their life. Ideally elders from the family and community are present.

The following four elements are key to the success of this process

1. Using stories from elders as a way of passing on wisdom and knowledge as well as to build community.

2. Supporting the kid going through the Rite of Passage to create a vision about what sort of adult they want to become and how they want to live in the future. This includes them naming things they need to let go of in their lives for this to happen.

3. Creating a challenge that pushes them beyond their normal boundaries but is safe and appropriate.

4. Recognising and naming the gifts and talents that we see in this kid.

Finally, it is vital that the family and community recognise that the kid is now a young adult and will be expected to act differently but should also be treated differently and not like they were as a young child.

Here’s the critical thing:

Regardless of the age of your child, start NOW to think about what Rites of Passage your child could participate in as they mature to adulthood. Some families take their 16-year-old on a special trip. Others make it a father-son or daddy-daughter camp. Some have church or religious ceremonies. Others rely on cultural traditions. A quick google can offer you some inspiration. But what matters most is how you plan for it, and how you communicate its relevance and importance to your child.

Summary

Healthy Rites of Passage are life changing events and one of the most important and significant gifts you can give your child. They can be seen as a way of building healthy communities to keep kids safe and bring out the best and unique potential that exists within each of them.” (Rubinstein, 2023)

Have a great week with our kids,

Mark B

Hey PPN Family,

I finished reading a book called, “The Power to Change,” by Craig Groeschel yesterday, and one of the thoughts from the author that really stood out to me was, “You do what you do because of what you think of you.”

The idea is basically that a lot of the things that we do are actually determined by what we think of ourselves. In other words, many of the negative things that we do, come out of the negative beliefs that we may have of ourselves, and conversely, having a positive view of ourselves, leads to more positive behaviours.

So, if we want to make some new changes in our lives, we need to start by correcting the way that we think about ourselves. Like Paul wrote in Romans 12:2 (NIV), “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Transformation begins with changing the way that we think.

In a nutshell, we need to stop defining ourselves by what other people think about us, or even by our own thoughts about ourselves, and we need to accept the truth that God is the one who defines who we really are.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” When we are in a relationship with God, he makes us into a brand-new person who has been completely forgiven and saved. This is who we really are. And when we embrace this new identity, it will empower us to live out new habits and behaviours, that will enable us to have a new and better life.

God bless,

Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai

The secret skills your child needs to succeed

Children with strong social skills have been shown to do better in life. The ability to navigate the world socially (what’s known as social and emotional intelligence or EQ) often matters more for lifetime success than how smart our kids are!

But what are social skills, and what developmental milestones should we expect our children to reach… and when?

Social Skills

Social skills are about so much more than the ability to talk and learn language. Communication is critical for social success and the psychological immunity it brings. But there is much more to real resilience and immunity. Skills like self-awareness, impulse control, emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and the ability to communicate clearly: these are qualities that lead to flourishing relationships, academic success, and most of what else predicts great outcomes in life.

How to help

Here are some simple tips and tricks to help your child share more easily, be more confident around other children or adults, or navigate those tricky social situations that we all struggle with.

Empathy, empathy, empathy: Research tells us pretty clearly that the more empathic we can be, the more likely it is that our children will be empathic.

Be a model: Our children watch and learn from us. How we speak to them (and others) and how we interact with them (and others) is the example they’ll follow as they grow. They’ll be terribly imperfect in their early years, but your modelling is important as an example.

Be an emotion scientist: If you can be an example with your own emotions, and then be curious about your children’s emotional world, they’ll learn that emotions are to be discovered, understood, accepted, and regulated. They’ll learn that if you’re ok with emotions, they can be too. Being understanding of emotions helps our children know that their feelings are a normal part of being human. (Note, this doesn’t mean letting kids have huge emotions whenever they feel like it. Instead, it means teaching them about their emotions and helping them learn to regulate them.)

Identify emotions in friends: When your child takes turns, point out how happy the other child is. Ask them, “How did Liam feel when you let him have a turn?” You could read a book and ask, “How does this person feel when that happens?” This teaches emotional intelligence and empathy quickly and effectively. Start as early as you can.

Never allow physical aggression: Because our kids use their bodies so much at this age, we do need to intervene. Let them know it’s ok to feel upset or frustrated, but we always have soft hands.

Teach them to find ways to help: I’ve always taught my kids to look for the helpers and be around them. If they see someone sad, ask them “What do you think happened? How can you help?” Teaching children to be helpers doesn’t just build compassion and empathy. It teaches them how to be a good person with social capability, and an improved ability to regulate their emotions and make a difference in other’s lives.

Ultimately our children are just that – children. They’ll struggle to navigate social challenges all their lives. But when we establish a strong foundation by creating a safe home environment, teaching them empathy, setting effective boundaries, and helping them to find ways to help others, we build their social and psychological immunity. When tough times come – and they will – they’ll have a solid foundation to stand on.

(Source: Social Skills Are The Secret To Stronger Emotional Immunity - Happy Families)

Harmony Week

Position Vacant - Student Services Friday's

Prescott Primary Northern invites applications for a First Aid/Student Services Attendant - attending to students in Student Services Room, administering first aid and completing the necessary documentation. 

This role would be for 1 day per week, Friday's, 8.20am to 3:00pm during the school terms. Please email tamarabernoth@ppn.sa.edu.au for further details. Applications close 29 March. 

Uniform Shop 

Please book your appointment for your child’s Winter Fittings through the Front Office now.

These fittings are from Week 7, including the first term holidays.

Uniform Shop opening times:
Monday - Thursday 2:30pm to 4pm
However, fittings still need to be by appointment ONLY. 
Please call the office to make your appointment for a fitting: 8396 2577

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is a state-wide literacy engagement program that aims to:

· encourage students to read more books

· develop an enjoyment of reading, and

· improve literacy levels

The Challenge requires students to read 12 books from an age-based book list between the beginning of the school year and early September. At the end of the year those students who have completed the challenge will receive a certificate or medal.

2023 is the 20th year of the Premier’s Reading Challenge! To celebrate this milestone, students have been offered an additional challenge to read 20 books and receive a 20th anniversary certificate in addition to their standard certificate or medal. This additional challenge is optional.

At PPN participation in the Premier’s Reading Challenge is highly encouraged. Students in Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2 are assisted during their weekly library time to complete the challenge, and all receive a certificate at the end of the year. Students from Year 3 to Year 6 complete the challenge independently with encouragement from the library team and their class teacher.

The student reading record for each child is kept in the library and students in Year 3-6 update their progress each week during their library time.

Last year, as a result of our high participation rate, PPN student leaders were invited to attend a special Premier’s Reading Challenge event that celebrated our achievements. Let’s see if we can do as well again this year!

CBCA Notables Announcement

The annual ‘Book of the Year Awards’ is an initiative undertaken by the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) to promote quality literature for young Australians, support and encourage a wide range of Australian writers and illustrators of children’s books, and celebrate contributions made to Australian children’s literature.

The awards are given across six categories and are announced at the beginning of Children’s Book Week each year. Leading up to Children’s Book Week a list of notables is announced, and then the shortlist of six books from each category which will be read and voted on by a special judging panel.

The notables list was announced in February and includes some fantastic books written and illustrated by both well-known and new Australians authors and Illustrators. Our school library contains many of these books and later this month when the Shortlist is announced we look forward to exploring the books with our students and deciding which ones we think should win.

If you would like to learn more about the Children’s Book Council of Australia or the 2023 CBCA Book of the Year Awards, please visit the CBCA website www.cbca.org.au

Prescott College

Places are filling fast for Year 7, 2024! To enrol, go to Apply Now.

Join us at one of our  OPEN DAYS to take a guided tour of the Prospect campus and meet our wonderful staff and teachers.

We currently have a scholarship opportunity for students who show great potential in academics. See ad for details.

Website: prescottcollege.com.au

Phone: 8269 1655

My OSHC