Term 3 Key Dates

Kids are hardwired to be negative... you can change that!

Overcoming negativity in children is possible. If you understand why humans are naturally negative, it is easier to make kids naturally more positive. This article contains 6 tips that will help.

Kids are hardwired to be negative. We all are. Back in our early evolution, there was so much detail and information in our environment that we focused on the negatives…the threats. No point focusing on the beauty of a sunset only to be mauled by a sabre-tooth tiger while you’re at it. It was a case of survival of the most negative.

This attention to negative details is what psychologists call, the negativity bias. It has helped determine the success of our species, but it has also helped lead to the epidemic of negative talk, depression and doom fatigue that we experience in the 21^st century.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE NEGATIVITY BIAS AND HOW IT IS AFFECTING CHILDREN?

As we have further evolved and predators and physical threats aren’t as common, we have still maintained our vigilance in identifying negatives. Our modern threats come in the shape of other people, our relationships, our emotions and challenging tasks like exams or performances.

• When we meet new people we immediately assess whether or not they are a threat. Studies show that we look for negative traits in others and even focus on faults in their appearance.We expend a lot of brain activity processing those negatives and much less attention and brain activity on positive features. When we think about other people’s actions, we are much more likely to attribute negative motives to people than positive motives. We are naturally suspicious.
• We experience negative emotions as more powerful than positive emotions.This means we hold on to hurt much longer than joy. Think about that for a minute. It’s sad. When positive and negative emotions are combined the overall experience becomes negative. So, your child had a pretty good day at school. She got a good mark in maths and had fun with friends at lunchtime, but after school she posted a selfie and only 43 people liked it. She felt humiliated and it became a bad day. Humans naturally lack perspective, especially some of our adolescents.
• It is interesting to know that we have more negative language than positive language when describing emotions.Try it yourself. Ask your child to write down all the positive emotions they can think of and then the negatives. The negative list is likely to be longer. The problem with this is, thoughts are trapped in language. To think positively, we need to have positive words. This means that we can conceptualise negativity more easily than positivity.
• The closer we get to negative experiences the more negative they become.This potency change is not the same with positive emotions. For example, the closer your child gets to an exam the more frightened they get. However, a party getting closer doesn’t increase their excitement at the same rate.

All of this negativity is depressing…obviously. We are naturally negative and this is reinforced by the negative version of the world that is constantly fed to us by the media. It seeps in daily. The big question for me is why are we not more distressed? Why don’t we wake up and cry? Well, fortunately, there are two phenomena that keep us sane.

DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE THIS WAY?

Just because we have evolved as negative little doomsayers, doesn’t mean we have to stay that way. Psychologists have identified two factors that can save us from ourselves. Professor Lea Waters is a psychologist and president of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). She says that the keys to overcoming negativity are emotional contagion and the elevation effect.

Emotional contagion means that we are able to catch positive emotions from others. If there are positive people around you, you are more likely to be positive. When someone smiles at you it actually takes effort not to smile back, even if they are a complete stranger. All of those motivational memes and cute cats in your newsfeed might actually be keeping you sane. Of course, negativity is contagious too. So we have to choose to be in the company of positive people and sometimes turn off the news.

The elevation effect is the theory that we are inspired to be better when we see other people behaving in positive ways. We can be inspired to be morally or physically better. Professor Waters uses the example of taking up running during the Olympics. Think also of the enormous positive impact of the recent cave rescue in Thailand. Twelve children and their soccer coach became lost and trapped in a cave after it flooded. The elevation effect was created by the rescue workers who came from around the world to help free the terrified children. The triumph of humans helping humans lifted us up as a species. We really do need heroes.

HOW CAN WE BE MORE POSITIVE?

Being positive is a life skill that we must teach kids. In her Melbourne Ted talk, Professor Waters tells us that, “Positive emotions broaden our capacity for thinking and they build our connection to other people.” They make us more resilient. Positive emotions give us social and intellectual resources that help us through bad times.

If we can help our kids be positive it is a gift that will serve them for a lifetime. So what are some things that parents can do:

1. Create rituals where you focus on the positive. My friend Jayne and her husband ask their kids every night at dinner, “What was the best thing that happened to you today?”
2. Teach kids lots of words for positive emotions.
3. Role model focusing on the positive instead of the negative. You don’t have to turn into an over-smiling crazy person, but aim for 60/40 positive to negative conversations at least. The talk in your house is a barometer for your kids. It tells them how safe the world is and what sort of future they can expect.
4. Schools can use programs like Professor Waters’ The Positive Detective Program
5. Read and share good news stories, they will lift you up as well as your kids. Did you know that the giant panda is no longer an endangered species? Or that scientists have created an Ebola vaccine that is 100% effective? Visit good news websites like these:

Good News Network

Good News

Some mainstream news companies now include a page of good news on their websites, like this one from the ABC

6. Practice gratitude with your kids.There is science behind the idea that even two minutes of reflection on the good things in our life can lift a mood.

FINALLY…

Professor Waters says, “The more you see and share good, the more you want to see good.” It is self-perpetuating. In an era where we have the highest rates of depression and anxiety in our history, we owe it to ourselves, and our kids, to overcome the negativity bias and see the good.

https://lindastade.com/overcoming-negativity-children/

Feast of the Assumption of Mary - August 15

This Saturday - August 15 - is the day that Catholics have long celebrated what is called the Dormition (falling asleep) or Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Feast of the Assumption celebrates both the happy departure of Mary from this life by her natural death, and her assumption bodily into heaven. The Assumption is the main celebration of Mary's life and ministry.

We have no real knowledge of the day, year, and manner of Our Lady's death. The dates which have been assigned to her death vary between three and fifteen years after Christ's Ascension. Both Jerusalem and Ephesus claim to be the place where she died. (By tradition, Mary lived at Ephesus after the death of Jesus.) Mary's tomb was presumably found in Jerusalem. It is believed that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles, but that after her burial, her tomb, when opened, was found empty. Therefore, they concluded that her body had been taken up (assumed) into heaven.

There is an important difference, of course, between the ascension of Jesus into Heaven after His Resurrection, and the assumption of Mary. To ascend is to rise up under one's own power (Jesus ascended into heaven); while to be assumed means something that is done to someone. Jesus, being fully God (as well as being fully human) had no need of assistance; whereas Mary, being fully human, did not have this power.

The Feast of the Assumption has always been loved dearly by Christians. Through Mary, Jesus our saviour came into our world.

Mary’s Assumption is also a source of great hope for us. Someday, with God’s grace, and through trying to imitate Mary’s self-sacrificing love and compassion, indestructible faith and perfect obedience, we too may join her in heaven. For Christians, death is not extinction… where Mary now is, we are meant eventually to be. God loves us and yearns for us to join Mary, and all the saints in heaven.

'May we see heaven as our goal and come to share her glory'.

All of Mary's roles - Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, Lady of Sorrows - are tied in with her position in heaven, guiding, watching, and caring for us - God's children.

What an honour it is for us to call Mary, the very first saint, the patron of our Parish and our School.

Prayer for the Assumption of Mary

Father in heaven,

all creation rightly gives You praise,

for all life and all holiness come from You.

In the plan of your wisdom

she who bore Christ in her womb

was raised body and soul in glory

to be with Him in heaven.

May we follow her example

in reflecting your holiness

and join in her hymn of endless love and praise.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled."

Jump Rope for Heart

Students across all classes have been busily and enthusiastically preparing for the Skip Off on Friday of Week 5. Students will wear mufti clothing, bring a gold coin donation and present their class skipping items.

The skipping presentations will be live-streamed through Zoom from 2pm. Go to https://zoom.us/ and click on 'Join a Meeting'. Enter the meeting id - 224 832 1592.

The P&F have very generously donated their supply of fizzy cans for each student to enjoy at the end of the Skip Off to celebrate their hard work. If you would prefer for your child/ren to NOT  have a soft drink can I ask that you email me at rachael.croker@cg.catholic.edu.au. Thank you to the P & F for this treat.

Gala Hockey Day

Cricket NSW Gala Day

We have committed to participating in the Cricket NSW Gala Day on Wednesday 9 September. This will be held at Todkill Park and will involve all students from Years 3-6. The format of the day is still be negotiated, ensuring all COVID restrictions are adhered to.

More details to come closer to the date.

Boorowa Touch Football Carnival 2020 Cancelled

Please see the information below about the cancellation of the 2020 Boorowa Touch Football Carnival;

Boorowa Annual Touch Football/Netball Carnival 2020 Cancelled

It is with great sadness that we have had to cancel the 2020 Boorowa Touch Football/Netball Carnival.   With the ongoing uncertainty and potential health risks associated with such a big carnival, it was felt that this is the safest course of action following the guidelines and advice from our various Educational Organisations – Department of Education NSW and Catholic Education Office, Canberra & Goulburn.

Hoping to see you all on the 15 October 2021!

All students (Year K-6) are required to please bring in an old wire coat hanger for their Art Focus Day, thank you.

Kindy: Monday 31 August

Year 1: (already been)

Year 2: Monday 17 August

Year 3: (already been)

Year 4: (already been)

Year 5: (already been)

Year 6: Monday 24 August

Can every child please bring in a recycled water bottle so that we can make our own shakers for music.

Thank you!

We currently have two boxes of books on Autism, on loan from Catholic Education. Please see Mrs Spackman or Mrs Tarlinton, if you are interested in borrowing any of these fabulous resources. There are children’s picture books as well as books for adults.

We will be returning these books to Catholic Education at the end of the month.

Year 4 – Tahlia Anderson and Jack Peden

Year 5 - Lucy Gamble and Seth Grove

Year 6 - Marnie McCormack and Chloe Salt

Wood Raffle

Are you starting to run low on wood? Be prepared for our next cold snap by buying tickets in our Wood Raffle. Tickets will be sent home today with the eldest child in the family. Tickets cost $2 each and all proceeds go to the P&F Association to help support the school and the purchase of resources for our children.

Each booklet contains ten tickets, please buy or sell what you can and then send back in the sold and remaining tickets. Please do not feel like you need to purchase the whole booklet. Extra booklets can also be collected from the school office or sent home.

There will be two prizes, the first prize is a ute load of wood and the second is a trailer load. The raffle will be drawn of FRIDAY 21 AUGUST  - don't miss out! 

Thank you to the parents who have offered their labour and wood. 

St Mary's Cookbook

Due to current circumstances with COVID -19 and the resulting restrictions and limitations, we have been unable to carry out a lot of fundraising activities or events this school year.

With kids spending more time at home as a result of cancelled sport and other extra curricular activities, there is always the question of what to feed them...something different, interesting, easy and quick to prepare for those midweek meals, something that even the fussiest of eaters would eat or at least try, or maybe even something slightly more elaborate for weekends or when there is some time to spare.

Wouldn’t it be great to have an easy to use and refer to cookbook of family favourites?

Well, what if we had our own St Mary’s Cookbook? With anything and everything ranging from quick, simple and easy to throw together meals for those days when you just don’t feel like cooking, to more elaborate dishes when you feel like entertaining and impressing.

The book release is planned towards the end of Term 4, just in time for Christmas (Facebook has just informed me that there is only 4 months and 2 weeks till Christmas. Yes, it’s scary how quickly time flies). It would make planning meals during the long summer break just that little bit easier and less stressful. The book would also make a great Christmas present.

If you, or anyone you know, are willing to share your favourite recipe(s) that would be fantastic!!! Please email them to Belinda Tarlinton at Office.Stmarysc@cg.catholic.edu.au

Coordinator's Daria Lawson & Tash McCormack

Tuckshop

For Parish and Sacramental matters please forward your enquiries to Parish Secretary, Janet Haynes or Pastoral Associate Sr Rosemary via email or call into the Parish Office at the Old Convent Building on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

Email: Crookwell@cg.org.au

Website: http://cg.org.au/crookwell/Home.aspx 

Phone: 48321 633 

Address: 55 Wade Street (the Old Convent Building)

Lost Property

Can we please ask that everyone keep an eye out for a pair of missing prescription glasses? The glasses have a navy blue frame and Minnie Mouse on the arms. 

SDN Crookwell Preschool- Enrolling Now!

Enrolments for 2021 now open

Please phone 48323501 on Wednesdays between 9-3 for information

Drum Lessons

Spring Holidays Primary Camp