Ms. Ariel has put together a great newsletter for September and I hope you enjoy it. Look for the winner of the video contest, and see what is BLS is doing for Halloween. Just click on the image and you will get the September newsletter.
Life Skills: Our Practice of Teamwork and Self-Reliance in the wake of Irene
As we have come to the end of the month and our discussions on Teamwork it was gratifying to see the use of teamwork in the families here at our school. Our students really got a special opportunity to display teamwork this week with our brush with Irene, the hurricane.
Some of the parents in the school started using the term Team “Last Name” as they told the stories of their family cleaning up after the storm or dealing in their own way with the inconveniences or even emergencies that they faced in the wake of the storm.
When the students returned to class we gave all the students the opportunity to tell their hurricane story, and reminded them that when they helped with work that needed to be done in or around the house they were practicing teamwork. We also reminded them that every team member has a special skill and or responsibility to fulfill on the team, and how thankful they could be that their parents had kept them safe during this emergency. They could rely on the team, just as the team relied on them.
While having an earthquake and hurricane in the same week was a bit disconcerting, we did get to practice teamwork – and even some of our word of the month in September; Self Reliance.
Checking in with our community
Lion Dance Costume
A cool opportunity dropped in my lap yesterday. Daria, a classmate of mine, is doing some work on the internet helping people back home in Russia get practice weapons and training clothes from here in China. She just received a lion dancing costume which she is going to forward to her client, but she asked the client if first she could try it on and take some photos. She just needed someone to be the tail. That’s where I got involved :-).
I am not going to try to write anything informative about lion dancing (I know almost nothing about it) but after thirty minutes of sweating under that thick costume material and straining to hold Daria up in some of the poses we came up with, I have new respect for those who practice this art form. I had thought it to be a dying or dead art, but I learned yesterday that there are kungfu schools in Canada and the U.S. where the dances are still practiced and preserved. In my time in China, I have never seen a lion dance costume or seen a dance performed, so I thought it was not done. But perhaps it is a regional tradition and I have just not been the the right places.
As a guy who likes making things, I find the head of the lion fascinating. By coincidence, I have been working on a project using similar bamboo construction techniques, and seeing the craftsmanship on this head is awesome. The outside of the head is beautiful, but for me, the inside is mesmerizing.
Talking To Our Children About Natural Disasters and World Events
Today we experienced an earthquake here in Anne Arundel County and this weekend it might be a hurricane. While the earthquake was not centered here, it was still strong enough that for many we were a bit scared, a especially for those of us who had never experienced one before. I thought it was ironic that I was having a meeting with a person from California – who was not phased by it at all.
But this is about our children who have in the past few months heard of disastrous earthquakes in Japan and Haiti, with all of the after effects, and who have no doubt heard of the unrest in the Middle East and will also now be reminded, by the media, about the happenings of 9/11 as well as hearing about the hurricane coming. Many of these children will feel stressed and anxious by all of these reports as they try to figure out how they will be affected and asking themselves what if it happens to me questions. The question we must deal with as parents is what and how to deal with these sorts of circumstances. Sticking with our normal routines as best that we can and being careful of our own reactions, shock / fear / anger as our children will reflect the parents feelings and attitude and exagerate it while they apply it to themselves.
As parents and teachers we also do not want to ignore what is happening, especially of school aged children, because even if you do not bring it up, they will hear about it at school. If the children are frightened by the images they see or stories they hear, we do not want them to keep those feelings bottled up inside. On the other hand though we want to answer the questions they ask, appropriately for their age, without going further than what they are concerned about at the time. If the subject is not coming up from them, we may choose to bring it up and ask them what they have heard or believe is happening. Depending on the age and personality of the child, we can emphasize the work being done by others to help the victims of natural disaster and focus on what we might be able to do to assist others. This can become a great teaching moment, in empathy, global responsibility and service to others.
Sometimes too children can confuse the happenings in a movie with reality and begin to fantasize about the results of a disaster. Limiting the amount of television is always a good idea and 
watching and talking with them are two good ways of being sure you are there for them in the case that they do become anxious about these disasters. Explaining to them about the progress science has made in modern times and allowing them to be a part of the solution by supporting world relief organizations is good for them too. Reassuring them that you as their parent or guardian will be there to protect them and care for them is important for any child, but especially children who may be particularly susceptible to experiencing worry, anxiety and stress.
For more information about talking to your child about the anniversary of 9/11 I found this article quite informative and I would like to share it with you.
Lessons on Stress
Check out Lessons on Stress. In a time and world where stress is a major contributing factor to illness and unhappiness it is important that we find ways to cope with it that are healthy. This is especially important for our young people; teens, tweens and even as young as pre-schoolers.
It was recently reported that the fastest growing age group being diagnosed as clinically depressed are pre-school children. Shocking and yet part of this has to do with stress. What do young children stress about? While they may not seem to be that big a deal to us, young kids do stress over friends, pleasing parents, their schedule, and more.
In Lessons on Stress we talk about teens especially as too many times stress, depression and anxiety leads to suicide ideation and completion. We are introducing this site in tandem with our Bully Prevention Partners site and the Out of the Darkness suicide awareness walk being held in Annapolis on September 10.
Please join Balanced Life Skills in our efforts to create a culture of peace in ourselves, families, schools and community.