Did you know that April 20th has been deemed a National Day of Action? It’s the 19th anniversary of the school shooting at Columbine High School and a day that many communities are planning events designed at keeping kids safer in schools.
I thought I’d let you know about something I am doing to help professionals, parents and teachers like you on this day and challenge you to take part with me:
It’s the School Safety Summit, and it’s totally FREE to register!
I will giving a presentation called Putting Back the Pieces After Community Violence: Using Play Therapy To Mend Broken Attachments
And other top mental health and play therapy experts are talking about:
Reducing bullying using the Nurtured Heart Approach
How we might actually be increasing aggression by trying to keep kids calm
Toolkits for schools to prepare for crisis responses
This is a politics free event focused entirely on how to help parents and teachers feel more prepared to help the kids that they care so much about.
As this school year wraps up, most students and parents will eagerly, or for some anxiously, wait for report cards. Progress in reading, math, writing, physical education and perhaps, depending on your district or structure of your school, aspects of learning such as ‘motivation’ or ‘character’ will be indicated somewhere on the document. However, do you know how your child is functioning regarding social skills? Does it really matter?
Research in education today signals a resounding yes. In generations past, children acquired these skills almost exclusively at home and within their families. With increasing negative societal influences and various sources of stress bombarding so many of us, it’s hard for parents to go it alone. Schools can often be an important partner with parents to provide positive social skills development. Yet, what can you do if your child doesn’t seem to be interacting socially in age appropriate ways?