"Digital Sabbath"

This interesting excerpt from a 'blog' called The Workpad was forwarded to me recently and certainly worth sharing with you all.

Proactive Parenting:  Checklist for parents of children with iPads

Often children lack self-discipline and gravitate toward iMessage, Social Media and gaming. Sometimes adults may request their children to put digital devices away without providing an alternative.  Positive parenting requires a proactive approach.

It may be worthwhile as a parent of children with mobile technology to complete the checklist below to ensure healthy lifestyle is established within the family household:

þ  I have established house rules and re-visit expectations regularly
þ  I have enabled iPad Restrictions and installed web filtering on the home network
þ  I expect my child to use the iPad in an open area and do not allow use of the iPad in bedrooms
þ  I greet my child when they arrive home
þ  I boil the kettle and make a cup of coffee or tea for myself and share afternoon tea with my child
þ  I discuss the day with my child and ask them what they need to do for homework
þ  I set a time frame for work completion and monitor activity
þ  I use Guided Access when appropriate and necessary
þ  I review the work my child has completed on the iPad and display genuine interest in their productivity and work
þ  I eat dinner with my child at the family table with the TV switched off
þ  I have boundaries for my own personal use of Social Networking, phone calls and texting
þ  I spend quality time with my child and have established family traditions (ie Sunday bike ride, Friday Movie or Saturday Pizza night)
þ  I have allocated time as a 'Digital Sabbath'
þ  I ensure the iPad and all mobile technology is turned off and charged overnight in a common area
þ  I switch off WiFi at a designated time each and every night.

Wellbeing Blog 2014 Welcome

Welcome parents and friends to the Holy Cross College Wellbeing Blog! 

I’m Joanne Betti, School Social Worker at the College.  I’ve been tasked with maintaining our Wellbeing Blog, which both heartens and excites me.  Heartens, because our College actively promotes the importance of well being – our physical, emotional, mental and social health – and recognises that it is directly linked to personal happiness and life satisfaction.  Excites, because the blog provides an opportunity for me to research and share some helpful parenting advice, information about upcoming community events, educational resources and some tips and strategies around how to manage specific issues that may be affecting you and your child’s well being. 

I’ll be updating the blog fairly regularly, and am keen to gain your feedback as to how helpful you find the information posted.  If you have any comments, please feel free to contact me at the school on 08 9297 7600.

A few fun things to do with your family over the coming months

Ellenbrook Early Years Festival will be held on Sunday 18th May 2014 from 10:00am - 1pm at the Charlie Gregorini Memorial Park.  Go to www.playgroupwa.com.au for further details.  

Dinosaur Discovery:  Lost Creatures of the Cretaceous at the WA Museum.  Prepare for a close encounter with some of the most extraordinary creatures to ever walk the earth, featuring more than 20 moving, life-size dinosaur models, this is a dino-exhibition like none you’ve seen before!

FREE Easter egg workshops in Forrest Place, City of Perth, from 14th - 17th April 2014 from 10:00am - 2:00pm.

The Free Flicks for Kids film season held in the City of Perth’s Northbridge Piazza, offering free family entertainment by screening feature films every Saturday afternoon until May 2014. 

http://northbridgepiazza.showmeperth.com.au/event/free-flicks-kids-2013-2014

Year 12 Perspectives at the Art Gallery of WA is an annual exhibition that showcases the talents of Western Australian Year 12 visual arts students.  The exhibition runs until 5^th May.

Saturday May 3^rd 2014 is Free Comic Book Day @ Quality Comics in the city when participating comic book shops across North America and around the world give away comic books absolutely FREE.  http://www.freecomicbookday.co