I hope everyone had a Happy Easter and enjoyed their spring break (although it felt like another winter break)!  Never the less, the time off was much needed.  Throughout the Lenten season, I read reflections from The Word Among Us, which is one of my favorite Catholic magazines.  Often when I read a reflection, I will think, "That was written just for me."  Don't you love it when that happens?  God knows what you need and provides.   The kicker is that we like to think we know what we need.  The phrase that immediately comes to mind: "We plan and God laughs."  If God texted, He would insert the laughing face emoji.  I had to travel during the break and the only way to get there was flying.  I hate to fly!  After worrying myself senseless, praying countless rosaries and some divine mercy chaplets, I read the following reflection: "Prayer is sitting on the runway, and God's grace meets us there, fuels our plane, and takes us into the atmosphere."  That was God's way of saying" I have told you it's going to be alright!"  Of course that reflection came a couple of days after the first flight, but the flight home was a little easier.  Phrases like this also can be helpful in one of the toughest jobs we will ever do-parenting.  Many of the recent reflections and articles that have caught my attention have focused on parenting.  One of the reflections during Holy Week, found in The Word Among Us, focused on listening skills for parents.  The article made some valuable suggestions about how we, as parents, should listen to our children. One suggestion focused on how we should become “loving, careful listeners,” which explained that we should suspend our own agendas and judgements to better see how our children are viewing a situation.  Another suggestion included looking for signs that can point to specific struggles they are experiencing and avoiding quick responses to smooth things over.   Pay attention to what they are saying, what they are trying to say and what they are not saying was a final suggestion.  Verbal communication is becoming a lost skill.  Sometime I need reminding that I have to be the driving force for communication with my children.  The younger ones can be very verbal but the older ones are a different story if I let them dissolve into their devices (phone, tablet, etc.).  We are not alone in this job.  We need to support each other and remember that the Father is ALWAYS there for us.  A reflection from the Dynamic Catholic website summed it up well: "Don't hold onto anything.  There is nothing that you are holding onto that is safer in your hands than in God's."  So very true and humbling.
      In April's guidance lessons, the kindergarten class will learn about and practice self control, especially blurting out in the classroom.  This can be so difficult for children this age.  I frequently talk with students about finding their "pause button," to help with impulse control.  We will be playing a game to help develop this skill further.  Both the first and second grade classes will focus on cooperation.  Both classes will be playing some fun but challenging games to practice working with others as a team.  Not only will we discuss how there is "no I in teamwork," we will also discuss how it feels to depend on others to complete a task.  The third grade classes will focus on decision making skills incorporating a growth mindset.  We will discuss short term and long term consequences that follow decisions we make.  It's hard to think about third graders needing this skill, but in today's world of instant gratification, it is a skill that children need to develop. 
    If you have any questions/comments or need help with anything please contact me at kim.bennett@owensborocatholic.org or at (270)-684-7583.