Christmas is a time of wonder, joy, excitement, and stress… Financial stress

from trying to figure out how to pay for the gifts, meals, and decorations that go

along with the festivities of the season. Physical stress from work, life, staying up

late for work engagements, fitting in family visits etc. And of course, emotional

stress from the strain of hosting family,

trying to have it “all together” while life also

carries on with children’s sports, activities,

school projects, etc. It is indeed a busy

and often chaotic time of year. Whether

you love or loathe the season, it is upon us

and there are a few things to consider

about the holidays… and I mention these things partly as a reminder to myself

and partly because they just make good plain sense.

The Joy and Stress of the Holiday Season

P.E.P Talk

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2

S P E C I A L

P O I N T S O F I N -

T E R E S T :

The Joy and Stress of

the Holiday Season.

Connect Parenting

Program.

Non-Toy Gifts.

Equine Assisted Learn-

ing.

Parent Education:

Anxiety in Youth.

Miss Pansky’s

Recommendations

(Positively Empowering Parents)

Your kids need you - your presence, not your presents. Yes, yes, I know they will ask for the latest and

greatest iPad, iPod, iPhone, etc…, but the reality is that you can decide if that’s a reasonable gift for your

family or not. Also, the gift of time and presence speaks volumes when it comes time for getting the things

you need from your children; leaving the house on time, helping with dishes, chores, cleaning rooms, etc.

Building a connected relationship is what helps you get not only what you want, but what you need. We all

have a basic human need for connection.

Think to your school days, the teachers who had the biggest impact on you, where you did your best learning,

behaved the best, and tried the hardest, were likely the same teachers you adored, felt connected to, and felt

liked by them, and wanted to please them as a result. Same goes in the home - when was the last time you

complimented your kids? Played a game with them? Laughed, like really belly laughed with them? Has it

been awhile since you truly enjoyed sharing time with them?

P A G E 2

Consider concentrating on that this holiday season - reconnect, rebuilding that relationship, recharging,

rekindling, and renewing your love and adoration for your kids. Face it though we all love our kids, some-

times it really is hard to like them! Check out the following few tips to help fuel that joy again:

1. Look through baby pictures of them, it will bring a smile to your face guaranteed.

2. Take interest in a video game they are playing (even if it’s not your gig) ask questions about the game,

which character they like and why? What’s the goal? How do they level up? Watch your child light up

as they describe it to you, and see the wonder through their eyes.

3. Focus on the positives - build an “awesome” jar and put little notes in the jar whenever you see them

doing something positive, proactive, kind, etc. Then once a week, open the jar and read out the com-

pliments, and watch them get into it, siblings will start writing for siblings because they LOVE hearing

the nice things they’ve done each week. Good begets good.

4. Hug - yep, just hug your kids more and for longer. You both benefit from the beautiful cocktail of loving

chemistry that happens… it boosts oxytocin, serotonin, strengthens the immune system and teaches

how to ‘give and receive.’ So, go give those fabulous kids a squeeze!

5. Make a craft with your kids - there are so many cool ideas on Pinterest of simple decorations and

crafts you can do, and you can marvel at their creations and get crafty yourself too… it’s a good ex-

cuse to sit down and spend time together. Or if crafts aren’t your thing - bake with your kids with the

express intention of sharing with someone of their choosing, could be a friend, a neighbour, a family

member or their favourite teacher!

P . E . P T A L K

Connect Parenting Program The Connect Parenting program was designed with parents and caregivers of pre-teen and teens in

mind. It is an excellent guide for improving your connection with the young person in your life. In case

you are considering the program or feel you have tried everything and you and the young person in your

life are still feeling frustrated -- then find out if Connect is the right program for you. It is not shame

oriented, it is not saying you are a bad or lousy parent, it is saying YOU ARE AWESOME and parenting

is the hardest job on the planet and we get that… Truly, we do.

Typically Connect is run as a 9 week program, however, we are considering a new format in

2018 - which would see it run as three Saturdays, 9 am - 2 pm. More news in early 2018.

Non-Toy Gift Giving

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 1 , I S S U E 2

I have 3 kids and we moved them to Canada 4

year ago with virtually nothing but what could fit

in our suitcases, so they left behind many toys,

books and games. We had this “fresh start”

which somehow quickly degenerated into the

getting of STUFF, STUFF and more… STUFF!

Now we live in a 4 bedroom house, in Cochrane,

and all I see everywhere is this proliferation of

stuff! Honestly, the last thing my kids need is

another toy, another stuffy, another game,

gadget, gizmo… we have too much stuff as it is!

There are few ways to handle the “stuff.” I know

some families that have the get something/give

something away policy, so if their child wants a

new toy, they have to donate an old toy before

they get the new one.

Another cool idea, if you’re like me and you’re

sick of the stuff… is to do a non-toy

Christmas. There are tons of great gifts that

kids can get without you accumulating more

stuff in your house. These ideas are also great

for grandparents to participate in helping you

out too. Gifting lessons; art lessons, music

lessons, gymnastics, dance, swimming, etc…

They add up and it gets expensive to put kids in

lessons - so give the child in your life the gift of

lessons.

Buying a membership for somewhere like the

zoo, or Telus Spark Centre means that they can

go multiple times. Or buying tickets to a theater

production, a movie pass, or gift card for restau-

rant that they like.

Here’s a lovely list of “non-toy” gifts to

give if you want more ideas: https://

www.yourmodernfamily.com/non-toy/

P A G E 4

Equine Assisted Learning Last year we had the good fortune of

running two 6-week programs of

Equine Assisted Learning from the

kindness and generosity of facilitator

Christine Schauer and Al Wattie of the

James River Horse Palace. We would

love the opportunity to run these pro-

grams again, but we need some funds

in order to do so. Our school funding

is typically earmarked towards

endeavors that cover the whole

school, or at the very least a large part

of it whenever possible. However,

experience has told us that sometimes

small group activities like this can

create lasting beneficial impressions

that are incredibly valuable. We have

a wonderfully unique opportunity here

in Sundre to capitalize on an amazing

out of school experience in the Equine

P . E . P T A L K

Assisted Learning program. We are

therefore soliciting donations to help

secure the necessary funds to reach as

many of our young people as possible in

2018. If you or your company would like

to donate, cheques can be made

payable to River Valley School and all

donations over $50 can be issued a tax

receipt. Thank you so much! If you’d

like to know more, Miss Lindsay has

information packages available.

Parent Education: Anxiety in Youth Our second Parent Education night is now booked!

Join us for an evening presentation with Alberta Health Services guest presenter, Katherine Jarrell, on

Thursday, January 25th from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. Doors open at 6:15 pm.

From all of us at River Valley, have a wonderful

holiday break! See you in !

P A G E 5

Miss Pansky’s Recommendations Hello! My name is Karli Pansky and I am the new learning commons technician/librarian at the school. I

strongly believe that taking the time to read with your children is beneficial to not only improving their long term

reading success, but also strengthening their relationship with you. Every month I will have a spot in the P.E.P

Talk newsletter containing book recommendations based on a theme. These are books that we do have in the

library, so feel free to come take a look! I look forward to seeing you and your children in the library!

Win

ter

Pip & Squeak

By Ian Schoenherr

The Polar Express

By Chris Van Allsburg

Just Right for Christmas

By Birdie Black