Back into the swing of things 

Happy new year, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. As we have begun a new year it is nice to acknowledge the things we are grateful for and how to show that gratitude to one another. Studies have shown that the impact of gratitude on our overall well-being benefits both our physical and emotional health, including happiness in children. Luckily, gratitude can be added to our daily routines without increasing our never-ending "to-do" lists.

There are many ways to show your gratitude and appreciation such as:

• Promoting sincere verbal or written expressions of thankfulness. Thanking others helps to increase self-esteem, mental strength and positive social behaviours such as: helping, sharing, and volunteering. All of these are vital to strengthening our resilience and sense of self.

• Writing your loved one’s a letter or for those of you who are tech savvy a text message, making it simple and sincere by providing an example of how they went above and beyond for you.

• Making time for each other, doing things or making things together. This can include their favourite meal/ treat, building lego, playing a family game, or even watching something on tv that gets the family involved and talking.

• Be a role model. One way to teach your children to be more grateful is by actually being more grateful yourself. Show them your appreciation on a regular basis and they will learn to follow in your footsteps.

Remember spending just a few minutes a day to practise gratitude with our families can have a positive impact on how we address stressful situations, life unexpectedly throws our way. It is especially effective when trying to build and maintain healthy relationships and resilience.

LEO family support form

LEO family support website

Free courses in England

Free courses in England offer flexible free online parenting courses with certificates on completion, which are fully-funded by the UK Government and qualifications are accredited by NCFE or TQUK. At Free Courses in England, they are passionate about helping parents achieve their goals, and that’s why they offer courses that are both convenient and flexible. You can learn at your own pace, and around your daily routines and commitments as a parent. Their online parenting courses are designed to increase your understanding of child development and help you pass on lifelong skills to your children.

https://freecoursesinengland.co.uk/parents/

Please be considerate to others when parking near school.  We regularly get complaints from local residents whose drives have been blocked and a number of parents have also recently expressed concerns about dangerous parking that makes it difficult for small children to be seen when crossing roads etc.  If you do need to drive to school, please leave enough time to park safely and think about our neighbours.  Thank you.