Hello everybody!  I've just got to start out this week saying.....WAY TO GO!  We have nearly made it through the end of this school year and are coming out toward the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel - I'm talking mostly about the summer sunshine of course!  We may not be totally out of the 'tunnel' in terms of knowing exactly what's ahead of us - for school or lots of areas of life! - BUT we have reached a normal break time of the year which feels like an accomplishment to me.  I hope you can look at your situation and feel some sense of how hard you've worked and the success you've had.  I also hope you can feel that good summer difference in the air as we officially end the school year this week.  The end of the school year has been conflicting for me...probably my whole life really!  Its such a great feeling to be done with a school year and head into summertime BUT its also been a bummer to leave behind the good of that year.   I hope you can take a moment for yourself and with others to think and talk about what do you feel good about as you leave this year, what are you excited about as you head into summertime, and also what you are excited about as you look ahead to next year.  Let's not waste too much time now on the 'what-ifs' of what's ahead - let's just focus on what makes us feel good and what we're hoping is ahead.  Let's use this summer sun to open us up to hope again for the best!

Now, of course, we're all going to have moments of non-hope....those are ok too.  Just because we're out of school and into the 'normal' of summer doesn't make that flip-side of hope magically go away (sorry, no magic wand here!).  When those moments pop up for you, please note that I've included some more information-type resources on the 'Coping Resources' document this week (see COVID RESOURCES link on left for additional Financial Resources as well).  These are for those times when kids need another round of explanation and reassurance about what this all is about and how to handle it.   Something else to keep in mind, even though its summertime, are the 3 R's.  When it comes to handling stressful times of life maintaining as much Routine, strong Relationships and emotional/behavioral Regulation can make a very positive difference.  

On this note, I'd be remiss to not mention the stressful events occurring in our country right now centering around racial equity.  This is another potentially stressful situation affecting kids and families.  It may also have kids asking some tough-feeling questions based on what they are seeing and hearing around them which may in turn be leading to adults wondering what should their response be.  How much should we share with our kids, are they old enough to understand, how to explain topics that we as adults don't even always understand in great depth?!  The answer is YES we should be talking to our kids about these things, especially if they are asking, but at a level that makes sense for them.   Check out the following resources (as well as the 'Racial Equity Resources' link to the left) to help out as you head into these very important conversations:

Social Justice Resources: http://www.childrenscommunityschool.org/social-justice-resources/

Your Kids Aren't Too Young...https://www.prettygooddesign.org/blog/Blog%20Post%20Title%20One-5new4

How to Talk to Kids about Race and Racism from Parent Toolkit:  https://www.parenttoolkit.com/social-and-emotional-development/advice/social-awareness/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-race-and-racism 

Beyond the Golden Rule - A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice:  https://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/beyond_golden_rule.pdf 

How to Teach Kids About Taboo Topics TED Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/liz_kleinrock_how_to_teach_kids_to_talk_about_taboo_topics 

Talking to Kids About Race from National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/family/in-the-news/talking-about-race/ 

Sesame Street in Communities Video: Community Violence: https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/community-violence/ 

I'll sign off with just a little reminder from Mr. Rogers....you know, the nicest, most caring and compassionate man on the planet (still!).  Mr Rogers shared that his mother always said that when something bad happened in the world, make sure you look for the helpers in the midst of it.  They are always there and that is who we really want to make sure we focus on as well!  Take care everyone - hope its a great week!  Mrs G