WHO Can Help

= &n= bsp; &nbs= p; WHO Can Help?

What do we need to do to improve our family situations? Certainly families are busy and o= ff in many directions as we try to make it through each week successfully. Television and video games are to= o often used as way to stop further movement and interruptions in our family. However, the topics and themes of= the programs on the television and the games include anger, guns, war and other violence. This reveals loss = and dysfunctional behaviors which replace smiles, hugs and supportive conversa= tion a child may need to see and hear from you. Kind words and compliments for behaviors in the family that can be appreciated. Cooperation and= help in a family need to be practiced and enjoyed as much as television and the latest game for Game Boy or X Box.

Is it a gun control issue and/or a d= eeper issue? What is it about our lifestyles that need to be restructured? Most families ha= ve to have two incomes to survive. Family life is unique in its creation. The nu= clear family has been burdened with many changes brought on by corporation moves, telecommunication advancement, divorce and dysfunctional lifestyles, loss = of extended family due to moves for work assignments. Parents have had to fill many roles for their children.

&nbs= p; In some of my counseling groups, we work with problem solving. It is important that the children learn the positive alternatives to handling anger. They learn not to use name-callin= g, put downs and physical hurts to solve problems.

There are= five steps the children learn to follow, when addressing a problem or conflict:=

1.&= nbsp; STOP

2.&= nbsp; THINK

3.&= nbsp; TALK WITH SOMEONE YOU TRUST

4.&= nbsp; TRY OUT ONE OF YOUR ALTERNATIVESR= 30; SEE IF IT WORKS…

5.&= nbsp; REWARD YOURSELF AS PROBLEM IS SOLVED= .

= You may say, “”. Maybe. It all could be summ= arized in two words. Those words are NOT, more money, stylish clothes, more technology, bigger houses, newer cars, tax cuts, corporation goals or larger malls, video games or X-Box. Instead, on a national, local, busi= ness and family level the two words need to be:

&= nbsp; &nb= sp; FAMILY FIRST

If you have questions about your child’s success in school or lack or it, if there is a sudden change your child is facing, if there is a school situation your child is facing and you wish to team with someone regarding the solutions for school difficulties, I am one source y= ou can contact. We can arrange a meeting and make a plan for helping your chi= ld.

My e-mail a= ddress is: sdamon@lwsd.org , or you can call me at Sandburg Elem= entary (425-823-8670), 12801 84^th NE, Kirkland, WA 98034, or Thoreau Elementary (425-823-4350), 8224 NE 138^th Street, Kirkland<= /st1:City>, WA 98034.

Respectfully,

Sharon Damon

Counselor &nb= sp; = ; &= nbsp; &nb= sp;