President’s Corner – Starting off the New Year Right

Dear PoliteChild family, supporters, and friends:

There was a story in a local paper just in the past few days about how one school had declared January 24th a day where none of the students would talk down to or bad about other classmates. It was a “put-down free” zone for one day.

It sounds like a good plan, in concept, but you have to consider the deeper implications. For one day, we’re asking students to stop exhibiting a negative behavior. But, does that mean that the rest of the year this behavior is somehow more ok or to be tolerated? And, what are we failing to teach our kids in the home or in the community that makes it necessary to declare the social equivalent of “The Great American Smokeout?”

We need to focus on instilling in our children those values that prevent this type of negative expression. They clearly aren’t internalizing the concepts of Kindness, Consideration, and The Golden Rule. Ask your child: how would you feel if someone called you “Dumbo” or “Dork” or any of the other anti-social labels kids like to fling at one another. If they tell you, “Aw, Mom, it’s just a joke…” explore with them how “fun” it really is to be called names or to be made the brunt of a joke.

This may seem trivial, but name-calling and put-downs are the beginning of other disrespectful behaviors. And we’re surrounded by these incidents in the media, in our homes, in our communities. What passes for comedy these days is frequently a never-ending string of put-downs and denigrations to the accompaniment of a laugh-track. We have become insensitive to this instinctive form of disrespect; it’s no wonder our kids are acting out what they see around them.

New Year’s is all about fresh starts and New Year’s Resolutions. In January, we also focus on equality for all as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed. Maybe this year each of us can make one simple resolution that could make a major difference in our lives and how we relate to one another. Let’s resolve to say one less put-down each day; even if we don’t regularly engage in that kind of talk, it’s amazing what “slips out” when we’re not vigilant. And, let’s make an effort to say one kind word each day to someone important in our lives: our parents, our friends, maybe even someone we just meet casually. Take away a negative behavior and substitute it with a positive one is the best way to succeed when you’re trying to change behaviors.

And, if I haven’t said it to you, our readers and friends, I really appreciate the encouragement and support you always give us. I welcome your comments, as usual, at corinneg@politechild.com.

Corinne Gregory, President & Founder

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   First "Train the Teacher" DVD Available

First “Train the Teacher” DVD Now Available

We’re very excited to announce our first “Train the Teacher” program is available for purchase on DVD.

This first product is based on the Company’s introductory SocialSmarts™ for GradeSchoolers course. The DVD contains the entire 6-hour session, but it is organized in such a way that training can be broken up lesson-by-lesson to allow for flexibility with how often and/or how long each training session lasts.

Before the creation of this first product, teacher training was offered only as traditional on-site instructor-led training to schools who had licensed the PoliteChild programs and materials for its students. Now The PoliteChild will be able to better serve the increasing demand we are seeing for our training and licensed curriculum.

While we don’t see this completing replacing instructor-led training (after all, handling things like Q&A are still best done face-to-face!), it will be an alternative for schools and organizations who may not always be able to accommodate the scheduling challenges substitutes or in-service days present. And, by having the training on DVD, it allows for larger audiences than might be able to attend at a typical school or district if only instructor-led training were available to them.

The DVD and accompanying materials are priced on a tiered scale, based on the number of licenses and sets of materials needed. For more information on the DVD or to order your copy, please contact us at 866.485.4089 or info@politechild.com.

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 Next Licensee Training

Parenting Tip of the Month: Preparing for Valentine’s Day

Have you noticed that no sooner had we put the winter holiday decorations away that wall-to-wall hearts and cupids had replaced them? Yes, indeed: Valentine’s Day is on the way.

And, while hearts and flowers and love is the predominant message conveyed, Valentine’s Day can be fraught with broken hearts, too, if the holiday isn’t treated with care. No doubt we all have felt the sting of not getting a Valentine card from a special someone? Or, when our best friend decides overnight that they no longer want to have anything to do with us? Valentine’s Day is a very public opportunity to experience rejection, which makes that rejection even harder to deal with.

This is a perfect time to exercise the Golden Rule – “Treat others the way you want them to treat you.” This Valentine’s Day, have your child consider his or her classmates when getting Valentine’s cards ready for passing out. Talk with your child about the importance of including everyone – that everyone is special and has value. Valentine’s Day is supposed to be about showing love, and you can discuss with your child how showing even a little extra kindness and consideration can make someone feel special and make their day.

Again, use the Golden Rule to reflect back to your child how showing this extra caring is part of how we should treat everyone, not just on this “day of love” but everyday. Maybe you can also make a special effort to send “love” to someone who might not ordinarily get it, by “adopting” an elderly person in a nursing. There are many ways to connect with people who are lonely and alone; you can start with your church or synagogue, or maybe a local senior center or convalescent home. Encourage creativity in your child and you might be surprised with what he or she comes up with!

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