Gilson Gazette T4 W2 - Gilson College

Agnes was born in 1910, in Skopje, then part of the former Yugoslavia. Her father was an Albanian green grocer.

When she was 12 Agnes knew that she was being called by God to do some type of work for Him. However it wasn’t until she was 18 that she made a decision to join a religious order in Ireland. Just 6 weeks later they sent Agnes to India as a teacher. It is quite easy to brush over the next period of Agnes’ life, but for the next 30 years Agnes devoted her life to helping people both as teacher and a nurse.

She founded the order called the ‘Missionaries of Charity’ which operates hospitals, schools, orphanages, youth centres and shelters for lepers and the dying poor. They have given refuge to well over 40 000 people and have branches in about 50 Indian cities and about 30 other countries.

In 1948 Agnes was given permission to leave her order by the Pope and in the same year she became an Indian citizen.

In response to her work she has been awarded:

– India’s highest civilian award

– The Pope John 23rd Peace Prize

– The Nobel Peace Prize

Well, no doubt Agnes is better known to all of us as Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Recently I came across this poem by Mother Teresa and here it is.

It’s Between You and God

by Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

It’s worth a thought.

Mark B Vodéll
Principal

I watched the Netflix documentary “The Social Dilemma” during the school holidays. It really reminded me of the importance of awareness around the content that I consume. Like many young adults across the world, I am hooked into multiple social media platforms and use them regularly. I think they are good! They are able to facilitate connection and enable us to share ideas across the world in a way that has not been possible before. However, (there’s always a “but”!) These platforms exist in a world where turning over a profit is considered paramount.

For example; Facebook is a multi-national corporation worth about $780 Billion and owns a number of other platforms including WhatsApp and Instagram. That’s a big number and their reach means a lot of power and influence. As a public company, they are liable to their shareholders to continue turning over a profit quarter after quarter; year after year.

Instead of using pay to use the business model, profits are driven by time spent online. Facebook knows you very well and has your engagement so other businesses are able to capitalise on this data to specifically target you with products that you are more likely to purchase. The film has reminded me that my mind is literally being moulded by the algorithms created by AI (Artificial Intelligence) driven to make a profit. Even more, concerning is when this data is used to push political agendas and essentially “strongly sway” elections.

Furthermore, Social media really only shows off our highlight reels; so, our expectations of what our lives should always look like are unrealistic. This can create anxiety when we aren’t living up to those unrealistic expectations.

Ultimately for me; I will continue to use social media. But I am reminded of the importance of limiting my usage and being aware that the content I see is designed to keep me watching and is not necessarily shown to me for my benefit. So, I am now more guarded. Additionally, I am made in the image of God and do not have to stress about creating a perfectly crafted “Insta filter” version of myself. I am enough.

I would definitely recommend checking out “The Social Dilemma” if you are able to access it with Netflix. Here is a link to see the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaaC57tcci0&ab_channel=Netflix

Blessings
Brayden Rath

SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA

There is a misconception that dyslexia just affects the ability to read and write. If this were true, it would be much easier to identify. In fact, dyslexia can have an effect on areas such as coordination, organisation and memory.

Each person with dyslexia will experience the condition in a way that is unique to them and as such, each will have their own set of abilities and difficulties.

However, if you know what to look for, the common signs that can help you to identify whether the difficulties being experienced could be indicative of dyslexia and would suggest that further investigation could be beneficial.

Signs of dyslexia (Early Years)

The following indicators may suggest that your child has a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) such as dyslexia. Many young children will display these behaviours and make these mistakes. It is the severity of the behaviour and the length of time it persists which give vital clues to identifying a difficulty such as dyslexia.

Indicators

Difficulty learning nursery rhymes
Difficulty paying attention, sitting still, listening to stories
Likes listening to stories but shows no interest in letters or words
Difficulty learning to sing or recite the alphabet
A history of slow speech development
Muddles words e.g. cucumber, flutterby
Difficulty keeping simple rhythm
Finds it hard to carry out two or more instructions at one time, (e.g. put the toys in the box, then put it on the shelf) but is fine if tasks are presented in smaller units
Forgets names of friends, teacher, colours etc.
Poor auditory discrimination
Difficulty cutting, sticking and crayoning in comparison with their peer group
Difficulty in dressing, e.g. finds shoelaces and buttons difficult
Difficulty with catching, kicking or throwing a ball
Often trips bumps into things, and falls over
Difficulty hopping or skipping
Obvious ‘good’ and ‘bad’ days for no apparent reason

Next steps

There is a large body of research linking speech and language difficulties in early childhood to later literacy problems. Identifying potential speech and language problems as early as possible is really important as much can be done before a child starts school to develop their language skills. This will then support their reading development at school.

If you are worried about your child’s speech and language development, speak to your GP or health visitor. If you think your child may be dyslexic, discuss your concerns with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) in your child’s early years setting. Early help is vital to reduce the chance of loss of confidence and low self-esteem. A child can only be diagnosed with dyslexia through a Diagnostic Assessment but these are usually only carried out from 7 years old.

Online Behaviour, Parenting, Understanding their world, Unplugged Parenting , by Martine Ogledthorpe

As many kids in Australia and around the world begin the transition back to school and to a “new normal”, it does come with some mixed emotions for many. There are certainly those that can’t wait to ship the kids back to their teachers and many kids that are desperate to see their friends, get back to their sports and resume pre-covid activities. And then there are those that have become very used to the security and relative comfort of the family home, loving the slower pace, the limited car trips to activities, the weekends free of commitments and the hours of family bonding. There are those kids that have enjoyed working at their own pace, free from the need to be ‘socially switched on’ all the time and the emotional energy that a normal school day can consume. And then there are those oscillating between all of the above. On one hand being able to see the value of their time spend in isolation, whilst also craving a return to whatever our new normal looks like.

Whatever your situation and however you are feeling, this time of change and transition may require some adjustments to mindset and expectations both for ourselves as parents, and for our kids too, as they head back after such a lengthy break.

Practically speaking

Clean out the school bag early! There is nothing like the stench of a 2 month old banana to take the gloss off the first day back at school
Try and get back to morning routines and sleeping patterns before day 1 so you can get the mind and body ready to go
Communicate with your kids that there will be some different rules, routines and procedures at school, but the teachers will be helping them with these and ensuring everyone is aware of any changes

Supporting the anxious child

For those kids that have been enjoying the security of learning from home, the thought of returning to school after such a long time can be a very daunting.

Aside from telling you, some signs they may be feeling anxious are…..

Moody, withdrawn, easily frustrated
getting upset over small things
sleep issues
loss of appetite
feeling sick, stomach aches etc
getting parents to do things they could usually do for themselves

Things you can do to help……

Listen and validate: sometimes just acknowledging their concerns is enough. You can validate their feelings without feeling you have to give them all the answers.
Remember you set the emotional tone of the household. Talk in a positive way about the teachers and the school, and show your child you have faith in how things will play out. It doesn’t mean we have to constantly tell them everything will be perfect and wonderful, but we can be conscious of how we talk about it and try to maintain that positive spin.
Help them try and flip their concerns. For example, encourage them to move from “What if I go to school and nobody wants to talk to me” to “What if you go to school and people are happy to see you”. Let’s look at other ways we can talk to ourselves. Asking other questions such as “What’s the worst that can happen if ….?” and “How have I dealt with this before” can help reframe their concerns.
Remember a little anxiety is normal and to be expected.

Helping kids wean from the screens

It is no surprise that our children’s screen use has jumped significantly during the times of home isolation. Aside from children learning from home, which is done primarily via a device of some sort, the technology also took over many other elements of our kids lives. Some of the everyday experiences that were taken away from kids were replaced by their use of screens. When real life connection, play dates and hanging with friends was no longer an option, the online games, social networks and chat sites provided a platform for kids to stay in touch with friends and family. Those social connections are crucial for young people and thus the screens were able to fill that void. With all that extra downtime, but no sports practise, game days or extra curricula activities, many kids also turned to the screens for their entertainment. Gaming, YouTube and Netflix may well have played a bigger role. Our strict boundaries around screentime may well have gone out the window as we also struggled to manage our own work whilst still keeping young people occupied.

So now we have to send them back to school and I know many parents are worried about how their kids will go if they try and take back some of those screentime hours and what sorts of battles may lay ahead. Here are a few things to think about….

You don’t need to shut everything down cold turkey. Weaning of the screens may mean making gradual reductions in times with the technology so our kids can get used to re introducing many of the other elements into their day.
Have the conversation with your kids about why the extra time on screens was ok during ISO times, but why we many now need to make changes to adapt again to the different times.
Don’t always refer to the screens as the “bad guy” and your need to control them is just to ruin their fun. Rather, remind your child that they are just one way we learn, are informed, connect, socialise and are entertained. We need a whole range of experiences and activities to be sure our needs are being met and thus must ensure we are making time for those.
Be confident that they will more than likely be so excited to go back to seeing friends, participating in sport, hanging with people in real life, that the screens will naturally begin to wean. Of course they are not going to want to forget about them altogether. They will still play a role, but encouraging their many other activities will also mean the time with technology will naturally be reduced

Reflecting back and Looking Forward

Use this time to have conversations with your kids that allow you to reflect on the experience of being in isolation and what that can mean for your all looking forward. Some conversation starters…

What are some of the habits, rituals or routines you picked up that would be good to keep?
What are those experiences that may not serve you so well in the future?

- What were some of the things you enjoyed about this time? Are there ways you can implement changes to your life so these positive experiences can still play a role?

What sorts of things was the technology able to replace? What voids was it able to fill?
What were the things technology was not able to replace? What are the experiences that a screen just can’t replicate when it comes to human connection, playing outside, training for sports, hanging with mates etc

I think if we reflect on those things that worked and those things we are ready to ditch, we can use this period of transition as a positive time to reflect. We can also then look to the future in ways that leave us feeling resilient for all those things we have overcome, and grateful for all those things we have to look forward to

MARTINE OGLETHORPE

I’m Martine, a mother to 5 boys and a beautiful daughter no longer with us. My background in education, my experiences with losing a child and my many varied and challenging experiences raising kids today led me to complete my Masters in Counselling and continue working with kids and families. I am passionate about families finding joy in the everyday. So began my blog and business.

Children spend more time than ever staring at digital screens—on computers, tablets, TVs, smartphones, and other devices. All that screen time can take a toll on children’s wellbeing, including how their eyes may feel.

Research shows that children begin zooming in on digital media devices, such as their parents’ tablets or smartphones, as young as 6 months old. By their teens, studies have found, kids spend nearly 7 hours a day using screened-based media, watching TV, playing video games, and using social media. Especially if they’re having fun, children might keep playing and watching to the point of eye-rubbing exhaustion.

This doesn’t include additional time spent using screens at school and for homework.

COVID-19 & online learning: watch children’s eye health

With COVID-19 and a shift to online learning by many schools, children are spending even more time looking at screens. Screen time limits are also being increased in many families to help children stay entertained and socialize with friends virtually, as they spend more time at home to prevent the spread of the virus. All of this makes it especially important to take steps that can help prevent tired, sore eyes in children.

Why screen breaks are important

Staring at a screen for long stretches without taking breaks can cause symptoms such as:

Eye fatigue. Muscles around the eye, like any others, can get tired from continued use. Concentrating on a screen for extended periods can cause concentration difficulties and headaches centered around the temple and eyes. Children may also use screen devices where lighting is less than ideal, causing fatigue from squinting.
Blurry vision. Gazing at the same distance for an extended time can cause the eye’s focusing system to spasm or temporarily “lock up.” This condition, called an accommodation spasm, causes a child’s vision to blur when he or she looks away from the screen. Some studies also suggest computer use and other close-up indoor activities may fuel rising rates of myopia (nearsightedness) among children, although this is not yet proven. More time playing outside may result in healthier vision development in children.
Dry eyes. Studies show that people blink significantly less often when concentrating on a digital screen, which can leave eyes dry and irritated. Desktop and laptop computer use can be especially tough on children’s eyes, because they’re usually situated higher up in the visual field than a book, for example. As a result, the upper eyelids tend to be open wider—speeding up evaporation of the eye’s tear film.

What parents can do

Monitor screen time.The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) family media use plan and related reports target issues ranging from obesity to sleep problems linked with too much screen time. Although children’s screen time will understandably increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, the AAP encourages parents to do their best to help keep some balance between the digital and real world. Two especially important aspects of this are making sure screens don’t cut into:
- Not getting enough shut-eye leads to tired, sore eyes. The AAP recommends children not sleep with devices in their bedrooms, including TVs, computers and smartphones. In addition, the AAP recommends avoiding exposure to screens for 1 hour before going to bed. Using devices past bedtime, especially for violent video games or shows, can interfere with sleep. Studies also suggest the blue light given off by screens might also make it difficult to sleep.
- Putting down the device or stepping away from the computer or TV can help avoid eye and vision problems from too much screen time. The AAP recommends children age 6 years and older get at 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Active play is the best exercise for young children. Outside play can also be a great “workout” for children’s vision—giving them a chance to focus at different distances and getting exposure to natural sunlight.

Take frequent breaks. Children frequently get so absorbed in what they’re doing that they don’t notice symptoms of eye strain. Remind them to take breaks. The American Optometric Association recommends the 20/20/20 rule: look away from the screen every 20 minutes, focus on an object at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds. In addition, children should walk away from the screen for at least 10 minutes every hour. A simple timer can help your child remember, and there are even software programs can help by turning off the screen in regular intervals.
Remember to blink. Research published in The New England Journal of Medicine says staring at a computer can cut blinking rates by half and cause dry eyes. Encourage your child to try to blink extra, especially when they take breaks. Your pediatrician or eye doctor may recommend moisturizing eye drops or a room humidifier if your child continues to be bothered by dry eyes.
Screen positioning. Make sure the screen on your child’s desktop or laptop computer is slightly below eye level. Looking up at a screen opens eyes wider and dries them out quicker. Some experts suggest positioning device screens based on the 1/2/10 rule: mobile phones ideally at one foot, desktop devices and laptops at two feet, and roughly 10 feet for TV screens (depending on how big the screen is). Adjusting the font size—especially on smaller screens—so it’s twice as big as your child can comfortably read may also help reduce eye fatigue.

Spotlight on lighting. To cut down on glare and eye fatigue, a study published in Journal of Ophthalmology & Research says the level of lighting in a room when using a computer or other screen should be roughly half what it would be for other activities such as writing on paper or working on crafts. Try to position computers so that light from uncovered windows, lamps and overhead light fixtures aren’t shining directly on screens. Decrease the brightness of the screen to a more comfortable level for viewing. Some optometrists recommend special computer glasses with orange lenses that may also help reduce glare. Children who wear prescription eyeglasses may have an anti-reflective coating added, as well. Computer monitor hoods or shades that attach to the screen may also be an option.
Get regular vision screenings. If your child is having blurry vision or similar eye problems, he or she may not speak up. That’s why regular vision screenings are important. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and the AAP recommend children have their eyes checked by a pediatrician at well-child visits beginning at birth. If a problem is found during one of these routine eye exams, your pediatrician may refer you to a pediatric ophthalmologist.

Does my child need blue-light filtering glasses?

You may have heard about special glasses that help filter blue light given off from computers and other screens. Especially with more online learning during the pandemic, many wonder if these glasses should be on their child’s back-to-school supply list. Although there is no evidence that blue-light is harmful to the eyes, it can make it harder for children to fall asleep and contribute to eye strain, However, turning screens off an hour before bed, using the 20/20/20 rule and the other tips above can help prevent this—no purchase necessary!

Remember

Children, especially younger ones, will likely need help and reminders to use digital screen devices in an eye-friendly way.

If you have any questions about keeping your child’s eyes and vision healthy, talk with your health professional.

The VALUE for Week 3 of Term 4 will be:

FORGIVENESS

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32