Message from the office
This week’s storms have been quite extraordinary and I know that many people have been left stranded and lives have been lost. Facing the vicious storms and raging seas is something we all know we will face from time to time, in a more figurative sense, in our lives. It is important to use our girls’ small obstacles as opportunities for them to realise that they are able to face adversity and overcome it. Often when we try to shield our children from life’s difficulties or we try to protect them from consequences of their choices or actions, we also take away the opportunity from them to ride out a storm and learn valuable life lessons along the way.
I have taken snippets from an article which further explores this. If you’d like to read the full article, go to https://www.stillwatertherapy.org/post/letting-your-kids-struggle.
Letting your kids struggle.
We live in a time where letting a child struggle at times almost seems abusive. Why would you not comfort the child or fix the problem for them? Often parents don’t see the damage they do to their children by saving them from their struggle. Initially, the child will grow and tend to do well until they hit an obstacle. Often first adversities start in school or extra-curricular activities. Parents all too often displace responsibility on external factors like teachers/coaches, bullies, or other hurdles the child faces. The sad reality is the parent that continues to save their children, often robs the child of the opportunity to develop their ability to overcome the obstacles.
As many know, it is important to show children love and nurturing to help them develop into healthy individuals as well. So the question is, when is it okay to let children struggle?
As parents, we need to start by providing supportive care to allow the child to safely resolve problems on their own. Making sure that your child is safe from damaging physical or emotional harm while they face adversity is also important. This allows them to explore and feel enabled to attempt to overcome the challenge they face.
When praising your child for overcoming the challenging feat, praise their effort. Children will learn from their experiences that they are capable of overcoming hard things, even if the hardest thing in her life at this moment is completing a puzzle.
Allow each family member to pick one difficult activity that they have to do daily. Everyone in the family has to do one activity a day to help develop grit. Doing this as a family also shows children that struggling is a part of life and helps them mimic the same behaviour in the activity they choose.
The more effort is put into overcoming a challenge, the greater the satisfaction when the challenge is complete. Once a reward is obtained, like getting a good report or praise, the positive behaviour is further reinforced. If a child is robbed of the reward of overcoming adversity then they will not have the reinforcement they need to face another similar task. There becomes a learned behaviour of giving up when they are faced with a task that is perceived as being too difficult.
It is important to emphasize the absolute importance of love throughout the process of helping a child overcome their obstacles. Just as much as saving your child from issues is damaging, so can being emotionally cold and dismissive towards your child as they struggle. Sticking to a balance with your parenting is important for a child’s development.
Becoming a parent with these skills takes a lot of personal control and self-awareness. Wisdom takes practice, patience, and determination to develop. No parent is perfect but developing the skill of letting your child struggle out of love takes wisdom.
VP’s Got Talent
We would like to thank all the girls that entered into the VP’s Got Talent contest. There were some incredible performances and we certainly have talented young ladies at our school. Congratulations to the finalists who will be performing on Thursday, 13 June at 18:00 in the Glennie Hall. Please come and support the performers. Tickets for the final show can be bought from the office for R25. No tickets will be sold at the door so buy now to avoid disappointment. Not only will we have our amazing finalists to watch, we also have some surprise staff items to enjoy. We will have a tuckshop and coffee truck available before the show so bring some cash along. Who will be our first ever VP’s Got Talent winner for 2024?
VP’s Got Talent Finalists
- Halle Orsmond and Teia van Rooyen – Nelly the Elephant (Dance)
- Sabrina Nyathi and Ifeoma Nnadozie – (Piano Duet)
- Eila Chirombo – Once upon a December (Sing)
- Lunje Tshiki – Help Me – (Dance)
- Hailey Gill – ‘ Something that you like to do’ (Piano)
- Shameega Khohliso and Hlumisa Piti – Dynamite Duo (Dance)
- Iminathi Ndilele – Julie and the Phantoms Wake up (Sing)
- Libby Everton – The Wellerman (Highland Sailor’s Dance)
- Libhongo Mase – John Legend – All of Me (Sing)
- Emery Klyve – Hunters Chorus (Viola)
- Jazlin Crafford and Zaydiah Adler – Saggies -Temple Boys (Dance)
- Owekhethelo Gqogqa and Sambesiwe Dyantyi – Easy on Me – Adele (Sing)
- Kamvelihle Mesani and Alibongwe Mthembu – Pour our thoughts (Art)
- Kamva Tyatyeka – Lost Princess Awakening (Poetry)
- Asanda Mbolompo, Oyama Morule, Hlalumi Balfour, Aleeisa Jonker, Zingce Balani, Amyoli Sesani and Amyoli Matswele – I don’t clap in this rap – (Skit/Rap)
- Carla Frazer – Jinx – Diane Hidy (Piano)
- Iminathi Ndilele, Unako Dlepu, Iminathi Ngcwele and Zingce Balani – (Cheerleading)
- Grade 1C – (Sing)
- Hlaluminathi and Ekuyenathi Menzi – Kiss and make up (Dance)
- Siarra Appollis and Mr Appollis – Water (Tyla) – (Steelpan)
- Isla Orsmond and Matilda – Another day – Lalaland (Dance)
- Lunathi Makasi – (Sing)
- Glennis Chakurungama, Laraa Andriantiana and Chanelle Musarurwa – (Rhythmic Gymnastics)
- Sinesipho Mafani – In the Cross – Gospel Song (Sing)
- Luna Copteros and Anton Brink – Street of London (Sing/Piano)
- Mr Buka – The Reflection (Dance)
- Luna Copteros, Hennie van der Mescht, Anton Brink – Winternag (Sing)
Worker of the Week
Congratulations to Leah Flotman who is our W.O.W for her wonderful news about staying in her pajamas over the freezing cold weekend:)
Indlulamthi Badges
Congratulations to Mukundi Thondhlana and Amyoli Matswele who both received their badges at Monday’s assembly. Thank you for being exemplary VP girls!
Merit Achievers
Well done Emihle Kulati, Sibonokuhle Benge, Isabella Tladi, Hlumelo Piti, Kamva Tyatyeka, Lunje Hloyi and Sinembasa Mapipa who have received over 250 merits this year. Keep up the hard work, girls!
Assembly
- We thoroughly enjoyed Grade 3M’s assembly about Africa Day. Thank you for your inspirational message, 3M!
- On Monday Grade 3S will present their assembly. Parents are welcome to join us. The assembly starts at 10:15.
- On Friday we will have our academic assembly at 08:30. All girls in Grade 4-7 who have achieved Honours and Merits Awards will receive a certificate. All girls are to wear their winter uniform on the day. Grade 4-7 must wear their blazers.
Grade 6&7 Outing
On Wednesday our Grade 6 & 7s went to St Andrew’s Prep to watch a production of ‘Peter Pan Jnr’. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the experience!
U13A Hockey practice
The U13A hockey girls will have practice next week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 14:00 to 15:00 in preparation for their Graaff-Reinet tour.
We will have a tuckshop for the girls on Tuesday, 11 June to raise funds in support of the U13 Hockey tour. Please support them!
Piano party
Mr. Wynne’s composition students will perform their original works on Friday, 14 June at their Piano Party. This will give our young composers an opportunity to learn from each other and share their creative ideas. All participants are to please bring some snacks to share (chips/sweets).
Term 2 report handout and last week of term.
Please note that teachers are still teaching and will do so until the last day of the term. We have started Term 3 work! Please make sure your daughter attends school or she is missing out on important lessons and will start Term 3 on the back foot.
Girls will be given their reports on the last day of the term. Girls are expected to be at school unless they are ill. No report will be handed out before 10:30 on the last day. Please do not come to the school office before then on Friday to collect her report as the teachers will be busy in their classes or will be at assembly- the office staff DO NOT have the reports.
Trolley Dash Booklets
Your daughter will receive a Trolley Dash booklet to sell today. They are only due to be returned on Monday, 5 August. Girls are welcome to collect a second booklet once she sells her first one (and third etc). Each child is expected to sell at least one booklet which consists of 5 tickets only. Please use the holidays to sell to family and friends. This is PTA fundraiser and proceeds will go to the cost of our solar panels and inverters which all our girls are already benefiting from. Prizes will go to the individual and class who sells the most tickets. We thank you in anticipation for supporting your daughter’s school.
School bags
Our new stock of VP branded school bags have arrived. They cost R700 and can be purchased at the office.
Lost Property
The lost property is available for girls or parents to come and check at any time during the school day (07:00-16:00). If you are missing items of clothing, lunchboxes, juice bottles, shoes etc. please ensure that you or your daughter check for it Monday-Thursday next week. On the last day of term, items that remain unclaimed will be laundered and sent to the Clothing Exchange.
Hockey vs Union
Please note that the hockey fixtures scheduled for tomorrow, 8 June, against Union High have been cancelled due to our fields being waterlogged.
Tuckshop
The U13A hockey team will be hosting a tuckshop on Tuesday at first break to raise funds for their tour to Graaff-Reinet. Please support them.
Birthday wishes
The following staff and girls a very happy birthday for next week: Ms Casling, Mr Buka, Mrs Britz-Nel, Naledi April, Mercy Mooya, Bidget Akpeng, Asali Dude and Sitha Mkolo. We hope you have a lovely birthday!
If you completed a form requesting to be added to the VP Whatsapp group and have not yet received a message please send a query to the VP Whatsapp number 0834682706.
Regards
Mrs Rafferty
PRINCIPAL
Upcoming events
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Fri. 07/06 |
Extramurals end for this term |
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Mon. 10/06 |
Assembly Grade 3S @10:15 |
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Tues. 11/06 |
Tuckshop at break time. |
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Thurs. 13/06 |
VP’s Got Talent Show @18:00 |
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Fri. 14/06 |
Last day of 2nd term Academic Assembly @08:30 School finishes @10:30 Reports will be handed out @10:30 Hostel closes @12:30 No Aftercare U13s leave on their hockey tour to Graaff Reinet.
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