November 2022 - Healthy Relationships

Thank you to all of the parents and guardians who tried out our Positive Mindset activities last month. We love hearing about the things you do at home to support what your child is learning at school so feel free to share these wonderful things with me if you wish. 

This month we are focusing on building and maintaining healthy relationships. In our school, this means learning about conflict resolution and healthy friendships. 

Healthy friendships are kept by doing things such as making time to connect, getting to know your friends personally, building trust, giving them space, setting and respecting boundaries, and resolving disagreements by communicating in a mindful way. 

We encourage children to solve their own conflicts by teaching conflict resolution skills such as helping them pinpoint the source of the conflict, tackling their feelings, brainstorming solutions, and effective communication. We want to empower our students to come up with their own solutions for their problems.  For younger children we use Kelso's Choices to help them solve conflicts. Kelso's Choices teaches kids the difference between big problems and little problems.  Check out the website for more information: Kelso's Choices

Alberta has the third highest rate of self-reported spousal violence among Canadian provinces, yet family violence is preventable. November is Family Violence Prevention Month (FVPM) in Alberta. It is a time to increase awareness of the warning signs of family violence and the resources and supports available so we can work together to end family violence and build healthier relationships in our communities.

Check out this video to learn 6 signs of an unhealthy relationship:

This November, join us in recognizing Family Violence Prevention Month and learn what resources are available in your community to support those affected by family violence. When home is no longer safe, here are a few resources that could help:

• The Family Violence Info Line (310-1818) is available toll-free to Albertans 24/7 in over 170 languages
• The Family Violence Info Line chat is available 24/7 daily in English
• Emergency shelters throughout the province provide safe locations to stay for people fleeing violent or abusive situations.
• Other supports are available on the Find supports page

This month I encourage all families to enjoy family activities at home. Bonding by doing fun things together has the power to create lasting happiness for kids. You can plan a backyard picnic, play sports or a board game together, or cook a meal and sit down for family dinners multiple times per week. Even a night of camping in your living room is a great way to bond. Watching family-friendly movies or building a puzzle together are other simple ways to build strong family relationships.  

For more resources, check out the Healthy Relationships page of the NLPS website.

If you would like me to connect with your child or your family, you can contact me at the school at 780-635-3881 or by email at natalie.heffner@nlsd.ab.ca.

Stay tuned for next month’s theme and resources!