For many students (and teachers), this is a wonderful time of year. Families are together, presents are given, food is eaten, and generally, joy abounds. But for our most fragile students, this time of year can be a painful and powerful reminder of everything their lives are not. This is the time of year when lost parents are often most missed, when family pain is accentuated, when pain is at its most acute.
It’s important this time of year to understand that there are students who are quicker to anger, quicker to sadness, quicker to withdrawal right now. We need to be doubly mindful about asking “What do you need?” right now. We need to help our students to develop the resiliency to make it through this season while also acknowledging the pain they are working through. And we need to make sure that our communities — the adults and the kids — have enough empathy to be mindful that not everyone finds the holiday season to be, to quote the song, the most wonderful time of the year.
None of this is to say that schools should not be festive places this time of year — they should. The Santa hats are already popping up at SLA, and I’m having to ration my calories closely, given all the baking that seems to be making its way into the school, but we need to remember that we have an obligation to remember our ethic of care this time of year and make sure that we are taking care of all of the kids so that we can all celebrate together.
I could not agree more! To be honest, the holidays are not an especially “magical” time for me. I have family members who are no longer with me, and I keenly feel their loss during the Christmas season. The pressure of holiday shopping, holiday cooking, holiday parties…on top of everything else, often seems overwhelming and I find myself fighting against all sorts of negative emotions. For me, January 1st is a relief! Thanks you for this reminder to be mindful of tender hearts and to take joy in the little things we can do for each other–things that cost absolutely nothing, like a smile, a hug, or a kind word.
This is the time of year to prepare for next year.
Make the 2014 holiday season more universal,helpful and comforting.
Reach out to our kids in ways they have never experienced.
Dazzle them as they have never lived before
Use the creativity and wisdom that you have / and may not have used in 2013
.
Here’s the CHALLENGE – START PLANNING NOW! PRIVATELY OR IN COLLABORATION WITH
FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.
You can create it…you know it’s possible.
And we’ll check back next year to hear about your magic – your sensitivity and your most precious ideas.
And if you don’t want to wait until next year…do some trial runs and test your ideas before the big push in December 2014.
Len Finkelstein