The Primary Years

A Principal's Perspective on Raising Happy Kids

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Your child needs your patience as they progress through school

October 03, 2023 by Gail Smith in Achievement, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Education, Emotions, Experiences, Independence, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour

Patience is a vital virtue for parents with children in school, this blog states the reasons why.

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October 03, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, learning, patience, Resilience, communication, behaviour
Achievement, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Education, Emotions, Experiences, Independence, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour
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Managing our anger around our children

September 22, 2023 by Gail Smith in Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Parenting, Positive Behaviour

Here are some positive reasons why managing anger well benefits relationships with your child.

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September 22, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, Emotions, anger, communication, language, selfesteem, Trust
Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Parenting, Positive Behaviour
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The Life giving Power of Politeness: Why Teaching Good Manners Boosts Your Child's Education!

September 06, 2023 by Gail Smith in Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Happiness, Parenting, Personality, Positive Behaviour, Values

Read about how politeness and manners are so important to implement in your child's upbringing.

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September 06, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, polite, manners, Respect, behaviour, socialising, communication, Personality
Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Happiness, Parenting, Personality, Positive Behaviour, Values
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Simple suggestions to help build empathy and kindness in your child

August 15, 2023 by Gail Smith in Appreciation, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Friendship, Gratitude, Happiness, Positive Behaviour, Values

Read the blog to find out how to build empathy and compassion in your child.

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August 15, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
kindness, Compassion, Gratitude, Parentng, parenting Tips, Emotions, manners, empathy
Appreciation, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Friendship, Gratitude, Happiness, Positive Behaviour, Values
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Time to remind yourself that being a parent is a wonderful experience

August 01, 2023 by Gail Smith in Appreciation, Children, Communication, Emotions, Experiences, Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Laughter, Memories, Parenting, Positive Behaviour

A reminder to cherish the wonders of being a parent.

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August 01, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
child, Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, Emotions, Love, Happiness, appreciation, Memories
Appreciation, Children, Communication, Emotions, Experiences, Family, Gratitude, Happiness, Laughter, Memories, Parenting, Positive Behaviour
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Nurturing Emotional Intelligence in Children: Emphasising Emotional Care

August 01, 2023 by Gail Smith in Appreciation, Children, Communication, Emotions, Happiness, Parenting, Positive Behaviour

Parenting tips on how to emotionally care for and support your child to help nurture their emotional intelligence.

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August 01, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
child, Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, communication, well-being, Emotions, mental health, empathy
Appreciation, Children, Communication, Emotions, Happiness, Parenting, Positive Behaviour
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Nine Proactive Strategies for Fostering Mental Health in Children

August 01, 2023 by Gail Smith in Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Gratitude, Happiness, Friendship, Laughter, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Relax

Here are nine ways to foster and sustain your child’s mental health and well-being.

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August 01, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, mental health, well-being, Positivity, Emotions, Happiness
Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Gratitude, Happiness, Friendship, Laughter, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Relax
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Talking positively to your child makes all the difference.

July 11, 2023 by Gail Smith in Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Positive Behaviour

This blog explores why your communication style is so important to your child and tips to consider.

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July 11, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Parenting, Children, communication, positive thinking, Positivity, Positive Behaviour, Emotions
Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Positive Behaviour
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Helping the shy, less confident child

July 04, 2023 by Gail Smith in Achievement, Children, Communication, Emotions, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Self Esteem

For some children, finding their confidence can be a challenge. Here are some ways to build your child’s stamina in this area.

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July 04, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, shy, Emotions, feelings, Positivity, Confidence, selfesteem, self confidence
Achievement, Children, Communication, Emotions, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Self Esteem
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Help your child improve their mental capacity

June 06, 2023 by Gail Smith in Children, Communication, Emotions, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour

Read for some parenting tips that can help your child improve their mental capacity.

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June 06, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, learning, Emotions, thinking, growth
Children, Communication, Emotions, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour
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Keep our children active and physical

May 30, 2023 by Gail Smith in Achievement, Children, Family, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, School Sports, Sports

This article is a reminder of the importance of keeping our children active daily.

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May 30, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, Fitness
Achievement, Children, Family, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, School Sports, Sports
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Watch out for self doubting. It can creep in slowly and stealthily

May 23, 2023 by Gail Smith in Achievement, Children, Communication, Emotions, Happiness, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour

Here are some parenting tips to consider for your child to boost their self-worth and reduce self-doubting.

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May 23, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, Emotions, self-worth, strengths
Achievement, Children, Communication, Emotions, Happiness, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour
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Now after Mother's Day what is there to celebrate?

May 19, 2023 by Gail Smith in Achievement, Appreciation, Behaviour, Emotions, Happiness, Mother, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Relax

Here is some post-Mother’s Day positive reminders about motherhood.

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May 19, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Mum, Positivity, Parenting, parenting Tips, Emotions
Achievement, Appreciation, Behaviour, Emotions, Happiness, Mother, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Relax
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Poor behaviour can get you down - 9 ways to better manage

May 16, 2023 by Gail Smith in Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Family, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Problem Solving, Problems

Here are nine tips to better respond when poor behaviour interferes with you and your child’s relationship.

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May 16, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
behaviour, problem behaviour, communication, Parenting, parenting Tips, Problem Solving, support
Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Family, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Problem Solving, Problems
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What about our so-called underachievers?

May 09, 2023 by Gail Smith in Achievement, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, school, tasks

Here are some reflections to help your child if they feel they are underachieving:

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May 09, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, success, Achievements, behaviour, Emotion, Positivity, School, tasks
Achievement, Behaviour, Children, Communication, Emotions, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, school, tasks
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Think about cultivating good habits

May 02, 2023 by Gail Smith in Activity, Behaviour, Family, Positive Behaviour, Communication, Learning

This blog is all about conditioning your children to savour and value good habits to use in life.

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May 02, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
habits, Routine, family, parenting Tips, Parenting, Good Habits
Activity, Behaviour, Family, Positive Behaviour, Communication, Learning
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9 ideas to get the term off to a good start

April 28, 2023 by Gail Smith in Children, Communication, Education, Emotions, Family, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, school

Here are 9 parenting ideas that can help kick the term off to a good start.

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April 28, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, term 2, Routine, School routine, Parenting, parenting Tips, Emotion, expectations
Children, Communication, Education, Emotions, Family, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, school
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Be confident as a parent you have what it takes

April 28, 2023 by Gail Smith in Appreciation, Behaviour, Children, Emotions, Family, Gratitude, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour

This blog shares a few parenting tips on feeling and growing confident in being the best parent possible.

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April 28, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Confidence, Emotion, Mindset, Routine, experiences, Family Value, success, family
Appreciation, Behaviour, Children, Emotions, Family, Gratitude, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour
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Parent involvement reaps all the benefits

April 21, 2023 by Gail Smith in Behaviour, Children, Communication, Education, Experiences, Family, Independence, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, school, Starting School, teacher

As a parent, it is crucial to be involved in your child’s schooling and learning. Here are some outcomes when you show interest in your child’s schooling.

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April 21, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
Children, Parenting, parenting Tips, learning, education, School, communication
Behaviour, Children, Communication, Education, Experiences, Family, Independence, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, school, Starting School, teacher
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Do you ever feel like you have hit rock bottom as a parent?

April 03, 2023 by Gail Smith in Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Emotions, Finding Help, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Problems, Relax, Stress, Worry

Everyone experiences moments like these as a parent. Here are a few tips to keep positive and that making mistakes is all part of parenting.

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April 03, 2023 /Gail Smith /Source
parenting Tips, Children, Stress, behaviour, positive thinking, Emotion, mistakes, learning
Anxiety, Behaviour, Children, Emotions, Finding Help, Learning, Parenting, Positive Behaviour, Problems, Relax, Stress, Worry
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You have produced a book that contains specific ways in helping young children, families, teachers, and others toward the goal of raising happy children.
I find it a reminder for adults to take a look at ourselves and revue the lessons we may have forgotten in the turmoil of living.
Wise and well done, Gail.

Nadine M