School is well underway, and as children get more familiar with their classmates and teachers, we do often see an uptick of boundary pushing resulting in negative interactions. While all of our Springer Stingers are amazing students, they are children still learning to navigate their social worlds and this is not an easy task!
One thing we are continuing to work on with our students is how to respond when someone says something unkind, teases them, or does something that makes them angry or frustrated. We understand the instinct to tell a child, “If they hit you, hit them back,” or to “talk smack back” when someone is doing it to them. We also understand that as parents, we want our children to stand up for themselves.
At school, however, we need to teach children that hitting back or escalating with hurtful words is not a safe or productive way to solve a problem. We certainly don't want our playgrounds to become places where students are pushing and hitting one another because they feel they need to defend themselves. That isn't safe for anyone.
Children are still learning how to navigate big emotions, frustration, conflict, and difficult social situations. They need our guidance and practice in learning how to pause, use their words, set boundaries, and seek help when a situation is becoming too much. That is what we are here for. Our adults are available to help students work through these moments, understand what happened, and figure out a better way forward.
Please encourage your child to seek out an adult on campus when they are having difficulty with another student rather than taking matters into their own hands. And please remind them that while they may be responding to something another child did, if they hit back or engage in inappropriate “smack talk,” they may also receive a consequence at school. We want students to understand that they are responsible for their own choices, even when someone else has made a poor choice first.
We are grateful for your partnership in helping our children learn not just how to protect themselves, but how to navigate conflict with confidence, empathy, and good judgment. These are skills that take time to develop, and we are all on the same team in helping them get there.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. March
