LEARNING TO GIVE THE GIFT: In this week's edition of the 'Neighborhood', we conclude with helpful ideas from Helene McGlauflin's years of counseling and educating about giving the gift of 'no' to our children. What follows are themes we can develop and maintain in framing our ability to set limits.

* Develop a strong conviction that saying 'no' is in fact a gift that benefits our children. Although children protest-sometimes vehemently-when we say 'no', they need the safety and protection it offers and are often deeply reassured when we say it. Look beyond the tears and tantrums to the lesson of life being offered.

* Remain calm and abide in that calm when your child protests or throws a tantrum following the establishment of a limit. Develop an image or an idea that can give you strength when you need it." Limits are like a loving hug" is an image/idea that has helped me tremendously. While my child or a child I am working with is protesting my 'no', I visualize a large embrace of love and safety.

* Begin my saying 'no' emphatically about small things of importance and do not change your mind and give in. Saying 'no' is a muscle that can be exercised and strengthened over time. Keep practicing, and you will find it easier to be firm over increasingly complex matters and issues.

* Develop a repertoire of 'no' phrases that are comfortable for you, particularly if you dislike the word yourself. "People are not for hitting" works as well as "No hitting." Others include" "We do not do that in our family"; "I cannot let you do that"; "I do not expect you to understand, but I expect you to do what I am asking"; "I wish you wouldn't..."

* Find as a support another parent who says 'no' and shares your values in limit-setting. When your children are young, this might mean a fellow parent who values an early, consistent bedtime; in middle childhood, someone who does not allow "R" movies; in adolescence, a parent who insists on curfews. Call this parent when faced with a limit-setting challenge to get advice and support.

Giving the gift of 'no' takes foresight and maturity. It is a gift that we give our children when they are too young to understand, a gift the value of which they will appreciate only in their adulthood. Children come to understand the gift through the repetition of our giving and their acceptance in receiving it time after time through childhood. When limits are truly received, accepted, and learned, all of society is benefited by the young adults who are prepared to be responsible citizens.

- Merrill Badger, Principal

Happening This Week:

Friday, May 28th is our last morning Tea Garden for the spring. Come celebrate with us and enjoy some special baked treats. Thank you 5th/6th grade for hosting this weekly gathering.

Monday, May 31st is Memorial Day-NO SCHOOL.

SCHOOL NEWS

Pentathlon Congratulations 5th/6th Class

On Thursday, May 20th our 5th/6th grader participated in a competition with 4 other Waldorf schools in the Greek pentathlon in Flagstaff. Our Mountain Oak athletes did an outstanding job in executing their skills! Best of all each and everyone of them demonstrated great sportsmanship toward their team mates and opposing athletes. In the opening ceremony, our athletes odes to the gods and goddess were loud and clear. Mr. Badger commented that "Their speech work was very present." What a great experience, we are proud of all of you!

A huge thank you to the Teachers and Chaperones; Sharon Mcfeely, Annjo Doer, Laura g, Matthew Halldorson, Carol Kennedy, Steve Posey, Nancy Reid-Mckee and we can't forget Regina Wuchinic you are a real trooper! We can't thank all of you enough for contributing to the success of the Pentathlon: being there for our athletes from the wee hours of the morning to the bitter cold hours of the nights; being with the children during their highs and lows; sharing their moments of victory and the agony of defeat; and lifting their spirits and bandaging their wounds. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for creating the memories that wouldn't have happened with out all of you!!

P.S. A thank you to Merrill for his contribution as Pythagoras, you were great!!

It’s been a GREAT YEAR FOR STRINGS at Mountain Oak!

The 4th, 5th, and 6th grades will be playing 3 musical selections on the last day of school (Wednesday, June 2nd) to begin the closing ceremonies.

You may continue renting (and playing) your stringed instrument through the summer for the usual monthly fee from your rental company.

If you prefer to turn in your instruments, you may leave them at school after our June 2nd performance, and your rental company will come and pick them up.

Miss Barbara will be returning to Mountain Oak in the fall to teach the new 4th grade beginners and possibly one other string class. With the school expansion into the next grade level (7th) there will be 3 string classes in the fall (instead of this year’s 2), so there will be another string teacher coming into
the program for 1 or 2 classes.

Did you know that Beni has put together a "Baby Registry" that you may browse through to find a few items to donate? It is out in front of the kindergarten and ready for you to check it out. I like to have fun finding these things; I think of it like a big scavenger hunt and when I go to yard sales, I'm delighted to find just the right thing we need!

There are MANY items left to find, some that would only be a quarter at a yard sale, so come on over to visit the registry and mark your name on a few lines, or just find out what is needed and perhaps you have an extra spray bottle, or forks, or cotton material, or wooden eggs in your house that you can donate.

We also need people who can sew simple place mats or simple aprons or dye and hem cloth. Please come to see me, Ms. Therese, after kindergarten hours if you think you could help out at home or if you think you could build a simple bench but are unsure of what the "indoor benches" look like.

Thank you for keeping the kindergartens, (that's plural!) in mind as we prepare to "give birth" soon.

Kindergarten Assistants Needed

We are looking for two kindergarten assistants for the '04/'05 school year. Hours are 8:00 - 1:00, Monday through Friday.
If you are interested in this position, please contact Ms. Therese or Beni.

Fundraising Updates

Our Bike raffle was a great success! Thank you Bike Smith for your generous donation and congratulations Miss Hoa, we look forward to seeing you cycle those mountain trails. Thank you everyone! Especially all our other donors and those of you who purchased tickets making this another fun-fundraiser. Total raised $
These proceeds combined with the total raised from last week's rummage sale gives MOCS a grad total of $