Supporting our children
The word ‘support’ can be interpreted in many different ways and sometimes while we think we might be helping our children by offering our support, we may in fact be causing them more harm than good. I would like to share with you a story which illustrates this.
A man spent hours watching a butterfly struggling to emerge from its cocoon. It managed to make a small hole, but its body was too large to get through it. After a long struggle, it appeared to be exhausted and remained absolutely still.
The man decided to help the butterfly and, with a pair of scissors, he cut open the cocoon, thus releasing the butterfly. However, the butterfly’s body was very small and wrinkled and its wings were all crumpled.
The man continued to watch, hoping that, at any moment, the butterfly would open its wings and fly away. Nothing happened; in fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its brief life dragging around its shrunken body and shrivelled wings, incapable of flight.
Out of kindness and his eagerness to help, the man had failed to understand that the tight cocoon and the efforts that the butterfly had to make in order to squeeze out of that tiny hole were nature’s way of training the butterfly and strengthening its wings. The butterfly’s struggle to push its way through the tiny opening of the cocoon pushes the fluid out of its body and into its wings. Without the struggle, the butterfly would never ever fly. The man’s good intentions actually hurt the butterfly.
One of the messages in this story is that the struggle was part of what the butterfly needed to do in order to fly. Without the struggle, the butterfly was destined to crawl around on its belly and probably die an early death.
Life is full of struggles, which we like to call challenges. They hone our skills and make us strong. People who enable other people take this away, perpetuate co-dependency unknowingly. They are well-meaning but their intentions create more harm than good. While it is painful to watch a loved one struggle with life's daily challenges, our job is not to do their work for them. Our job is to stand by in support and love remembering that, experiencing challenges and dealing with these is necessary for growth.
As our children go through their schooling and life in general, we need to keep in mind as parents that struggling is an important part of any growth experience. In fact, it is the struggle that builds strength and resilience and causes one to develop their ability to fly.
Middle Years Expo
I would like to extend our gratitude to all the parents who attended the Middle Years Expo last night. Our students had the invaluable opportunity to share the work they have been diligently pursuing in their classes. From impressive projects and creative presentations to in-depth research and innovative experiments, our students showcased their dedication, creativity, and hard work.
The Middle Years Expo not only highlighted the remarkable achievements of our students but also strengthened the bond between the school and our wonderful parent community. Your involvement is essential in fostering a supportive and inspiring learning environment for our students, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support and engagement.
Italian Week
This past week, our school was abuzz with the vibrant spirit of Italy as we celebrated Italian Week. It was a delightful celebration filled with a variety of activities that immersed our students in the rich culture, cuisine, and traditions of Italy. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the teachers, and support staff who made this week possible, and to the students for their enthusiastic participation.
We look forward to celebrating many more cultural weeks in the future, as we continue to embrace and learn from the diverse cultures that enrich our College community.
