Olympic View Friends

How to help your kid keep their school jitters in check We asked a psychologist (and mom of two!) for the best ways to ease our kids' many back-to-school worries.

Treat your children with the respect, kindness, and love that you deeply desire for yourself in life. What our children see, how they feel about the love and safety in the home, and the freedom they feel to be exactly who they are, is who they will become and how they will show up in the world.

(I really love "Is your body hurt or are your feelings hurt?" as a replacement for "You're okay" when a child is crying. Whoever came up with that is alright in my book. -)

"Now that we have witnessed the truth of our condition, we are morally obligated to ask: what are we to do?" Quaker minister Jaimie Mudd asks, looking to the post-COVID future.

Her answer is a powerful reminder that the world has faced not only a public health crisis, but crises on the environmental, economic, and social justice fronts as well. But, she reminds us, "as we experience tremendous disruption, we benefit from expanding our capacity to see and hear others, becoming openhearted, and recognizing our connectedness with other people and all creation. Together, we can sense and create the way to move beyond just surviving."

Knowing That We Belong: Living in Our Post-COVID-19 World Finding new ways to care for one another in a post-COVID world.

"It is not uncommon to hear adults or teachers wondering how to spend time with children during these difficult days," Jennifer Arnest says.

Many people are advocating for educators to do everything they can to make sure children affected by the pandemic will be able to "keep up," whatever that means. But what if our mistake is that we set our sights on hurrying children along to grow up, when what we need to do is let them grow? After all the upheavals and uncertainties of the last year, Jennifer reflects, "I continue to wonder what all the instability and anxiety might be doing to the souls of young learners. Adults should be showing them a clearer way."

How to Be a Warrior for Childhood Leaving time for curiosity, joy, and imagination.

Dr. MLK Jr used to invite people to commit to nonviolence by pledging themselves to follow the “10 Commandments” of the movement. As Quakers, we affirm these principles and hope to embody them in our daily lives.

I HEREBY PLEDGE MYSELF, MY PERSON AND BODY, TO THE NONVIOLENT MOVEMENT. THEREFORE I WILL KEEP THE FOLLOWING TEN COMMANDMENTS:

1) MEDITATE daily on the teachings and life of Jesus.

2) REMEMBER always that the nonviolent movement seeks justice and reconciliation - not victory.

3) WALK and TALK in the manner of love, for God is love.

4) PRAY daily to be used by God in order that all men might be free.

5) SACRIFICE personal wishes in order that all men might be free.

6) OBSERVE with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.

7) SEEK to perform regular service for others and for the world.

8 ) REFRAIN from the violence of fist, tongue, or heart.

9) STRIVE to be in good spiritual and bodily health.

10) FOLLOW the directions of the movement and the captain on a demonstration.

REVIEWED: We Are Power: How Nonviolent Activism Changes the World Portraits of nonviolent activism give hope to young readers.