Smooth Sailing

Calm Waters and Smooth Sailing

     The waters around the St. Mary's Middle School have been a bit choppy lately with far too much energy directed toward behavioral issues.  However, it appears that we are headed back to calm waters and smooth sailing so I thought it might be a good time to reflect on some things that I have learned over the past few weeks.

1. Too many students have far too much time on their hands when they aren't directly accountable to an adult.  The frontal cortex of the middle school boys brain isn't fully developed and "loaning" an adult frontal cortex in the form of accountability at all times is not only nice but necessary.  It is my feeling that parents need to know exactly where their child is at all times and to whom they are directly accountable or trouble will eventually happen even if they are physically safe in Tokyo.
2. Many students have access to way, way too much money with, again, far too little accountability to where it is going.  It seems completely unnecessary to have more than 2,000 yen at school for any reason but regularly students are bringing 15,000+ as pocket money.
3. Students are carrying around excessive technology which is generally unnecessary.  They are also spending way more time on technology at home, or so it seems, than is healthy or purposeful.  I would encourage parents to know exactly what students are doing on the computer and limit their use to not more than 60 min. for recreational/social networking purposes per day.
4. Students are generally not getting enough sleep.  If your son is not getting at least 9 hours of sleep each night there is clear research that they are being negatively effected.  Coupled with using technology immediately before going to bed which interrupts good sleep patterns, we have many students who are sleep deprived at school.
5. Many students see "not snitching" or "not telling" on their friends far more important than doing what is right.  Peer pressure is alive and well and we all need to figure out ways to help our students act on doing what is right and not be influenced by what might be unpopular.  Talking about values with your sons on a regular basis is fundamentally important.

We all need to step back and think about how we communicate values to the boys who attend St. Mary's Middle School.  I am looking forward to setting sail into a nice long period of windless seas, sun, and fun.