Counselor's Corner - Tips for the Holidays

Sue Porter, School Counselor

Call me Scrooge, but January 2nd is my favorite day of the year. That’s the day when we get to return to our “real” lives and holiday expectations are put to rest for another year. This might sound awful, but I don’t think I’m alone in believing that holidays can be tough. We put so much pressure on ourselves – and others—to have a good time that it can be hard to enjoy the moments of spontaneous pleasure that occur amidst the chaos.

If you’re one of those who share my belief that this time of year is a challenge, then read on. If you’re not, please contact me and tell me your secret.

The following is a list of things that can help even the Scroogiest among us enjoy the season.

1. Lower Your Expectations: The holidays are what we make them or, more accurately, what we project onto them. If you want this time of year to be fantastic, non-stop fun, you’re setting yourself up for frustration. If you see this time as an opportunity to get a little extra sleep, eat a good meal with family or friends, and enjoy some extra time with your kids, you are well poised to feel good about your efforts. Try to help your kids have reasonable expectations, too—it will go a long way to setting everyone up for success.
2. Slow Down and Unplug: The more connected we are with pop culture and media at this time of year, the more likely we are to think our experiences are less-than, not-as-fun-as, and generally not-in-line-with what we’re supposed to be doing and feeling. Someone once explained to me that the purpose of advertising is to make us feel empty, and once we feel empty, then we’ll buy lots of stuff. I challenge each SFS family to designate one or two days over the break as No Electronic Media days, when the entire family unplugs and does something else—reads, takes walks, plays cards or board games, makes holiday cards, or cooks together. If you’re really feeling bold, try giving up your cell phone during this time—I’m told home phones still work fine.
3. Don’t Look Back: Do you remember what you did last year on May 2nd? Unless it was your birthday, you probably don’t. But you most likely remember what you did over the holidays. This is what makes the holidays so loaded—we carry decades’ worth of memories with us into each subsequent year, and the nostalgia can be crippling. Try to live in the present during this holiday season, and keep your attention there.
4. Trust Your Gut: Everyone has advice about how to get through the holidays, me included. Take all of it with a grain of salt. Make this time of year about you and your family, and don’t worry about what the rest of the world says!

2011 Tools Calendars are Coming Soon!
Our annual SFS Calendar is filled with SFS student art and is truly amazing! Please check out a sample of this year’s calendar at the front desk! Due to the cost and limited time window in which we can sell the calendars, we have ordered a limited number, 300 calendars total, so pre-ordered calendars will be given priority. Calendars are $20 each. Calendar order forms, along with full payment, is due by 6 pm on Friday, December 10th. Please place the completed forms and checks in the “Calendar” envelope on the parent bulletin board across from the front desk. Calendars will arrive next week for pick-up.

Upcoming Eighth Grade Fundraisers:

The Great Holiday Cookie Bake Sale
We will be selling many different types of luscious holiday cookies by the dozen at morning and afternoon carpool on Wednesday and Thursday, December 15th and 16th, and at the Elementary School Holiday Play on Thursday evening. Please come to school prepared to buy some cookies, and support the 8th grade class in their fundraising efforts! Thank you very much!

Ring in the New – But Don’t Throw Out the Old!
Don’t forget to make room for all your new holiday acquisitions by donating your old household items, adult clothing and unwanted collectables to the 8th grade fundraising drive! We’ll make it easy for you: just drop off your gently used stuff at morning (only) carpool on Thursday, January 13 and we’ll do the rest. Need more time? We’ll collect again in February and March. For more information about what can (electronics) and cannot (kids clothes and toys) be accepted, visit www.communitythriftsf.org/donate/. Or drop off your cast offs directly to Community Thrift on 623 Valencia Street and tell them you want to support The San Francisco School! For more information, please contact ellensanfrancisco@gmail.com. Ho Ho Ho!

Extended Day Ride Share Request
Our Extended Day Academic Chess Instructor, Justin Lenzi, needs a weekly ride from Noe Valley to SFS in order to get here on time for his 3:30 PM chess class on Tuesdays. He finishes at Alvarado at 3 PM, so if there is a Middle School parent who regularly drives from that neighborhood to Middle School carpool, we would really appreciate a ride. Please contact Justin (chessmasterjl@gmail.com, 415-971-6171) if you can help us out.

Middle School Winter Dance
The SFS Student Council will be sponsoring a Winter Dance on Friday, December 10th from 7 – 9:30 PM in the SFS Activity Room. Snacks will be provided. Each Middle School student is allowed to "invite a friend". All non-SFS students must provide a completed and signed permission slip (only 1 permission slip will be provided per student). There will be two adults from each grade and two teachers chaperoning. Admission is $5 for SFS students and $5 for invited friends (who must have completed and signed permission slips). The dance is only for middle school students. If you have any questions, please email Richard, (rteerlink97@gmail.com), SFS Student Council Scribe, or Coach Tiffany (tfong@sfschool.org).

San Francisco Urban 4-H
Announcing the first San Francisco Urban 4-H interest meeting on Tuesday, December 21st at 4 PM, at Chili Pies & Ice Cream (http://greenchilekitchen.com/chilepies/). Contrary to what a lot of folks think, 4-H is not just about raising livestock, though animal sciences is one of the projects that kids often like to work on. 4-H is mainly a program to teach leadership skills to kids through mentoring. Please come ready with any ideas! For more info on 4-H in California see their website: http://www.ca4h.org/.

Urban Holiday Camp for Kids
A seasonal day camp for kids, inspiring connection to growing food, community, and compost piles of fun! Located at Hayes Valley Farm in the heart of San Francisco, camp is offered Mondays-Thursdays, December 20-30, 2010, 9 AM – 4 PM (full day) or 9 AM – 1 PM (morning half-day). For more information visit: http://www.hayesvalleyfarm.com/winter-wonderfarm.html.

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