By Courtney Horton, mom of Vaughn, Tristan, and Gabriella
Parents hear their text tone go off, look down at their screen to read their SchoolCast…”VIP meeting Tuesday morning 8:15am”. Parents think, “hmmm, what is VIP or oh no, I’m not going to a volunteering/fundraising meeting”. Let’s take a minute to talk about what VIP is and what it really means.
It was seven years ago when our family “married” Wayne Christian School. I say “married” because we chose the school first for what we fell in love with during the tour and the interview. Our hearts and our minds had been won by this fabulous Christian school. Over the last seven years there have been highs and lows at our children’s school but we have always been determined to see the good and help to find solutions to the struggles or challenges…just like in marriage. We took the perspective that we would make it through transitions and the changes because we knew that sometimes that is what has to happen to make something the best it can be. And from the first school year we decided to become a VIP….a Very Involved Parent(s).
Wayne Christian is an investment in your family, your child, the future. Many people ask, “what does the school do for them?”; but rarely do you hear a parent say, “what have I done to help this school, my child’s school, to be the best it can be for my child’s learning and growth as a person”? Think about it. When was the last time you put your efforts into the growth of the school? We are all very busy people. Why did you select Wayne Christian to invest in for your child? With any investment or anything worthwhile in life, you know you have to work at it. That is the same with the partnership you have with your child’s school. Wayne Christian has open and welcoming arms for families to participate, engage, and help enhance the environment where your children spend many of their waking hours each day. Children spend a minimum of 1,000 waking hours at school each year!
I am a mom of three, and I hear many parents talking about how they cannot connect with their children, their middle schooler, or their teen. This is a whole other topic but what it boils down to is what have you done to connect with your child? A child’s personality does not finish forming until age 26 according to frontal lobe research; so until then it is the parents responsibility to look for ways to connect. The reason I bring this up is because the easiest way to connect with your child is to be in your child’s environment and show them that you care what is going on around them. PRESENCE is a huge connectedness indicator! Even if your child doesn’t speak to you while you are at the school, being involved in and engaging with other kids their age shows a wonderful example of love that they will eventually admire and reciprocate. I have seen this again and again over my seven years as a VIP at WCS.
I challenge you to take the opportunity that God has given you with Wayne Christian to become that VIP, that VERY INVOLVED PARENT. This isn’t about fundraising, this is about your child, your family, and the extended school family you have chosen for your child’s developmental years. Make the choice to make it count!
Talon Times 