Time to Repair and Be Repaired

As the school year winds to a close, many are ready to reconnect with family members that are lost amidst the hustle and bustle of the school year. Students, spouses, colleagues, children... regardless of the roles these people play in our lives, they are people first; and though our relationships with these people may be as fragile as butterfly wings, they too can be repaired:



In fact, repairing relationships may require much more than the tools and deft touch needed to repair a butterfly wing. Thankfully, the summer offers most educators the most important tool of all: TIME.

This summer, take time to be a human 'being'. Take time away from the 'busyness' of life to celebrate the wonder that surrounds us every day. Take time to appreciate the uniqueness of the people in our lives. And, when school begins afresh in the fall, continue to take the time!

We are People First is the Teacher 2.0 Podcast today...

What's Good for the Kids...

A study of grade 7 students in Montreal shows too many are spending too much time in front of 'screens'. According to the report as published in the London Free Press:

"The bulk of the kids studied -- about 60 per cent -- spent an average of 20 hours a week in front of a screen, whether that was to watch TV, play a video game or navigate the Internet for recreational purposes.

But about a third spend closer to 40 hours a week in front of a screen. And between seven and 10 per cent of the teenagers logged 50 or more hours a week of screen time, researchers found."

Has anyone ever conducted a similar study on adults? In my own daily work, I necessarily spend many hours a week in front of a computer screen... maybe I should track this time?

If such 'activity' is related to a sedentary lifestyle, leading to heart disease and obesity, maybe we should concern ourselves with the state of the nation rather than the state of teens? In a world where a 35 year old woman can spend two years on a toilet seat...

A late breaking anecdote to consider: At today's synchronized swimming competition, I thought a dad had found a novel place to catch up on office work. After discovering a power outlet in the spectator area, he had plugged in his notebook computer... to play solitaire! Yikes. Ever thought of bringing a deck of cards? Maybe we really do need to take inventory of 'screen time' by adults!

Photo Credit: Tom: An Untrained Eye