Kirk Day School

The Gift of Quarantine

In this week's podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey focus on some of the positive things quarantine has brought into our lives. For many of us, this quarantine has given us bonus time and space in our schedules. With less activities in the evenings outside the home, we are all trying to find ways to fill time within our home. In this podcast, they share some ideas to get kids outside and doing fun activities. They also highlight a few creative ways to spend time with family during the evenings. This episode is light and fun.

Community Goals and Expectations

As part of the prospective parent process, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey typically sit down and go over portions of the school handbook that affect the day-to-day life of the school. However, because of the stay-at-home order, we've transitioned this to a podcast. Listen as we examine the mission of the school, volunteering, student discipline, and conflict in our community, all through the lens of KDS. 

Kirk Day School - Mindfulness

This week our guest on the podcast was Jeana Roth, a counselor at Revision Christian Counseling. Jeana's training is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which is a form of therapy that focuses on mindfulness, emotional regulation and distress tolerance. Jeana shares about the  benefits of mindfulness from a Christian perspective and some helpful ways to integrate mindfulness and emotional regulation skills with yourself and with your kids.

Kirk Day School - Holy Week Amidst COVID-19

This week, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey interview Kirk of the Hills senior pastor, Ben Porter. They discuss how the holiest week of the Christian calendar may be influenced by social distancing and how we can move towards Jesus even when we're told to move away from others. 

COVID 19 and the Impact of Social Distancing at KDS

In today’s podcast Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey interview Dr. Leo Hsu, director of over 13 Emergency rooms in the greater St. Louis area, who discusses his medical observations of the area impact of COVID-19 and how we can respond as parents and believers in this time of struggle. 

Trust-Based Relational Interventions

This week, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey chat with Emily Nienhuis, Director of One Heart Family Ministries, about Trust-Based Relational Interventions (TBRI) and how to implement this practice in our classrooms and parenting. A little over a week ago, our teachers participated in a training all about TBRI interventions. This training was created by Dr. Karyn Purvis, former Director of the TCU Institute of Child Development, to help caregivers provide effective support and treatment for at-risk children. TBRI is used in orphanages, residential treatment facilities, group homes, foster and adoptive homes, churches, and schools.

In this podcast, Emily helps us understand the basics of TBRI and explains how it is helpful for all children, in all situations. The three main aspects of TBRI are connection, regulation and mindfulness. Below, you'll find further information about TBRI as well as some recommended resources if you want to continue learning more. 

• Videos: 
  • https://child.tcu.edu/about-us/tbri/#sthash.F85QT4lH.dpbs   
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak6z3pqNqFU
• Books: The Whole Brain Child- Dan Siegal 
• Resources: https://child.tcu.edu/about-us/research/#sthash.z0GLLCsZ.dpbs 

 

Healthy Habits Part II

In continuing a series on new habits for the new year, our guest this week is Lindsay Schertzer, founder of Moms Into Fitness. Lindsay’s background and education are in exercise science, and she has spent her career working with people to assist them in the nourishment of their bodies through exercise and fitness. Topics discussed include: the benefits of exercise, ways to make exercising more accessible and tips for incorporating fitness into your family’s lifestyle. If you would like more information about exercise and fitness, visit Lindsay’s website www.momsintofitness.com. 

 

Healthy Habits Part I

To start off the new year, we are beginning a new series on healthy habits. This week, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey sit down with Deb Meyer, author of Redefining Family Wealth: A Parent’s Guide to Purposeful Living and owner of WorthyNest®, a financial planning and investment advisory firm. With over 13 years of wealth management experience, Deb advises families on how to build wealth in a way that aligns with their values; and for KDS families, while kids are still in the home. In this podcast, she offers her expertise on questions about financial management from developing a budget to talking to your kids about finances, to defining your family's values and future goals, among other topics. 

 

 

Getting Along At The Holidays

The Christmas season is in full swing, and there's a topic on the minds of many this time of year: how to get along with friends and family. For some, holiday gatherings are a welcomed time filled with joy and connection. For others, this might be a season where they are reminded of loss or grief and feel pressure to be merry and cheerful. In this podcast, Mr. Clement and Mrs. Massey share some tips for juggling the expectations of family and friends and suggestions for processing the emotions around holiday parties and gatherings. They also discuss a few ways we can help our kids manage the joys and challenges that come at this time of year. 

 

What Should I Tell My Kids About Santa?

Dr. Dan Doriani, a theologian and teacher of ethics at Covenant Seminary, sits down with Mr. Clement, Mrs. Massey, and Ms. Wynn to talk about Santa Claus. They start by sharing some of their own family's Christmas traditions, focusing on how Santa was regarded in their home. Later, they talk about why Christians should be careful not to overplay Santa's connection to Christmas or overstate Santa's imaginary powers. Ultimately, Doriani offers wisdom and guidance on ways to make it clear to our children that Jesus is the true King of Christmas, not Santa.