Crème de la Crème Families,

Happy New Year! It’s 2022. I hope you had a terrific holiday with family and friends. A new year has come about and with that we see your traditional resolutions and conquests. We take a good look at ourselves and our surroundings, and think this too can change for the better. We vow to eat healthier, exercise a bit more, lessen our time on phones and digital technology, or vow to get organized. Some might take it a step further and resolve to writing these resolutions on paper with dare I say, a permanent pen or marker. No way to erase the expectations and the work that lies ahead with change, when it’s staring at you daily.

However, let’s think for a moment about resolutions that may not seem so typical, rather ones that might affect those outside your circle as well. Perhaps not all of these resolutions need to be a physical change, but a mental one instead. Perhaps we look at our inner self and think “What can I do that will make a difference?” When I was a teacher, each of my students would make a commitment in the morning on what they were going to work on to help keep our classroom safe. This was done on a daily basis and not only taught accountability and responsibility, but it also taught them that each and every one of them made a difference in the classroom. Might this concept work for us parents? With the constant juggles of our busy work lives and family commitments, I think now is the perfect time to give it a try.

How about making a resolution to having more patience in the new year? How about doing random acts of kindness to others? Simple words of kindness make a big difference as well. I’ve always said that our children take their cues from their parents and I feel it’s important to not only tell them how to act, but to model it too. Patience gives us the ability to view the situation with tighter lenses, beyond their face value. It helps us make better decisions. Every situation is different, understandably so, but I suspect we all have many people we can practice on during our bootcamp training. We have our children, spouses, our children’s teachers, colleagues, and the list goes on. We can help make change in our surroundings, and yes, it does make a difference.

Random acts of kindness or simple words of kindness are just as important. I’m proud to say that in our schools, we teach the children about kindness and how valuable it is. We utilize a Kindness Tree that starts off empty in the morning, but at the end of the day it is filled with the students’ good intentions and benevolence. You can tell that it makes them feel better, especially when they share it with their parents. My girls are in college now, but I always tell them “be sure to put a smile on someone’s face today” or “be sure to help a friend in need”.  One kind word can change someone’s entire day.

So, with this new year comes the ability to hit the reset button. We can help make change in our surroundings and yes, it does make a difference. We all can take the right step to make the world a better place. I think it’s important to allow yourself to leave the past in 2021 and all that the past entails. Remember we are not perfect parents and we are going to make mistakes, and that’s ok. Allow yourself a reset. Wishing you an outstanding 2022!

Stay positive and continue creating memories with your children. Stay safe and healthy.   

Rita Lewis
Vice President of Education and Training
Crème de la Crème