Dear Parents,

While I prefer not to repeat Parent Bulletins year after year, there are some messages that are worth sharing again and again. I believe that this message is one of them.

Wishing each of our Bacich Families a safe and happy holiday!

For some of our families, the winter holidays and the end of the calendar year offer wonder and excitement. For others it is a stressful time with overwhelming feelings of the prospect of Christmas, buying and wrapping gifts, big gatherings, and children with (seemingly) little to do for two weeks when school is out.

One of my favorite parenting books is titled Mitten Strings From God – Reflections For Mothers In a Hurry. Author, Katrina Kenison, reminds us to take our cue from nature and slow down during the holiday time. She suggests choosing to do less out in the world and spend more time “sequestered inside, nestled in with your children, hot cocoa and books, mail-order catalogues and afghans.”

Every day holds potential for celebration and ceremony in the eyes of children – a full winter moon, a stormy afternoon, a “rain boot walk” in puddles, the baking of a cake or the decorating of the holiday tree. I encourage you to celebrate these small moments and the offbeat occasions that pop up during your days together over the next few weeks. Try to keep the focus on family, on your meaningful rituals, traditions and simple activities.

As the mother of two grown children, I know that the time you have to enjoy and appreciate these simple and small moments as a family is short. The years go by quickly, and our children grow up, move away to far off places, develop their own interests and create new celebrations with their own families.

I encourage you to consider giving one another the gift of time this holiday season. Find opportunities for your family to be quiet together in the midst of all the seasonal events and expectations, and appreciate the simple things that the season has to offer. These are the magical moments that your children will remember – and you will too.

The 2018 KSPTA Book Fair was a huge success! Thank you Book Fair Chairs Crystal Vargas, Chrissy Green, Kerry Hecht, and Jen Johns for all the hours in planning and executing a hallmark event for the Kentfield Schools community. Thanks to Vicki Sonu Song for cataloging and covering the library donations from the generous children and families of the district and greater community.

The Bacich Library now has an Instagram page, follow us on: @bacichlibrary.