Dear Parishioners,
 
Our Fall calendar is getting filled with several events.  Faith Formation classes start on Sunday, Sept. 15th, Pastoral Council will meet on Monday, Sept. 16th, our Men's and Women's Spirituality Groups will be meeting on Saturday, Sept. 21st at 10 a.m., our annual Volunteer Appreciation Gathering will be Saturday, Sept. 21st after the 4 p.m. Mass.  A lot is happening at your parish !   Would you like to be more involved in parish ministry or committees?  Please give me a call or see me after Mass!

I came across a great article by Dr. Thomas Lickona, a professor at SUNY Cortland, entitled “Common Mistakes in Parenting.”  Dr. Lickona is the author of several books, including  Raising Kind Kids.  Here is a short summary of the article:

1. Giving too much and expecting too little.  In a recent CNN poll, two thirds of American parents think that they have spoiled their children. In many homes, the adults are doing all the giving, kids are doing all the taking !  This is a recipe for producing self-centered kids.  Research finds that kids who have regular chores, and age appropriate jobs that they don't get paid for develop   greater concern for others.

2. Being a friend and not an authority figure.  Many parents want to be cool in the eyes of their children. They'd like to be seen as a "friend" and are not comfortable with the position of authority.  They have trouble getting their kids to obey them and to speak to them respectfully.  Authoritative (not authoritarian) parents have the most confident, competent, and morally responsible children.

3. Failing to create an intentional family culture.  Our media-driven, materialistic, and hypersexualized world bombards our kids with negative messages.  If parents want to maximize their influence over their children, they have to be more intentional and vigilant than parents in the past.  Dr. Lickona says, “Don't spoil your kids by failing to give them real responsibilities in family life; don't deprive them of the authority figure they want and need you to be ; and don't let the culture determine what kind of family you are.”  To read the full article by Dr. Lickona, go to http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/raising-kind-kids.

Are you new to St. Margaret's?  We would like you to become an "official" member of our church.  There are parish registration forms at the entrances.  Please take one home, fill it out, and bring it to Mass the next time you come to church.
 
Many thanks. God Bless You,  Fr. Paul J. Alciati