ST. MARY’S
Elementary School
— by Pam Molnar
Spread
5 Day Full Day Pre-K 3 & 4
Grades K - 8
Cheer
A STREAM School
STEM + Religion + Art
Throughout
the Year
OPEN HOUSE
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
6pm – 7:30pm • Tours Available
2 St. Mary’s Hill • Lancaster NY 14086
716-683-2112
www.smeschool.com
“Our Tradition:
An Education for the Future, Values for Life”
~ Pre-K - 8th Grade ~
OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, January 27th
1pm – 3pm
We invite you to be a part of the
SSPP community.
Join us as we embark on an exciting,
innovative, three year strategic plan for
our school and faith community.
Come and get a sense of the amazing
SSPP community that both current and
past families love about our school!
5480 Main Street | Williamsville, NY 14221
(716) 632-6146
www.ssppschool.com
6 WNY Family January 2019
J
anuary is always a letdown.
Just a few weeks ago, we were
more joyful people. We gave
more of ourselves, reconnected with
family and friends, and exchanged gifts
with the people who are a part of our
lives. After weeks of celebrating, we are
back to our pre-November life of rush-
ing from thing to thing with our heads
down and blinders on. While we eas-
ily blame the shorter days and colder
weather for our winter blues, it is really
so much more.
Blowing through like the winter
wind, the holiday spirit is gone
as quickly as it appeared.
Every January, as we
pack up our holiday
decorations, we store
away that wonder-
ful feeling of peace
and goodwill to save
for next year. It’s as if
we think that kindness to-
wards our fellow man looks
as out of place as a Christmas
tree in March. Instead of packing away
your holiday spirit in storage, encourage
your family to carry it in their hearts and
share it with others throughout the year.
Practice random
acts of kindness
The best thing about the holiday spir-
it is the kindness people show to strang-
ers. Do something nice for someone else
and watch how it comes back to you.
Simple things like holding the door open
for the person behind you or letting some-
one ahead of you in line is enough to make
a stranger’s day. Teach your children to
return a loose cart to where it belongs or
pick up trash left by a litterbug. By help-
ing someone load their groceries in the
car or bringing a neighbor’s trash cans in,
your children will see your example and
start to practice it in their own way.
Be charitable
People are most generous during
the holiday season. They don’t want
to imagine someone without a holiday
feast, warm gloves, or presents under
their tree. Sadly, people are hungry all
year long and food pantries
need your donations
well after the holidays
are over. Continue
to collect items dur-
ing the year by hold-
ing food drives at
your church, school,
or children’s activities.
Proceeds from a child’s
lemonade stand or garage sale
can go to programs at senior centers or
animal shelters.
Praise often
Everyone loves to hear a compli-
ment. It validates their choices and
makes the receiver instantly happy. Tell
people how you love their bracelet or
how cute their new hairstyle looks. If
you noticed someone has lost weight,
let them know that their hard work has
paid off. Encourage your child to share
someone’s excitement when they get an
A on the test or make the winning goal.