Good morning, Prep School family,
I hope you are all well and looking forward to the week ahead and then to half term. Only 4 more get ups before 2 weeks of lie-ins! I hope you all had wonderful weekends doing whatever made happy. My weekend was relatively quiet – Mr Bennett was poorly, so I spent the weekend catching up on odd jobs that I had been putting off for a while. I unpacked a few more boxes and finally ordered a new hoover – that was a joy!
When I was sorting out this weekend, I had the radio on in the background and I happened upon a very interesting programme about Winnie the Pooh and the history behind the bear and the books. As you know from previous Bulletins, I really like Winnie the Pooh books as they are always full of funny, witty and sometimes bittersweet stories about love, friendship and growing. Did you know that Winnie the Pooh was first published on 14 October 1926 – 98 years ago, yesterday? So, I thought this week, the Bulletin would be in honour of the beloved “silly old bear” and all he has taught us. I have done a Bulletin in the past about the history of Winnie the Pooh so this week, I decided to focus on meaningful quotes from the books. Have a read and enjoy with a cup of tea and a pot of honey by your side!
“A hug is always the right size.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“After all, one can’t complain. I have my friends.”
—Eeyore
“The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.”
—Piglet
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
—Christopher Robin
“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“If you live to be a hundred, I hope I live to be a hundred minus one day, so that I never have to live a day without you.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.”
—Eeyore
“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like, ‘What about lunch?’”
—Winnie the Pooh
“If the person you are talking to doesn’t appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“The most wonderful thing about Tiggers is, I’m the only one.”
—Tigger
“Some people care too much. I think it’s called love.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.”
—Eeyore
“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart for so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“Any day spent with you is my favourite day. So, today is my new favourite day.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?”
—Piglet
“Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“Love is taking a few steps backward maybe even more to give way to the happiness of the person you love.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“If the string breaks, then we try another piece of string.”
—Owl
“It isn’t much good having anything exciting, if you can’t share it with somebody.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“What’s wrong with knowing what you know now and not knowing what you don’t know until later?”
—Winnie the Pooh
“If people are upset because you’ve forgotten something, console them by letting them know you didn’t forget—you just weren’t remembering.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“It’s so much more friendly with two.”
—Piglet
“I’m never afraid with you.”
—Winnie the Pooh
“I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I have been.”
—Winnie the Pooh
Quote of the Week: “Pooh teaches us to take pleasure in life and seize the day.” – Smithsonian magazine
Well-being tasks for this week: These are all based on Optimistic October. It can be hard to stay hopeful with all of the challenges in our lives. We all have a built in ‘negativity-bias’ but we can also, relatively easily, train our brains to look for what is good. These challenges are meant to help you create a habit of taking small, positive actions each day.
Tuesday 15 October – Thank yourself for achieving the things you often take for granted
Wednesday 16 October – Put down your to do list and do something fun or uplifting
Thursday 17 October – Take a small step towards a positive change you want to see
Friday 18 October – Set hopeful but realistic goals for the days ahead
Saturday 19 October – Identify and celebrate three of your positive qualities
Sunday 20 October – Find joy in a task that you have been putting off for a while
Monday 21 October – Let go of the expectations of others and focus on what matters to you
Jokes of the week:
Why shouldn’t you tell a secret in a cornfield? Because the corn has ears.
How do you fix a broken pumpkin? With a pumpkin patch!
What happened when the turkey got in a fight? The stuffing was knocked out of him.
Why does Humpty Dumpty love autumn so much? Because he had a great fall.
What do lumberjacks shout at the start of fall? Sep-timberrrrrr!
Conversation starters:
What is the biggest lesson you have ever learned?
When was the last time you laughed really hard? What was it about?
5 things that I am grateful for or looking forward to this week:
Can you try this simple exercise in gratitude and positivity?
- I am looking forward to half term – very exciting things happening!
- I am looking forward to making my Christmas cake.
- I am looking forward to having Amelie and Arthur to stay this weekend, the first time in our new house!
- I am grateful for a super term in school – so much achieved and so many happy faces, daily.
- I am grateful for the crunch of autumn leaves.
Sleeps til Santa: 70 days. . .time to write my Christmas cards and update the infamous Christmas spreadsheet!
Have a wonderful week and enjoy half term. Rest and relax and have lots and lots of fun. See you all in November!
With love,
Mrs Bennett
