Dr. Becky’s Approach to Teaching Responsibility to Children
Dr. Becky Kennedy teaches responsibility by helping children understand their emotions, hold clear boundaries, and learn to cope with frustration — all within a “Good Inside” framework that balances empathy with accountability.
Core Principles
Dr. Becky’s method, called Good Inside, is built on five steps:
Chaos – Recognize the hard moments.
Understand – See beneath the behavior to the child’s needs.
Sturdy – Hold a clear, consistent boundary.
Repair – Reconnect after conflict.
Reset – Trust yourself as a parent Good Inside.
She emphasizes that responsibility starts with emotional regulation. Children must learn to identify and manage feelings like disappointment, frustration, and envy before they can act responsibly Upworthy.
Building Responsibility Through Resilience
Kennedy argues that resilience is more important than constant happiness because it equips kids to handle life’s inevitable challenges Upworthy. She advises parents to:
Teach coping skills for tough emotions, not just “cheer up” moments.
Allow the “learning space” — the uncomfortable gap between wanting something and having it — so children can practice persistence www.readandrewhuberman.com.
Support, not rescue — instead of removing obstacles, help children work through them to build capability and confidence www.readandrewhuberman.com.
Practical Strategies
Set true boundaries: A boundary is what you will do, regardless of the child’s compliance, not a repeated request Mini Magazine.
Model emotional regulation: Show children how to modulate frustration (e.g., from a 9/10 to a 7/10) so learning can happen www.readandrewhuberman.com.
Use daily check-ins: A 10‑minute bedtime conversation can help children process feelings and practice self‑regulation Upworthy.
Encourage problem‑solving: Guide children to think through solutions rather than giving immediate answers www.readandrewhuberman.com.
Why This Works
By combining empathy (validating feelings) with accountability (holding boundaries and expectations), Dr. Becky’s approach helps children internalize responsibility. They learn that responsibility isn’t about never feeling upset — it’s about managing those feelings and taking action despite them Upworthy+2.
In short: Teach responsibility by helping children understand their emotions, hold firm boundaries, and practice coping with frustration — so they can act responsibly even when it’s hard.
Open House
- It is coming next week on September 23rd! Classrooms will be open for students and families to visit with the classmates and teacher. Students will be able to share some of the work they have been doing to grow as learners. The classrooms will be open from 5:30 to 6:00 for drop in visits. Please make your way to multiple classes if you have multiple students. The Book Fair will only be open for this night only from 5:30-7:00. Food trucks and the playground equipment areas will be available for families to get to know each other. Thank you to the FSO for organizing the trucks and Book Fair! We look forward to seeing you!
Attendance
- Thank you for ensuring your student is arriving on time to school and has time to settle in for the day of learning! At SES, we have a low chronic absence rate, and Ms. Myrick will be calling the families who have consistently had chronic attendance issues in previous years and are showing the same pattern today. Our goal is to schedule time to develop a plan to improve. Being chronically absent is defined as missing 10% of the expected attendance days. So, if we have been in school 12 days and your student missed 1 day, they are chronically absent at this point of the year. To date, our overall attendance average is 96.99%. Third grade students have the highest rate of attendance at 97.49%. The lowest rate of attendance is 96.43%. Last year, SES maintained one of the highest attendance rates in the county, so we look forward to maintaining or exceeding that standing!
FSO
Spirit Nights
- The FSO has arranged 3 Spirit Nights where we earn a portion of the profits to support activities within our school! Check out the fliers below!
Meeting Minutes
- The minutes from the September 9th meeting are available on the FSO website and in the FSO section below.
September is Head Lice Prevention Month
As part of Head Lice Prevention Month, we would like to share some helpful information with families about head lice, including prevention tips, signs to watch for, and our school's procedures should lice be identified.
What Are Head Lice?
Head lice are tiny insects that live on the scalp and feed on small amounts of blood. They are a common occurrence among school-aged children and are not related to cleanliness or hygiene. Lice spread primarily through direct head-to-head contact and cannot jump, fly, or hop.
Signs of Head Lice
A child with head lice may:
- Scratch their head more than usual
- Report an itchy scalp
- Have a tickling sensation in their hair
- Have live lice or small eggs (nits) visible near the scalp, especially around the ears and the back of the neck
What Should I Do If I Find Lice?
If you discover lice on your child:
- Treat your child using an over-the-counter or healthcare provider-recommended lice treatment.
- Carefully remove nits using a fine-toothed lice comb.
- Check other household members for signs of lice.
- Wash bedding, hats, hair accessories, and recently worn clothing in hot water and dry on high heat.
- Vacuum furniture, carpets, and vehicle seats where your child has recently spent time.
School Procedure
If live lice are identified at school, a parent or guardian will be contacted to pick up the student. Students may return to school the following day after receiving treatment at home. Before returning to class, the school nurse will reassess the student's scalp to ensure treatment has been initiated and determine if the student is cleared to rejoin class. To be able to return to class, the child must be lice and nit free upon assessment by the nurse.
Prevention Tips
You can help reduce the spread of lice by encouraging children to:
- Avoid head-to-head contact during play and other activities.
- Avoid sharing hats, brushes, combs, hair accessories, helmets, headphones, and similar personal items.
- Keep long hair tied back when possible.
- Participate in regular head checks at home, especially if lice have been reported in your child's classroom or among close contacts.
A Final Reminder
Head lice are a common childhood nuisance and can affect anyone. Early detection, prompt treatment, and routine scalp checks at home are the best ways to prevent lice from spreading within families and the school community.
If you have any questions about head lice or would like assistance identifying lice or nits, please contact Nurse Pepper.
REPEAT
- Fall Clubs: We would love to have you share something you love with the students through a before or after school club! Get creative and sign up Before or After School Clubs for Fall 2026-2027 – Fill out form All parents who run a club will need to be fingerprinted. Once you submit your club, we will share information for that process.
- We LOVE our Volunteers and couldn't do without YOU!
EVERYONE must reapply for being a volunteer. The system was cleaned out and you must reapply. Remember, if you want to be a chaperone or work events, you must be approved. If you are an employee of CCPS, you still need to complete the volunteer process for participation in events at school.
Even if you are not sure if you will be able to attend anything, please sign up early. Here’s the CCPS link of info: Become a Volunteer - Calvert County Public School District (calvertnet.k12.md.us)
Mark Your Calendars!
On Wednesday, October 14, 2026, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, CCPS' Family Support System is thrilled to present the “Fall in Love With Literacy” Festival at Calvert Middle School!
This fun-filled evening is designed for the whole family and features:
- Interactive games and stations to spark a love of reading
- Free books for children
- Exciting prizes
Registration is encouraged but not required. Flier is below.
REPEAT
- Fall MUM SALE: Help support our school. Our FSO has a MUM Sale that is now open. Each year, the mums have been so beautiful and healthy. CLICK the flier below.
