2ND EDITION OF THE “TWO HOURS FOR THE FAMILY” CAMPAIGN – 2013
SCHOOL MEMORIES THROUGH THE GENERATIONS

The patronage over the 2nd edition of the Campaign has been taken by Mrs President Anna Komorowska and the UN.

“I am happy that the Humanites Foundation – Art of Upbringing initiated national celebrations of the International Day of Families last year. The undertaking of this valuable initiative deserves words of recognition and support, this is why I wanted to join all those who have the interests of each family, its correct development and happiness, at heart. We all realise that we are fulfilled and function well in the society when we leave the family home with a baggage of positive educational experiences and acceptance, when we have grown in the atmosphere full of warmth, respect and understanding” – Fragment of Mrs Anna Komorowska’s letter to the participant of the Day of Families 2013.

The slogan of the 2nd edition of the Campaign has been selected from among competition submissions, and it was coined by Mrs Magdalena Michalska. In 2013 we invited new and last year’s participants of the Campaign to join in with shared family stories about school. Each generation has a completely different school experience. Talk to your children about what you remember about that period. Ask them what they would like to keep in their memories for the future, what they would like to tell their children. Remember that this conversation does not have to be about “whitewashing” yourself, honest admissions will convince your children that they can also tell you openly about many things.

We encourage you to talk your children to record these conversations… Time passes so fast, particularly for our grandparents. And if these talks will give you joy and satisfaction, this will be the best possible way of appreciating and honouring your own family.

These are family inspirations for talking about school (and more):

• Who had the strictest teacher? Each family member thinks about what were the traits of their strictest teacher.
• First party/event/house party – talk about the circumstances in which it was organised.
• Each family member tries to expand the sentence: “I had this situation at school when I thought it would be the end of the world for me… (this may be a memory of the time parents were called to school, a test, a poem you failed to learn by heart, etc.) and how we perceive the situation years later – probably as funny rather than scary.
• Try finding your school reports, notebooks, grades from school times and show them to your children.
• Do you remember a school joke which made you and your peers laugh for a long time?
• Do my children know that I was called on the Headmaster’s carpet?…
• You can try finding your mementos from your school times: pens, notebooks, diaries, and show them to your children.
• What were your first school trips? Camping?
• My first school love? What was it like, how I tried to attract their attention.
• What games did we play during breaks?