Big News Changes We know so many of you are looking forward to matches meeting in person again but all matches will continue connecting virtually until further notice. BBBS is gathering input to determine phases to bring matches back together and we will communicate when we have more details . We want to hear from you too, watch for a survey later this week to give your input. We have heard from many of you that organizations are bombarding people with emails right now so, the Big News will return to its original format, sent only to Bigs twice per month and all previous BIG News since March are archived here . Parents and guardians, if you need help with additional resources, please reach out to your Match Support Specialist. If there is information about meeting in person, those emails will go to everyone. If you have any questions, feel free to ask your Match Support Specialist. We are always happy to talk.

What Does Your Match Mean to You? We want to know why your match is important to you. Please consider making a short video that answers one or more of the following questions. Email your videos or any technical questions to Victoria at vbenoit@bbbsidaho.org . 1.What do you miss most about your Little?  2. What do you think will be the first thing you do when you meet in person again?  3. How has being a Big helped you DURING these times?  4. What would you like to say to people on the fence about becoming a Big or on the fence about donating to our organization?

Letter Writing If you have access to a printer, send your Little a template to build a house or a sky scraper. You can build your own and you can show each other the cities you create.

Ideas from Bigs Try out a new recipe with your Little, both of you cooking at the same time in your own kitchens. Chat while you cook and enjoy a meal together, savoring your creations. Here are some recipe ideas from Food Network's Cooking With Kids to get you started.

Conversation starters Play the Geography Game - Each player comes up with a place name (town, state, country, etc.) that begins with the same letter as the last letter of the place the previous player mentioned. Example: Player 1 says Spain. Player 2 has to name a place that begins with an N, such as New York, which ends in K. Player 3 then mentions Kansas. Keep going for as long as you can name a new place.

Parent/Guardian Resources Q&A with a teacher Did you miss the Q&A with Steve Elsensohn, a local math teacher? Watch it here or read the transcript here . He gives suggestions on what to do if you are feeling overwhelmed with online learning, fun ways to encourage learning, and more. United Way List of community resources A list of Community Resources available throughout the Treasure Valley to support those directly and indirectly impacted by COVID-19.

Icon Credit Union Sponsors the Big News

Do Successful Children Need Praise or Encouragement? According to success researcher Carol Dweck, children are more successful when they are recognized for their work ethic rather than praised for their talent. In a Columbia University study, Dweck found that students who were praised for intelligence gave up after a failure, while those encouraged for their hard work tried even harder to succeed. Becoming an expert encouragement coach to your little isn’t easy, especially if you were not encouraged yourself as a child. But you can start with these simple shifts. Praise: “You’re so smart. I knew you’d do well on that test.” Encouragement: “ You worked so hard to ace that test. How does it make you feel?” Praise: “I’m proud you did your homework this week.” Encouragement : “What did you do to remember to do your homework?”