The legacy we leave
It was great to see so many dads at the Father’s Day breakfast this morning. I have also observed an increasing number of you at school events, including assemblies and morning drop-off. All men are keen to excel in their role as a parent, and be a strong yet positive ongoing influence in their children’s lives, but this is not always easy.
On occasions I see fathers trying too hard to be ‘cool’ and loved, and not firm when your child needs you to be. There are times when saying no to your child can actually be the most helpful thing to do. I see others who are so engrossed in their work that they overlook opportunities to build a bond and create happy memories for their children. The importance of showing a genuine interest cannot be underestimated, and they will remember this always. Please remember that working as a united team with your child’s mother and teachers truly sets your child up to be his or her best self.
My own father died a few years ago and, when writing his eulogy, I had an opportunity to reflect on his influence as a parent. My dad always took the time to listen (but encouraged us to solve our own problems), he heard each of his five children read (but never did our homework for us), and he never missed an opportunity to watch us play sport, to take us to the beach, to show us an eagle’s nest or to share stories that I have since passed on to my own three children. More than anything, he was a moral compass; he instilled a set of values that he lived by. I still recall phrases such as, “If you can’t say a good word about someone, don’t say anything at all”, “You get out of life what you put into it” and “It doesn’t cost a cent to be kind”. These still resonate with me today. Through his active community involvement, his devotion to family, exceptional resilience (his own parents died when he was a baby) and a propensity to have a good laugh, he gave me a map to follow on how to live a good life.
With media exposure of some male role models of dubious quality, the time is ripe for us (and other significant males in the lives of our children) to step up and to be good men: highly principled, kind, respectful, loving yet firm when we need to be and role models of resilience – men of honour.
That’s the legacy that we leave. What would you like to be remembered for?
Happy Father’s Day.
Enrolments
Investigator is experiencing a groundswell of interest at the moment with at least 15 new families already booked into the next Principal’s Tour on 15 September. There is so much planning for 2023 in progress and we are currently finalising subject choices, teaching appointments, budgets, special programs and classroom utilisation for 2023. Accordingly, I write to remind you that written notice of a minimum of 10 school weeks needs to be given to cancel an enrolment, and that failure to give the required notice will incur a fee equal to 10 weeks tuition fees. These are exciting times at Investigator College and 2023 is shaping up to be a year not to be missed! I trust you will be joining us as we continue to move from strength to strength.
John Robinson
Principal
https://www.investigator.sa.edu.au/parents/term-dates-and-lesson-times/
