Dean of Students | Mr Damien Fall

A human virtue that we greatly value is honesty, and every parent wants their children to tell the truth.  Likewise, parents of boys want to be able to trust their sons, but there is a harsh reality that is strongly backed by research: most boys will lie to their parents at least some of the time.  Occasionally, parents will tell me that their son never lies to them and while this sounds fabulous, it is in fact, highly unlikely to be the case.  As disappointing and hurtful as it is to be lied to, it’s actually a normal part of a child’s development.  While we don’t want it, all parents should expect to run into it on the journey.  Reasons boys will lie include:
• Avoiding a lecture
• Fear of punishment
• To ‘protect’ their parents
• To gain parental approval
• Not wanting to let parents down
• An unconscious cry for attention

As a boy grows, he is looking for independence and identity, meaning he can be inclined to detach from his parents.  If his actions don’t match your values, he may instinctively be dishonest to avoid disappointing you.  A tip for parents is to have regular, open, honest conversations in which you react in a calm and measured way, even if you hear things you don’t like.  Boys will avoid honest conversations if they are worried about their parents’ reaction.

Parents may be aware of the existence of the Netflix program 13 Reasons Why that aired last year in Australia, amid controversy about its content.  Series two has recently been released and it again contains some controversial material including the topics of youth suicide, bullying, sexual assault and substance abuse.  While the first series received some positive reviews, there was also plenty of negative feedback from those who were concerned about children viewing such confronting topics without the right support.  Ultimately, it is up to parents to decide whether or not their son should watch this series and it is best to make an informed decision.  This link contains information for parents and students who might be considering accessing the series.  The information is published by the youth mental health foundation known as Headspace and is a valuable resource for families.  While some students may be able to watch a series such as this without any impact, parents know the needs of their children best and I encourage you to consider what is best for your son at his particular age, developmental stage and level of resilience.

Next Wednesday 30 May, we will be sending most of our Year 9 students to support the GPS Cross Country team at the annual championships.  We wish our runners all the very best and we look forward to our Year 9 students giving their best in support.  Around 15 Year 9s have been chosen by House Deans to attend a leadership event on the same day known as Altitude Day.  This is in recognition of their consistent, positive performance both in and out of the classroom.  As we come to the end of Week 6, consistency is the key for all students.