Nau mai, haere mai, talofa lava, malo e lelei, bula vinaka, kia orana, warm greetings

I orea te tuatara ka puta ki waho. A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions!

In true halfback fashion, I have been given a hospital pass by Steve Hart this week to compile some words for the community.

Over the last week we have seen the transition at kura as seniors direct their focus on externals and juniors look to finish off the year strong before our Junior Prizegiving on December 8th. 

For our Year 10's it is an especially busy time which culminates in The Rite Journey camp at Boyle River. Having been on this camp numerous times I can attest to what a special time it is and one that the boys remember forever. One of the key reasons it is a highlight is because it is not easy. Being away from family and technology, and the physicality required creates the need to overcome obstacles and think of solutions, hence the whakatauki above.

For our young men, whether it is exams, gaining those extra credits to pass the year, social issues or going on a camp, the ability to see possible obstacles as challenges rather than threats is a key. I am currently reading Do Hard Things by Steve Magnes which explores resilience and how the old adage of “toughen up” is misconstrued as resilience. True reliance, he states, is the ability to be honest with yourself, listen to your body and learn to respond instead of reacting. Of my times on camp seeing boys just enjoying the moment, acknowledging tough situations, and working together to get through tend to be the boys who have the greatest enjoyment. This is also true for the externals. Being nervous and the anxiety that can come with these exams is normal. Be honest with yourself, create and plan and take advantage of the many tutorials taking place over the coming weeks. Respond, do not react!

Over the coming weeks chat to your sons and discuss how they are feeling as they come into these situations, acknowledge what they face and encourage them to see discomfort and nervousness as normal, acknowledge it and move forward. 

As always it is our relationships we create and sense of community that often get us through these situations. Waiho i te toipoto, kaua I te toiroa – let us keep close together, not wide apart. 

Kia pai tō rā whakatā – Have a great weekend.