During a solemn and beautiful mass presided over by Father Timothy, the College welcomed the prefect body for 2019-20. Their badges were blessed and pinned on their blazer by one of their parents. At the conclusion of mass the 2019 - 2020 College Captain and Vice Captains were announced. Congratulations to: Captain:  Jackson Robb Vice-Captain: Daniel Brazier Vice-Captain: Joseph Hussein Prefect: Joshua Armstrong Prefect: Lars Cleeran Prefect: Jacob Curcio Prefect: Aidan Davis Prefect: Samuel Dewey Prefect: Johan Fernandes Prefect: Daniel Hope Prefect: Kane Howe Prefect: Aaron Judd Prefect: Ashleigh Palupe Prefect: Daniel Pearce Prefect: Ethan Short Prefect: Jordan Terzian During this moving ceremony, the students performed various hymns, which provided a prayerful atmosphere. Thanks to Salvatore Tropiano and our music staff for preparing the musicians. These items were outstanding and displayed the many hours of hard work that went into the preparation of the songs. Ashleigh Palupe presented an insightful speech about leadership that was inspiring. A big thank you to all who contributed to this wonderful community celebration.   [smallgallery fooid="21084"]   Leadership Speech - Ashleigh Palupe [embed]https://youtu.be/3I0wTeq08S0[/embed]   Musical Performances [embed]https://youtu.be/SIa05DqglwI[/embed]

Through one of our wonderful parents in the College community, Modibodi have come on board to help with our donations of women’s underwear for our Kenya immersion. Through one of our wonderful parents in the College community, Modibodi have come on board to help with our donations of women’s underwear for our Kenya immersion. Modibodi underwear are sustainable, protective, leak-proof and comfortable.  They will provide the women in Kenya with confidence and comfort along with the dignity of hygiene.  Through their Modibodi Gives Back Program, the company will donate two pairs of underwear for every virtual pair voucher purchased. If you would like to help our cause, please follow this link https://www.modibodi.com/pages/modibodi-gives-back and for every ‘virtual pair’ voucher purchased, Modibodi will donate two pairs of physical underwear and ship them to the College in one big shipment prior to our departure. In order for this to happen before we leave, use the link to purchase a ‘Virtual Pair’ voucher before close of business Monday 16 September, then email your receipt to shadihaddad@modibodi.com and mention that you wish for your order to be included in the St Edward’s College Kenya order.  Shadi will then collate all our College community orders and get them to us before we leave.  We hope this will be a great help to our Women for Women organisation in Kenya.  Thank you in anticipation!

Trash Free Tuesday, Week 8 Leader Board Statistics for Term 3, Week 8

Last Monday and Tuesday were very exciting for the Music Department. On Monday we had our Year 11 and 12 Performance Evening with approximately 80 parents, teachers and friends in attendance. The boys were a touch nervous, but were well supported and exhibited some truly memorable performances which highlighted the skills and hard work which has gone into their pieces so far this year. Year 12, of course, also gained a valuable rehearsal in front of a live audience prior to their exam in a couple of weeks’ time. As the theatre was already decked out with instruments, amps, lights and smoke machines (courtesy of our amazing Year 11 and 12 Entertainment students), we decided it would be fun to put on a performance showcase the very next day in back to back concerts for our Year 7 and 8 students. Our Year 9 and 10 electives were simply amazing. The selected pieces ranged from Beethoven to Green Day and had our junior students clapping and singing along! Many thanks to Mrs Emmett (and the Entertainment students) and Mr Droz  for their assistance and support with both of these events.   [smallgallery fooid="21007"]   Years 9 and 10 Performances [embed]https://youtu.be/8be4uKnVUC0[/embed]   Years 11 and 12 Evening Performances [embed]https://youtu.be/nnYogC6iZZE[/embed]

Thank you very much to all the parents who have signed the Expression of Interest Form in regards to the trip to France in April 2020. An information night will be held in the College Theatre from 6.30 - 7.30 pm on Monday 16 September. A representative of GET Educational Tour will be presenting the itinerary of the trip and will be able to answer any questions.

Last week St Edward’s was represented by five students at the Future Council Event. This event saw students participate in a mock council meeting at Gosford City Council. Congratulations to Ikey Allen, Samuel Beatson, Jai Heaney, Jett Heaney, and Cameron Shaw. These students took on the roles of councillor and stakeholder, discussing issues that have the potential to significantly impact the Central Coast and its residents. These young men demonstrated resolve, creativity, and a natural aptitude for speaking in a public forum, even when the debates became heated. Watching our students participate in an event like this gives me confidence that the future is in capable hands. Katie Moon Librarian    

WOW!! What a game, what a year! Three words come to mind when I think about this years Open Rugby League Team – Luck, Momentum and Resilience. Luck - To do well in these competitions you need a bit of luck and we certainly had some this year. Callum Richardson knocked the ball lose on a Terrigal player who was about to score on the bell in our Central Coast Final – we won 12-10. Momentum – The boys certainly felt the full effect of this in the final 4 minutes of the Schoolboy Trophy Final. Down 36-18, the boys scored 3 converted tries in the last three sets of the game to tie at 36-36. In extra time they held their composure to kick the deciding field goal in golden point – to win 37-36. Resilience – In the City and Schoolboy Cup Finals we played against far bigger opponents who started both games at a whirlwind pace. In both games, we were down on the scoreboard and the team needed to absorb pressure and ‘weather the storm’. Through self-belief they were able to breakdown their opponents and find a way to win. Schoolboy Trophy Grand Final The Open Rugby League team again travelled to Campbelltown Stadium to contest the Schoolboy Trophy Grand Final on Tuesday 10 September. They were coming up against a very well drilled and physically intimidating Mt Ridley College team from Victoria (The Country Cup winner). Knowing the sheer size and quality of Mt Ridley, we had a plan to ‘weather the storm’ in the early stages and try to move around our bigger opponents and tire them out. From there we wanted to take advantage of them in the back end of the halves. Unfortunately, we were not prepared early for their onslaught and they scored two converted tries in the opening minutes. Nerves and the enormity of the task sprang to mind as the boys composed themselves and went about getting back into the game. Mt Ridley scored again, and it looked like it might get away from us as they led 18-0. As we had expected, Mt Ridley did tire and started to make mistakes and give away penalties. The tide of possession turned, and we were able to mount pressure. Tries to Riley Stevenson and Tyler Moriarty with Sandon Smith converting both tries just before half-time, saw the boys close the gap to 18-12. Momentum had turned and we finished the stronger team going to the break. The game plan didn’t change going into the second half. All was going well early as we had a run of possession and mounted pressure on Mt Ridley, waiting for them to crack. A sin-binning and an intercept turned the momentum Mt Ridley’s way as their lead extended to 30-12. A nice cut-out pass from Owen Flaherty saw Levi Kasun cross in the corner. Sandon Smith again slotted the goal from the sideline to bring the score to 30-18. Mt Ridley wrestled back the majority of possession and applied wave after wave of midfield pressure through their big forwards. A tremendous cross field kick from their five-eight saw the winger dive over in the corner to extend their lead to 36-18. A mistake from Mt Ridley, just inside our half saw a scrum and our feed with 4 minutes 30 to go. Sandon Smith chipped from the scrum for Riley Stevenson under the posts. Sandon Smith again converted to make the score 36-24. Momentum had shifted again, and Mt Ridley slowly walked back to halfway. The team worked the ball upfield into good position as Sandon Smith took the ball to the line and grubbered through for himself, regathered and sent Riley Stevenson over for his third try. Sandon promptly converted to turn the game on its head as we now trailed 36-30. A shell shocked Mt Ridley team again walked back to halfway, steeling themselves for one more set. The boys showed great composure to work the ball up to halfway against a more committed Mt Ridley with 1 minute 30 to go. On the fourth tackle, a penalty for off-side saw us move up field into their 30 metre zone. Winding the clock down with under 1 minute to go, the boys moved the ball to the far side, to be tackled five metres out from the Mt Ridley try-line. Marc Phillpott scooped up the ball and barged over with 34 seconds remaining, Sandon Smith calmly slotted the conversion after the final siren to tie the game 36-36. The game now moved into ‘golden point’ extra time, 5 minutes each way. At this time the belief had set in amongst the team and a composure above their years took over. We received the ball from the re-start and worked play up field. The tension in the game was gripping as we completed our set with a kick into their 20m zone. Mt Ridley moved the ball up field strongly as the St Eddies boys defended gamely. Riley Stevenson collected the ball on our try-line as we set about working the ball up-field. On the fourth tackle, a quick play the ball from Kale Livesley saw Tyler Moriarty dart down the short-side and link up with Riley Stevenson, who passed inside to Wiremu Tibbutt who was run down 10m out on the fifth tackle. A quick play the ball and pass back to Sandon Smith saw him slot the field goal to win the game 37-36. In a game that had to be watched to be believed, St Edward’s had been crowned Schoolboy Trophy Champions for the first time. A truly amazing achievement by all the boys involved on the day and those who played their part along the way. Click Here to Watch the Game via Facebook  

The Under 14’s Rugby League team have won everything possible this year to finish their season as undefeated NSW All School’s Champions, and NSW CCC Cochrane Cup Champions! Congratulations to all the players involved and a big thank you to their parents for supporting us as we travelled all around the state to claim the victories needed along the way. It has been a long journey punctuated with examples of brilliant individual performances and even more amazing team efforts. It has been a pleasure coaching these students and I am proud of the way these young men have represented the Black and Red of St Edward’s. The Team William Hodder (C), Jack Legge (VC), Gabe Stuart, Dylan Day, Zak Zibara, Kyle White, Harry Bates, Tyrone Dorrell, Kieran Diamond, Atticus Fotofili, Tom Breen, Mason Stafford, Zane Dale, Leroy Carter-Mason, Luke Marsters, Fletcher Stuart, Jackson Herbert, Jacob Hassan, Aymn Hamilton, Malachi Smith. Coach:  Paul Sullivan  

Newcastle International Hockey Centre, Wednesday 21 to Thursday 22 August 2019 On  21 and 22 August a squad of 13 boys went to Newcastle to compete in the NSWCCC Hockey championships. Game 1: St Edward’s College vs Red Bend Catholic College Forbes The first game started off at a fast pace with Red Bend College having the majority of ball control. Jacob Curcio showed great intensity early on in the game and Seth Short, goalkeeper made some great saves from close range. After a couple of unlucky goals from Red Bend College, Ethan Short combined well with Jacques Engelbrecht to get the ball into Red Bend's defence. Some loose marking and ball watching allowed the other team to score again. In the second half, Red Bend College continued to show dominance and put our boys under pressure in our defensive circle. Ethan Short showed some great speed counter-attacking their plays but unfortunately could not get the ball away. After some tough short corners, Red Bend College came away with the win Final score: 0 – 9 Game 2: St Edward’s College vs McCarthy College Tamworth Our Eddies boys didn’t drop their heads going into our second game against a well-structured McCarthy College side. Kyle Donaldson’s mid-air touch wasn’t enough to prevent a short corner drag flick from hitting the back of the net and an unlucky squeeze ball made it through goalkeeper Seth’s pads. The second half didn’t start out much different from the first but the team combination worked well through the middle for a near miss shot on goal. The decision to move Jake Mussared to defence was beneficial to the team and prevented many goals. Final score: 0 – 7 Game 3: St Edward’s College vs St Joseph’s College Aberdeen St Edward's College started strong with a shot on goal that just went wide. This confidence booster lead to a close shot from Ethan Short and a set up from Callum Richardson to offload to Jacques Engelbrecht  to score. A great ball from Kyle Donaldson in the midfield to Jacob Curcio, to set Callum Richardson up with a goal. After some shots saved by their keeper St Edward's managed to score one goal before the second half. Eddies went back on for the second half scoring quickly off a knock in short corner. Jacques Engelbrecht ran a great ball down the left side but was unfortunately stopped by the opposition's goalkeeper. After they scored off a mistake in our midfield Jacques again scored a goal. That wasn’t it for St Edward's, after attacking their goal and being denied multiple times, Kyle Donaldson scored off a long range flick into the top right of the net. Jacob Curcio and Ikey Allen took multiple shots at the goals but were denied by their keeper and a runaway play was quickly stopped by an excellent tackle from Tex Robinson. Kyle Donaldson finished off the day with a solo run and drag around the keeper to score. Final score: 7 – 1 [smallgallery fooid="21304"]   Game 4: St Edward’s College vs Trinity Catholic College, Goulburn Our fourth game was against Trinity Catholic College, Goulburn. Goulburn started the game off with the ball and quickly got it into St Edward's half for a quick shot at goal which was saved by Seth Short. Tom Kelly hit the ball to Ethan Short who ran the ball and passed to the top of the circle but was sadly intercepted. Goulburn took the ball but was stopped by Seth Short who had three consecutive goal saves. For the next few minutes St Edward's held off Goulburn desperately with a shot saved by Kyle Donaldson, however Goulburn flicked the ball top left to score. Once the play reset, St Edward's had the ball intercepted from a pass but Joshua Mercer came from behind with a great steal. Goulburn recovered quickly from this and hit the ball down to attack and score a soft deflection into the goal. In the second half St Edward's turned up the pressure with Kyle Donaldson working in both the offensive and defensive halves. Once we received the ball Kyle Donaldson moved the ball around the field and up into attack with a pass to Callum Richardson. After he was tackled, Goulburn hit the ball down the field into our half. Kyle Donaldson made an excellent run from the attacking end back to defence where he made a vital tackle. This was closely followed by a strong run out of defence where he was able to deliver a pass down the side line which resulted in Goulburn hitting the ball over our base line. Tom Kelly made a break away and ran the ball through three players. St Edward's successfully held on for an extended period of time with desperate scrambling in defence by Alex Morris and Jagger Allen. Final score: 0 – 2 Game 5: St Edward’s College V Mount St Patrick College Murwillumbah The final game of the carnival was against Mount Saint Patrick College, Murwillumbah. They started off the first half with the ball, performing a strong play getting the ball into St Edward's half for a shot at goal which resulted in a short corner. Thanks to Ethan Short running out and intercepting the ball they were denied a goal. After a few minutes St Edward's got the ball into their circle and landed themselves a short corner. Sadly, St Patrick's goalie saved a shot which resulted in the team passing the ball high to their attacking half and their first goal. At the start of the second half St Edward's had the ball and moved it around the back until they saw an opening up the line. The ball was then intercepted and the opposition were able to get the ball into our circle and score. St Edward's then played the game with short passes and moved up the field to score themselves a short corner. A quick ball to the top of the circle and back to near post resulted in Kyle Donaldson scoring a deflection into the bottom corner. Final score: 1 – 3 A special thanks to Mr Thomas Ristuccia who was our bus driver and photographer for the tournament as well as all the family and friends who came to support us. Thank you to the boys in our team who stood up and umpired; Ikey Allen, Jagger Allen and Jacob Curcio. Thank you to our coach Mr Mark Austin for his expertise in the game.

On Tuesday 27 August the College Athletics team headed to SOPAC, Homebush for the Broken Bay Carnival. A sunny but cold day greeted the boys. Our team consisted of 44 students who competed across a range of Track and Field events in ages 12 to 17+ years. Across the day we had several fantastic individual performances. The following boys won their event: 1500 m [Nate Vaughan (12), Keenan White (13), Gabe Scott (15), Sean Rae (16)] 200 m [Jay Clarke (12), Cameron Steer (16)] 800 m [Keenan White (13), Ryan Green (15), Tom Herbert (16)] 100 m [Jay Clarke (12), Cameron Steer (16), Ethan Short (17+)] 1500 m Walk [Lincoln Markulin (12-14 years)] 400 m [Jay Clarke (12), Tom Lawton (14)] Relays [12-13 years, 16+ years] Shot Put [Jay Clarke (12), Tymana Henry (16)] Javelin [Lincoln Markulin (13)] Discus [Tymana Henry (16), Callum Sutton (17+)] Long Jump [Keanu Wells (12), Cameron Steer (16)] High Jump [Toby Armstrong (15), James Rigas (17+)] Triple Jump [Cooper Boelhouwer (17+)] The following boys also qualified for the Broken Bay team: Oscar Mahoney (12), Chris Rae (13), Will Browning (13), Noah Nakagawa (14), Hayden Maher (15), Chris Murray (15), Sam Norris (16) and Aaron Antonio (16). Congratulations to these students who broke BBSSSA Records: Callum Sutton 17+ years Discus Relay Team 12-13 Boys    (Jay Clarke, Riley Scott, Jimmy Stuart & Chris Rae) Congratulations to these students who were crowned BBSSSA Age Champions: 13 years Boys Lincoln Markulin 16 years Boys Cameron Steer On top of these remarkable individual achievements, St Edward’s was also crowned Team Divisional Champions in the 12-13, 14-15 and 16+ years. A big thank you to Ms Celebrin, Mr Hannelly and Mr Ristuccia for their assistance with the team and officiating on the day. Well done to all the boys in the team on a fantastic effort across the board. [smallgallery fooid="21251"]

The Central Coast Rugby Sevens tournament was held at the Sports Complex at Tuggerah and our school sent two sides to compete in the Under 13’s division. Although the opposition was tough, it was nothing compared to the weather: the rain was relentless and visibility was poor, meaning that just holding on to the ball became the main goal of the day. Team 2 played very well winning one of their two games, which meant that they finished in fifth place; a great effort considering most boys had never played before. Team 1 however, won the tournament with an undefeated record, beating a strong Kincumber High School in the final. This success has catapulted St Edward's into the NSW State Championships to be held at Newcastle in Week 10 of this term. We look forward to the challenge and once again, the future of rugby is looking very bright at St Edward’s! Thank you to the parents and other teachers for supporting us on the day.    

This week in sport: Week Event Venue Date Week 8, Term 3 Open Rugby League Campbelltown Stadium Tuesday 10 September Week 9, Term 3 National Schools Cup Years 9 and 10 Touch Football Sunshine Coast Stadium, QLD Tuesday 17 to Friday 20 September Week 9, Term 3 NSWCCC Athletics Carnival SOPAC, Homebush Friday 20 September  

NECA Training and Apprenticeships Register an Expression of Interest here HSC Focused Workshops - October Holidays With the HSC exams approaching, and with 50% of marks yet to be determined, HSC students are invited to participate in a series of Subject-Specific Workshops in the upcoming October school holidays. The sessions are run by senior teachers and exam markers together with UTS, Macquarie University, UOW and UON. This program has been proven to enhance knowledge and develop exam skills in students to confidently sit final exams. In any of our 20 subjects, students can sit for a day with an expert teacher to: Practice a range of possible HSC questions; Receive feedback on their work; Be provided with essential exam tips and strategies; Receive comprehensive student workbooks, including notes and answers/solutions to probable HSC questions; Clarify any aspect of the syllabus; Ask expert HSC Markers any questions. Year 12 2019 Information Careers Quiz to Help Determine Career Pathway NSW Government has launched a new careers search tool called LifeLauncher.  Try the personality or subject quiz.  Remember Career websites help the user think of careers possibilities and a quiz should never be used as the determining factor into a pathway decision. https://www.lifelauncher.nsw.gov.au/     September Careers Newsletter [embed]https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/curriculum-learning/careers-and-vocational-education/careers-news/[/embed]

Currently, there’s a strong tendency to view successful fathering through the lens of skills and knowledge acquisition. That is, to raise kids today effective fathers, like mothers, need to keep building their skill sets (What’s the most appropriate way to manage kids today?) and their knowledge (What’s the latest research about the impact of digital technology on children?). Staying one step ahead can be exhausting and make a man feel inadequate if he can't keep up. Another way to look at fathering is through the generative parenting lens. That is, fathering is an activity that's rooted in a man's biology in much the same way that mothering is an instinctive activity.  If the mothering instinct is to nurture and protect children, a father's instinct is to teach and develop his children's skills and knowledge so they can thrive long after the time he's left this world. The generative fathering notion developed by researchers Dollahite, Hawkens and Brotherson explains why many men will turn a simple game they have with their children into a lesson into how to hold a ball; defeat that opponent or stand firm in the face of fear.  Father-son relationships can be scuppered by this well-intentioned, but oft mistimed 'you can always get better' attitude. Generative fathers tend to look long term when they raise their kids. Quintessentially, generative fathers work hard to be good men and good citizens.  Love, availability and character become their fathering stock in trade. Generative fathers keep pace with their children's development adjusting their role at different stages. For instance, during a child's latency (primary school years) they focus on recreational work and so they help develop children's interests and competencies through sport, hobbies and leisure activities. The task for generative fathers of early adolescents is to help their children develop strong values and inner beliefs. This spiritual work (not necessarily in a religious sense) helps young people develop the moral compasses they need to act safely and be good citizens when fathers aren't around. For generative parents, fathering becomes a lifelong task, and doesn't stop when children become adults, leave home and start families of their own.  It is in this stage that men take on mentoring work, passing on the wisdom gained from their experiences to the next generation so that they don't repeat the same mistakes that they have made. Fathering never stops. It changes with the development of your children. This Father’s Day, while enjoying the accolades and attention that will come your way consider the generational impact you are having on your kids. Your lasting fathering legacy will be determined by the character you display; the way you live your life and how you relate to your family. Those are attributes that you can continue to work on over the coming twelve months.  

We do a lot for our kids, because we love them and often they need us. But we forget that one of the best things we can do for our kids is to help them learn to do for themselves and for others. Do you ask your kids to do chores, to help out on a regular basis? You would be surprised how many parents - who were raised doing chores - don’t ask the same of their kids.  If you do give them chores, do you sometimes go behind them and redo the work when they’re done? Don’t! If it’s not done right, get your child to fix it. When I ask why parents don’t give chores or why they don’t challenge their kids with hard things - and I do, all over the world - parents tell me it's because kids are too... busy! They're working their tails off on classwork, teams, clubs, groups, trying to excel at 100 different things! So adults are willing to take on every other responsibility in their lives in order to facilitate these goals. And it’s hurting kids. We drive them everywhere - fewer teens are seeking drivers' licences each year. We type their work, do their research and try to buy them anything they or we think might possibly increase their success. We solve every problem and bulldoze over every potential obstacle. And kids accept this as the natural order of things. We are stepping in front of our kids, when in fact we should be stepping back and allowing our kids to step up. It’s sounds like tough love, but it’s not. This is parenting. This is making sure that our kids, in just a few short years, don’t still need us to do everything for them. Our kids know that we are expert problem-solvers. Now it’s their turn to step up and learn to help themselves and others. So how can we let kids step up? Here are a few tips you can try right now with kids of any age. When your child or teen comes to you with a problem, don’t fix it. Say “You’re a good problem-solver. What do you think?” And then listen to the answer. Expect them to fail, and talk about what they’ll do when (not if) that happens. Give them tasks to do that help the whole family (not only themselves) and make sure they do them, until it’s done well. Be patient, but firm. It’s crucial that you take a step back and let your kids make mistakes and learn from their experiences. You aren’t going to be there in adulthood to clear the obstacles they face or solve the struggles. They eventually will have to make decisions and find solutions on their own and they will be ill-prepared if they weren’t allowed to make those mistakes under supervision while you’re right there to show empathy and give support! You may be thinking "but what if there’s an emergency and I have to jump in?"  Well, first define emergency. Two percent of the time, kids need an adult to jump in front of them and solve the problem. They need an adult to protect them from a life-threatening issue that overwhelms their internal resources such as when they experience bullying, mental health issues and eating disorders. The other ninety-eight percent of the time kids need a compassionate adult to take an interest, from a distance, without fixing anything. So step back so that a child or a young person can step up and handle problems and dilemmas themselves. You can attend our upcoming webinar, Step back so kids step up, at no cost! About the Webinar Children and teenagers are capable of so much more than they are often given credit for. Closing the expectation gap between what adults believe kids and young adults are capable of, and allowing them to create their own solutions to the challenges they face will greatly impact their resilience, and society as a whole. In this webinar, Dr. G will outline the practicalities of doing that, and the guiding principles that will make it possible. When Wednesday 18 September 2019 8:00pm AEST. Price This webinar is $37 per person to attend, and is free of charge to families at schools that have a membership. How Parents Can Redeem the Voucher Click this link: https://www.parentingideas.com.au/parent-resources/parent-webinars/webinar-step-back-so-kids-step-up Click ‘Add to cart’ Click ‘View cart’ Enter the voucher code STEP and click ‘Apply Coupon’ (valid until 18 October 2019). Your discount of $37 will be applied. Click ‘Proceed to checkout’ Fill in your account details. These details are used to login to your account and access your parenting material Click ‘Place Order’  

Recently, a mother of two primary school children thanked me for the impact one of my presentations had on her parenting style. When I asked what was it that made the difference, she said that one particular question I posed in the presentation had the most impact. The question was “What are you regularly doing for your children now that they can do themselves?” This mother attended my Parenting for Independence seminar after reading my book Spoonfed Generation. My message of developing self-sufficiency in children from the earliest possible age stayed with her. She said that the independence message really came home to roost when her children went to an international school in Germany two years later. Self-sufficiency was expected at the school so the training she provided them as a result of the seminar such as in teaching them to pack school bags, preparing snacks and assisting with meals, doing daily chores, and getting themselves up each morning helped to prepare them for the expectations of an international school. Why is Self-Sufficiency Important? Self-sufficiency, of the ‘I can do it myself’ kind, is the basis of self-esteem and resilience. One of the main developmental tasks is for children and teenagers to gain a sense of control and mastery over their environment. This mastery begins by gaining basic competencies such as being able to feed and dress yourself as a toddler and then gradually adding new competencies as physical and mental capacities allow. The development of children’s independence can be frustrating and time-consuming, particularly if you are time-poor or have a strong perfectionist streak. But that is the price of independence-building. Step Back to Allow Kids to Step Up Respected US parenting and child development expert Dr. Debora Gilboa (aka Dr. G) believes parents need to step back to allow children to step up. It’s a smart phrase that infers that parents need to take on the role of their child’s teacher rather than be the person who is always solving their problems and doing routine tasks for them. Gilboa says, “It’s crucial that you take a step back and let your kids make mistakes and learn from their experiences. You aren’t going to be there in adulthood to clear the obstacles they face or solve their struggles.” It is through dealing with their own frustrations and learning from their mistakes that kids develop the resilience needed to stand on their own two feet. Self-Sufficiency Tips Gilboa gives the following three tips to develop self-sufficiency in children at any age: Problem-solving. When your child or adolescent comes to you with a problem, resist the urge to fix it. Invite them to resolve the problem themselves. Welcome failure. This is hard in our perfectionistic world but expect them to struggle and talk about what they can do to get back on their feet. Expect them to help. Give them tasks that help the whole family, not just themselves and make sure they do them well. Be patient, but firm. Self-sufficiency has many forms and many faces, including the ability to problem-solve, emotional self-regulation and taking responsibility for your actions. It’s easiest to develop in children when they are young. This is also because not every child in a family will take to independence as willingly as others. If developing independence is something that you haven’t focused on before, don’t despair. It’s not too late to start. Begin where you feel comfortable, rather than make huge changes straightaway. Persist rather than give in when you have resisters; the notion of independence is too important for children’s future success.