Waterford Project Our College Service Learning program, which is compulsory for students in Years 8-11, is due in Week 1 of Term 4. Our students have been given ways to complete the program at or near home and these were mentioned in previous Touchstones newsletters. Please feel welcome to contact me via email, or your son’s Religious Education teacher, if you have any questions about Waterford or your son’s completion of the program. We have been impressed by the amount and quality of boys’ efforts in completing Waterford Service Learning, in the context of lockdown. If any Year 12 students have achieved 100 hours of service for others in the past 12 months, please email me on pdell@stedwards.nsw.edu.au, to register for an Edmund Rice Honours Award. Mr Pat Dell Leader of Learning Social Justice    

As a way of supporting Year 12 and wishing them good luck, staff were invited to send a recorded message. The message may have been one of good luck, support, motivation, positive aspirations, a shout out to a particular class, tips etc. It goes without saying, Year 12 are experiencing many challenges individually and collectively in their final year. This was a great way of reminding them they are part of a community, and they are in our thoughts. Thank you to staff for taking up the invitation to wish the Year 12’s good luck in their upcoming assessment tasks. The messages were sent to Year 12's on the eve of their final assessments. [embed]https://youtu.be/PL2Lk-wZADw[/embed]

The following work is from Mrs Titheradge's Year 9 English class. Students were asked to design a movie poster for Macbeth, with famous actors they thought would suit the characters of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the Witches based on what they had read to the end of Act 1. The class also had to compose a letter imagining they were Macbeth writing home to Lady Macbeth explaining meeting the three Witches, the Witches' prophecy to him and how he felt about it. Taj Oehm's letter   Xzavier Rudd Abraham's Poster  

Mr Gentle's PDHPE classes were asked to take a photo or video of themselves in action as part of their practical lessons, see the students in action below.   [foogallery id="33669"]   [embed]https://youtu.be/JeIimvej4EM[/embed]     [embed]https://youtu.be/Mv1yfaqgtLM[/embed]

We have been advised that the following sporting events have been cancelled.   Term 3 BBSSSA Golf Friday 3 September NSWCCC Athletics Friday 3 September   Term 4 BBSSSA Waterpolo Monday 11 October Surfing and Body Boarding Thursday 14 October Rugby 7’s and AFL (J&I Boys) Monday 25 October Tennis and Surf Lifesaving – are pending as we wait for further modifications to public health orders in Term 4 before a decision will be made. NSW ALL SCHOOLS Cross Country Monday 18 October NSWCCC Currently CSNSW have yet to release a statement on cancellations for Term 4. We still await details on: Basketball (Junior and Intermediate) Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 October Berg & Downie Shield Cricket  

2021 NSW All Schools Athletics Championships Please note that this event will be held at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre, on a date to be confirmed. This event is open to ANY high-school student in NSW, aged 12-19 years old (as of 31st December, 2021). There are no pre-qualification criteria to enter the NSW All Schools Championships, and we encourage any student of any ability to enter this year's Championships. Event entries will open for this event in due time, with plenty of time for all students to enter. Stay tuned to our Athletics NSW social media channels below for any updates, as well as this event page. https://www.nswathletics.org.au/events-home/2021-nsw-all-schools-championships/ If you have any questions regarding the 2021 NSW All Schools Championships, please contact competitions@nswathletics.org.au.

See the links below for the latest job opportunities for students:         FMC Australia Information (Immersion, Pre-Employment & Traineeships)   Register your attendance NAS Open Day 2021 Saturday 13 November, 10 am – 4 pm Curious to know what student life is like at NAS, or unsure about your next steps after high school? See us at our course enquiry desk on Open Day for general enquiries, schedule a one-on-one advice session with our lecturers, or pop into a degree information session delivered by senior academics, running throughout the day. You can also speak with our current students to ask any burning questions you might have!    

See below for the latest information from Universities   Thursday 2 September 4-5pm: Student Support Services ANU is dedicated to supporting students throughout their studies, from academic skills and careers advice, to counselling services and ensuring equal access & inclusion for all students. The ANU Engagement & Success team will join us for this session to let you know how ANU can help you to get here, stay here, and be part of the ANU community. Friday 3 September 4-5pm: ANU Application Information (repeated session) This session will cover the 2021 timeline for offers and acceptances, changing your degree preferences, and managing your offers for scholarships and accommodation. The ANU Admissions team, ANU Coursework Scholarships team, and ANU Accommodation Services team will present information about what happens next with your application, and you will have an opportunity to ask questions about what you need to do between now and the end of the year (N.B. this information will be repeated in other sessions). You can register for multiple sessions, so please indicate all of the sessions you are interested in; the link you receive will give you access to all you registered sessions. If you are unable to attend a session, you can still register your interest so that we can send you the recording links after the session. Don't miss out! Register now Alternate Pathways to University Webinar   [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ap5ifA2q3g&t=205s[/embed]       What's on in September? Discovering advanced computing | Wed 1 Sept, 4 – 4.30pm AEST This webinar will cover what you will study in the Bachelor of Advanced Computing, the career outcomes and professional accreditation. Experience in engineering | Wed 1 Sept, 4.45 – 5.15pm AEST Learn about industry engagement at the Faculty of Engineering, the professional engagement program and scholarships. Discover the University of Sydney and what sets us apart. ARTiculate Geography with Political Economy | Wed 1 Sept, 5 – 5:45 PM AEST From the food we eat to the mobile phones we use, our lives are linked to the global economy. Explore themes like globalisation and climate change while learning about the everyday life of the economy. ARTiculate French Continuers and Extension | Wed 8 Sept, 4 – 4:45 PM AEST Join us in this french-spoken interactive webinar focusing on “French-speaking communities”. We will explore its meaning, origins manifestation in different continents and legacy in contemporary France. Overview of October Project Management Online Spring Camp | Friday 1 October This online program offers an excellent opportunity for high school students to learn about project management. To apply please RSVP here. Applications close: 24 September 2021 5:30pm AEST. Innovation Hub's upcoming Festival | Wednesday 13 October  Are you in Year 10 and 11 and interested in innovation opportunities? Join our panel on the Major in Innovation and Entrepreneurship held in partnership with the Spark Festival! The session will be recorded for Year 12 students. Scholarships, entries and pathways Sydney Conservatorium of Music - Auditions Open Students who would like to study at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 2022 will need to register their audition, portfolio or interview. July round videos are due by 12 August 2021. September round audition registration closing date: 19 September 2021. Auditions will be online or video submission. Sydney College of the Arts Porfolio Submissions | Friday 24 September Students wishing to study at the Sydney College of the Arts in the Bachelor of Visual Arts or the combined Bachelor of Visual Arts/Bachelor of Advanced Studies in 2021 will need to submit a portfolio of their artwork before midnight on Friday 24 September. Future Innovators Awards | Submit by Thursday 30 September The Future Innovators Awards are open to all Year 12 students at NSW high schools and reward future leaders for their creative business solutions to wicked social problems. Award winners will receive a prize pack and consideration for a $6,000 Sydney Scholars Award when they enroll at the University of Sydney Business School. Need help applying for Scholarships? Try our Scholarship Builder The Scholarship Builder provides a step-by-step guide on how to craft application responses. For some inspiration, students can also learn about the stories from some of our current university students.   Scholarship applications are currently open and close Sunday, 5 September, 2021. All applications must be completed by this date as no late applications will be accepted. Students must follow the below two steps to be considered for a scholarship. Step One - Complete the Bond University Study Application Form at student-bond.studylink.com. Step Two - Complete the Scholarship Application Form at student-bond.studylink.com by searching 'scholarship'. Click for the Scholarship Application Guide   Open Days Online - Register Now! Monday 6th to Wednesday 8th September We've got lots planned and we'd love to see you online. Join us for live information and Q&A sessions, virtual campus tours and live chat with current University of Newcastle students to find out everything you want to know about uni life! Register now and go into the draw to win a pair of Beats by Dre Headphones! Early Entry Schemes for Law in 2022 Newcastle Law School is offering two Early Entry Schemes into the five-year, full-time program, in which students will complete the Bachelor of Laws (Honours) alongside another degree program of their choice. Students could receive an early offer before beginning their final HSC exams. Indigenous Early Entry Scheme Opportunity for Indigenous students to gain early entry into our Law degree. Applications close 12 September 2021. Find out more here. Refugee Early Entry Scheme Opportunity for students from a refugee background to gain early entry into our Law degree. Applications close 13 September 2021. Find out more here. Please share this information with any interested students. 2022 Accommodation Applications Opening 7 October Semester 1, 2022 accommodation applications will open on Thursday 7 October. Students will be required to pay a $100 application fee. To ensure an easy application process, we encourage students to register a profile on the Student Living Accommodation Portal. Students can view our different accommodation options on our website. Accommodation applications are extremely competitive, with hundreds of students applying to live on campus every year. We encourage all students to be ready to apply as soon as applications open to ensure the best possible chance of living on campus next year!   Course changes in science and information technology in 2022 (subject to Academic Board approvals): Bachelor of Agriculture has had a name change and now has early exit points with the Diploma of Biological Sciences or Associate Degree of Agriculture Bachelor of Cybersecurity can be taken as a double degree with commerce, criminology or psychological science. Our new Diploma of Information Technology can be used as a pathway option to cybersecurity Bachelor of Information Technology students at the Melbourne campus can now choose from six majors aligned to future industry growth in either: software engineering, cloud analytics, artificial intelligence, network engineering, information systems or data science. Our online version of the course offers greater flexibility including software engineering and cloud analytics as available majors. Students can opt to graduate sooner with a Diploma of Information Technology or Associate Degree in Information Technology Bachelor of Science students can choose from up to 17 majors (depending on the campus), including new offers such as climate change, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. There also options to graduate sooner with our Diploma of Science and our Associate Degree in Science. More entry and exit points mean more pathway opportunities and the chance to graduate with a Diploma after just one year of study.   Simplified process for scholarship applications As of 2021, La Trobe scholarship applications have moved to VTAC. Students now only need to fill in one form to apply for equity and access scholarships and bursaries. The Regional Benefits Program scholarship will automatically be applied for eligible students when they enroll at a regional La Trobe campus. The Regional Benefits Program supports high achieving students to study, live and thrive in regional Victoria. Scholarship applications are open from 2 August – 8 October 2021. For full details on how to apply visit VTAC. For other scholarship opportunities, including those provided by La Trobe and external philanthropic organisations visit our Scholarships site.   ENGINEERING your future We are pleased to announce the Engineering your Future platform is now live! Every Monday at 5pm there will be a 1hr information session on various aspects and disciplines of Engineering. These events will start Monday 30 August and conclude on Monday 29 November. Students will need to register on the platform  Click Here They will then be able to  Log in. Students will be asked to input their email address (the one you used to register) A One Time Passcode will be sent to their inbox from Jomablue – check spam/junk if they do not receive in a couple of minutes. Input the OTP on right hand side of screen under their email address   Navigating Engineering your Future Once logged in, students should have a look around!  There is loads of information! Explanations of each Monday session Photos & introductions of the speakers involved Introductions to our accredited Engineering Universities (ACT, NSW, NT) Links to the companies showcased in the weekly sessions and great videos of our Inventors & Innovators  (I am often asked why there is not a degree in Invention –it is because it is called Engineering!!)   Subscribe to Create Digital for daily updates into the inbox! https://www.createdigital.org.au/subscribe/ There is also the amazing Engineering Heroes podcast!  another bit of Engineering fabulousness! https://engineeringheroes.com.au/   LEADERS AND ACHIEVERS EARLY ENTRY SCHEME REOPENS At Macquarie, we recognise the anxiety and uncertainty experienced by Year 12 students at this time. With the delaying of HSC exams and ATAR release, their ability to plan for university is also impacted. An early offer can give students peace of mind and certainty about their future at university. Following the latest announcements for Year 12 students by the government, we have reopened applications for our Macquarie Leaders and Achievers Early Entry Scheme. This important change will help support students concerned about their university placement, and we hope goes some way towards addressing the pressure, anxiety, and stress that all Year 12s must be feeling with the changing circumstances. The Scheme is now open and applications will close Sunday 19 September. We are also encouraging students to apply for admission to Macquarie via the Schools Recommendations Scheme (SRS). This Scheme also closes on Sunday 19 September. Students can find out more information about these early entry schemes and determine which best suits their personal circumstances via the Macquarie University Year 12 Early Entry Schemes page. Our Contact Centre is open 9am – 5pm, Mon-Fri to help with any enquiries students, teachers or parents may have. Ph: (02) 9850 6767 or futurestudents@mq.edu.au. We also have Year 12 Personal Consultations available 3.30pm – 7pm, Tues-Thurs where students can speak to an expert adviser about their university options. Book a consultation here.   5 COVID Adjustment Points for Year 12 students applying to the University of Newcastle 2021 has again proven to be a challenging time for year 12 students and we continue to look for ways to provide additional reassurance and support for your students. We are pleased to announce that we will be providing all school leaver students with 5 adjustment points for all programs (excluding the Joint Medical Program). These additional adjustment points are in recognition of the extraordinary challenges year 12 students have faced since the start of last year. We would love to see these extra points providing encouragement for students to continue to strive for their best results in the HSC. The 5 adjustment points will automatically be applied by UAC and there is no need for any additional application. Students are eligible for a maximum of 12 adjustment points. We also wanted to let you know that despite the delay in ATARs, we will still be providing students with a pathway to receive an offer prior to Christmas. Our Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) offers will be released from November Round 1. This is an important pathway for our school leaver cohort. Nearly 50% of our commencing school leaver applicants came in through the SRS last year, so we would encourage as many of your students to apply before the September 19 deadline (see here for more details). We are very excited to share this with you and continue to provide support and reassurance for your students. If you would like further information, please reach out to your Future Students team contact.  

Please find below information regarding Term 3 including the latest COVID information.     COVID and Learning from Home   Parent Information Term 3 Years 7 to 10 - 16 September 2021   Parent Information Term 3 Year 11 - 16 September 2021   Parent Information Term 3 Year 12 - 16 September 2021   Parent Information Term 3 Years 7-10 - 7 September 2021   Parent Information Term 3 Year 11 - 7 September 2021   Parent Information Term 3 Year 12 - 7 September 2021   Parent Information Term 3 - 27 August 2021   Year 11 Preliminary HSC Assessment Information - 23 August 2021   Year 9 Subject Selection (2022) Information Letter - 20 August 2021   Year 12 Trial HSC Assessment Information for Parents - 20 August 2021   Year 12 Trial HSC - 6 August 2021   Year 12 Trial HSC Letter - Invitation and Q&A - 2 August 2021   Parent Information Term 3 - 29 July 2021   Year 12 Trial HSC - 29 July 2021   Parent Information Term 3 - 26 July 2021   Rescheduling HSC Examinations and Practical Works Submission Dates - 26 July 2021     Parent Information Term 3 - 15 July 2021   Online St Edwards Student Guide   Parent Information Term 3 - 8 July 2021   Student Information Term 3 - 8 July 2021     To book a telephone conversation with a College Counsellor, please following the link below: [embed]https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/pastoral-care/counsellors/parent-support-line/[/embed]

Click the link below to see the latest positions vacant at St Edward's College.   [embed]https://www.stedwards.nsw.edu.au/our-college/employment/positions-vacant/[/embed]

Prioritising Mental Health in the Digital World   Whilst there may not yet be conclusive evidence linking digital media use to poor mental health outcomes there’s no denying that it’s one of the chief concerns facing parents and educators of children and adolescents, growing up in a digital world. The contradictory research findings confirm that this is a complex topic. There’s certainly consensus in the research that young people are heavy technology users, which comes at a cost of their psychological and physical needs. Their digital behaviours eat into the time that was once available for three pillars of mental health - sleep, relationships and exercise. Minimising Sleep Disruption Sleep is vital for mental wellbeing and emotional regulation in childhood and adolescence. Inadequate amounts or poor-quality sleep can cause mental health issues. Studies consistently show that Australian children and teens aren’t getting enough sleep. Digital device use is also linked to sleep disruption, impacting the sleep-wake cycle. The Lancet study suggested that nearly 60% of the impact of young people’s psychological distress could be attributed to disrupted sleep and exposure to cyberbullying. Parents need to remind children and young adolescents about the critical role sleep plays in their psychological wellbeing. Parents can help adolescents foster healthy social media habits by establishing a digital curfew, keeping devices out of bedrooms and discouraging teens from ‘bookending’ their day with social media as it can easily trigger the stress response at these times. Maintaining Healthy Relationships Positive relationships are fundamental to a young person’s psychological wellbeing. Adolescents are biologically wired for relational connection. They want to be part of a tribe. Whilst teens and pre-teens may insist that technology connects them and caters for their relational needs, if used excessively or inappropriately, technology use can compromise their relationships and deteriorate their mental health. Parents need to encourage and sustain opportunities for real interactions amongst adolescents. When we connect in-person the brain releases oxytocin, the social bonding hormone, which isn’t replicated online. The need for keeping a balance between digital and face-to-face interactions is paramount. Ensuring Sufficient Exercise Sedentary social media and digital consumption frequently replaces physical movement on weekends and after school, which are the opportunity times for kids’ sport, free play and outdoor activities. Brain science now informs us that physical exercise boosts serotonin and neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine that play a critical role in regulating adolescents’ mood.Lack of exercise is now being linked to the current anxiety epidemic that we are seeing in young people. Parents need to ensure that children experience a minimum of 30 minutes exercise, and teens a minimum of 60 minutes. “Go outside and play” is a term that this generation needs to hear as frequently as children in past eras. In Closing The research into the links between kids’ digital technology use and their mental health presents a complex picture that defies simplistic conclusions. Blanket statements and headlines that suggest screens and social media are to blame for kid’s poor mental health aren’t helpful as technology is now a part of all our lives. However, there is enough evidence to suggest that the key pillars of mental health outlined above can be severely impacted by the overuse of digital technology. All things in moderation, a common guideline for healthy living, is best when considering kids’ social media and digital technology use. Dr Kristy Goodwin Presents a Related Webinar: Taming Digital Distractions Our school has a membership with Parenting Ideas. As part of this membership, you can attend the upcoming webinar ‘Taming digital distractions’ at no cost. About In this webinar, Dr Kristy Goodwin helps parents and carers understand why children and adolescents are vulnerable to digital distractions. She provides science-backed solutions to help kids and teens develop healthy digital behaviours so that they can focus, learn and thrive online. When Wednesday 8 September 2021 at 8:00 PM AEST To Redeem Click this link: https://www.parentingideas.com.au/parent-resources/parent-webinars/webinar-taming-digital-distractions Click ‘Add to cart’ Click ‘View cart’ Enter the coupon code TAMING and click ‘Apply Coupon’ Your discount of $39 will be applied. Click ‘Proceed to checkout’ Fill in your account details including our school’s name to verify your eligibility. These are the details you will use to login to your account and access your webinar and resources Click ‘Place Order’ This offer is valid until 8 December 2021. If you’re unable to make the broadcast time, just register anyway and you will get access to the recording.

Building Resilience During the COVID Pandemic The pandemic continues to bring worry and anxiety to children and young people. Resilience can help kids get through these difficult times, but it is not something they are born with. Resilience is built up over time as kids interact with the environment and each other. Emerging relatively unscathed from a setback or hardship can boost future resilience. On the other hand, if experiences are too overwhelming or stressful, kids can be traumatised, making it difficult to respond with future hardships with resilience. The Harvard University Centre for the Developing Child depicts resilience as ‘a see-saw or balance scale, where negative experiences tip the scale toward bad outcomes, and positive experiences tip it toward good outcomes. The point where the scale balances is called the “fulcrum,” and if it is more to one side or the other, it can make it harder or easier to tip the resilience scale to the positive.’ Everyone’s fulcrum is in a different spot—which explains why hardships impact on people so differently. Reduce the Impact of COVID by Reducing Stress During the pandemic there has been a constant build-up of stress and disappointment for many kids. Remote learning, postponement or cancellation of highly anticipated events such as graduations and formals, limited access to community activities and extra-curricular activities are just some of the negative outcomes that kids have experienced. Most of these stressors are out of parents’ control however any efforts to lighten the load on kids and tip the balance to a more positive side will help build resilience. Reducing sources of stress on kids include: facilitating visits to recreation areas for play and contact with friends ensuring academic expectations are realistic and reflect the circumstances of each child back and forth parent-teacher communication responding to pandemic-induced problems alleviating unnecessary family conflict such as temporarily loosening digital limits Build Up Positive Outcomes Through Supportive Relationships The presence of healthy supportive adult relationships with children and teenagers is a recognised contributor to resilience. Harvard University state, “The one thing that most children who develop resilience have in common is a stable, committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult. Adults need those supportive relationships, too!” Parents can build more positive outcomes for kids by strengthening the connections they have with friends, family and members of the community. Relationship-building activities can include: increasing family connections through shared mealtimes and enjoyable family activities positive one-on-one activities between parents and kids encouraging regular digital or face-to-face connection with friends maintaining contact with extended family Strengthening Core Skills and Coping Capacities Children and adults need a set of core skills to manage their daily lives. These skills include planning, ability to focus, self-control, self-awareness and adaptability. When children and young people are under extreme stress it’s difficult to apply these core skills so the ability to manage even simple tasks can be compromised. Parents Can Strengthen These Skills in Children and Young People by: building daily organisational skills at age-appropriate levels including the use of schedules, timetables and other visual organisers encouraging children to relax and enjoy regular downtime developing anxiety-management tools such as deep breathing and mindfulness embedding wellbeing strategies of relaxation, exercise and play into family life Building resilience in children and young people during the current pandemic is a continuous task for families. Resilience is best promoted by relieving stressors on kids, ensuring they experience a variety of supporting relationships with adults and other children, and building core executive functioning skills so that they can successfully manage their daily lives during these times of change.

In Praise of Fathers: The Place of The Modern Dad Fatherhood has been transformed from the breadwinner and disciplinarian role of the past to a far more complex framework. Here’s how: Diversity Rules A look at different cultures even within our shores shows there’s no one 'right way' to be a dad. Fathers have a strong biological urge to ensure their children’s survival, which drives dads to be protective, some to have high expectations and others to promote self-sufficiency. Fathers may differ in how they parent, but ultimately, we all belong to the same valued club. Fathers almost universally want what's best for their child. Recognising Dads Being a dad is not given the same attention as motherhood. The parenting advice industry is often skewed toward mothers as the direct or primary carers. The lack of recognition can also at times be seen in the mental health field. It’s now recognised that men experience heightened anxiety at all stages of fatherhood, however, most simply suffer in silence because ‘that’s what men do.’ The recent advances in mental health promotion still have some way to go when it comes to fathers. Playtime is Crucial Fathers have long been seen as the kings of play. Science now shows that play is a critical part of the fathering toolkit. Whether it’s engaging in rough and tumble play with toddlers, sharing pizza night with primary-school kids or laughing with teens over the latest cat video, dads bond best with their children through play. Oxytocin, the bonding chemical that promotes strong relationships is released most intensely for men when playing with kids. On the other hand, oxytocin spikes for women are prompted by affectionate activities such as stroking, cuddling and talking softly to kids. Activity is at the heart of effective fathering as it's through play that many men do their best fathering work. Part of Team Parent ‘I wish my partner raised children like me’ is a common parent comment. While usually uttered out of sheer frustration this comment misses the point that evolution dislikes duplication. Put simply, if one parent is the disciplinarian the family doesn’t need another. Better for the other parent to focus on nurturing, teaching or arranging daily timetables. In busy families it’s better to ensure all the parenting bases are covered rather than duplicating roles and leaving out important functions. Working together as one part of team will ensure that most of the needs of a child are met. Alternatively, if you are parenting a child on your own stay connected with other families and reach out for assistance when required. The School of Dad Traditionally, fathers have been heavily linked with children’s learning, but not necessarily of an academic kind. The reinforcement of values, real-world problem-solving and teaching for self-sufficiency have been the usual domain of dads. Recent studies show that dads can also positively impact their children’s academic achievement, but in different ways to mothers. While mothers are more likely to be involved in at home learning activities such as hearing children read and supervising homework, fathers are more likely to positively impact their children’s attitude to learning. According to American educational researcher William Jeynes, dads focus more (than mothers) on moulding and modelling correct mindsets and behaviours, which provide the foundation upon which children and teens can build their academic journeys. It’s this bigger picture focus where fathers can do their best work, particularly changing boys’ attitudes to women and giving their daughters the confidence to stand up and be heard. Dads and Kids’ Development If a father wants to positively influence children and teenagers, it’s important to ensure that their relationship is warm and supportive. While this may be at odds with men’s natural tendency to push children’s developmental boundaries, fathers should lean on their well defined ability to relate to their kids through play. As Australian educational leader Dr. Tim Hawkes noted in his book “Ten conversations you should have with your son” dads who engage in banter and fun are better placed to discuss issues of real substance with their children. Dads and Resilience Fathers who promote children’s self-sufficiency are well placed to develop resilience in their children. In fact, a key role for modern fathers is to ensure, as part of team parent, that their children can confront and overcome the hardships, frustrations and difficulties that life throws at them. This is done less by adopting tough, hard-nosed tactics, and instead allowing kids to take physical and emotional risks in the knowledge that they can return to a warm and secure base. Dad is a Social Role With children growing up in step, adaptive, single parent and same sex families fatherhood has become less a biological and more a social role. As society changes and assisted parenting techniques continue to advance, whoever answers to father takes on importance in a child’s life. This is not denying the rights of a biological father, but rather acknowledges that for many children the person who shows up whether stepfather, relative or family friend, or even a single parent doing both roles, is the social father for a child. In Closing As society changes the role of fathers is also shifting as well. While the place of a father in a child’s life has always been important, there’s never been a greater need for fathers to be supported in their role and to widen our view of what it is to be a dad.