What do parents really want? Many of us might immediately dream of an ideal family lifestyle and family arrangements, with perfect children who are well behaved at all times, and who are obliging and helpful. We may imagine endless time for all of those fun family outings, but in our ‘heart of hearts’ we know that the reality of family life is very different . Family life can be very messy, sometimes confronting and most times very hectic. Many parents feel like they are the designated taxi driver, taking children, as well as our friend’s children, from one activity to another, only to get home at the end of a hard day’s work, exhausted from the mental and physical strain of it all. It’s no wonder that tensions are high in most families at dinner time and it’s not surprising that the pressure gets to us over time – particularly towards the end of the school term.
Family life is far from perfect, but is this, such a bad thing? Think about the lessons learned daily in any family. Within family life, we learn about ‘give and take’, we learn about helping other people before ourselves, we learn about failure and how to move forward, we learn about bouncing back from a setback, we learn about our place in the family pecking order, we learn how to wait our turn and to make the most of every precious minute. Let’s face it, most of life’s most important lessons are either learnt at home or at school.
Many famous people have overcome great hardship and many setbacks before achieving a successful and fulfilling life. It’s almost as if some people have achieved in spite of, or even because of adversity. In his book “Being Happy”, Andrew Matthews lists some very well known historical figures, who have achieved greatness in the face of adversity. Abraham Lincoln failed in business at 22 years of age, lost a legislative race at 23, again failed in business at 25, had his sweetheart die when he was 26, had a nervous breakdown at 27, lost congressional races aged 34, 37, and 39, lost a senatorial race aged 46, failed in his efforts to become vice president of the USA aged 47 and lost a further senatorial contest at 49. At 52 years of age; however, Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the USA and is now remembered - not for all of his failures - but for being one of the greatest leaders in world history. Another great leader, Winston Churchill was a poor student with a speech impediment. Not only did he go on to win a Nobel Prize, but he became one of the most inspiring speakers of recent times.
What do parents really want in a school? The answer will probably not surprise you, because I suspect it’s for many of the same reasons that you have chosen to send your child to this School. Research carried out by ISQ, earlier this year, asking thousands of parents what they value about independent schools, revealed the following top three priorities for parents:
• preparation for students to fulfil their potential in life
• good discipline; and
• encouragement of a responsible attitude to work.
In summary, parents want an educational environment where students have every opportunity to succeed in their future lives. Realising your own potential is one of the most powerful motivators for future success in life. It doesn’t necessarily happen easily and requires great determination on the part of each individual.
In our hecti
c lives, and particularly in our family lives and school lives, we don’t always get it right. No one gets it right all of the time and I am the first to admit this. We can learn much by listening to one another. Many years ago I came across the story of: “The Carrot, the Egg and the Coffee” and thought I would share it with you.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as he tasted its rich aroma.
Family life is far from perfect, but is this, such a bad thing? Think about the lessons learned daily in any family. Within family life, we learn about ‘give and take’, we learn about helping other people before ourselves, we learn about failure and how to move forward, we learn about bouncing back from a setback, we learn about our place in the family pecking order, we learn how to wait our turn and to make the most of every precious minute. Let’s face it, most of life’s most important lessons are either learnt at home or at school.
Many famous people have overcome great hardship and many setbacks before achieving a successful and fulfilling life. It’s almost as if some people have achieved in spite of, or even because of adversity. In his book “Being Happy”, Andrew Matthews lists some very well known historical figures, who have achieved greatness in the face of adversity. Abraham Lincoln failed in business at 22 years of age, lost a legislative race at 23, again failed in business at 25, had his sweetheart die when he was 26, had a nervous breakdown at 27, lost congressional races aged 34, 37, and 39, lost a senatorial race aged 46, failed in his efforts to become vice president of the USA aged 47 and lost a further senatorial contest at 49. At 52 years of age; however, Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the USA and is now remembered - not for all of his failures - but for being one of the greatest leaders in world history. Another great leader, Winston Churchill was a poor student with a speech impediment. Not only did he go on to win a Nobel Prize, but he became one of the most inspiring speakers of recent times.
What do parents really want in a school? The answer will probably not surprise you, because I suspect it’s for many of the same reasons that you have chosen to send your child to this School. Research carried out by ISQ, earlier this year, asking thousands of parents what they value about independent schools, revealed the following top three priorities for parents:
• preparation for students to fulfil their potential in life
• good discipline; and
• encouragement of a responsible attitude to work.
In summary, parents want an educational environment where students have every opportunity to succeed in their future lives. Realising your own potential is one of the most powerful motivators for future success in life. It doesn’t necessarily happen easily and requires great determination on the part of each individual.
In our hecti
c lives, and particularly in our family lives and school lives, we don’t always get it right. No one gets it right all of the time and I am the first to admit this. We can learn much by listening to one another. Many years ago I came across the story of: “The Carrot, the Egg and the Coffee” and thought I would share it with you.A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me, what do you see?"
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as he tasted its rich aroma.
The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mum?"
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity.. boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
"Life asks of every individual a contribution and it is up to that individual to discover what it should be." (Viktor Frankl)
Karon Graham
Principal Caloundra City Private School
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity.. boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"
Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.
"Life asks of every individual a contribution and it is up to that individual to discover what it should be." (Viktor Frankl)
Karon Graham
Principal Caloundra City Private School
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