What’s it all about?
A child’s transition to adulthood is a challenge for both adults and children. But for some this transition may never fully happen.
Think of Donald Trump, is he a boy or a man? Why and why not? Our boys’ ideas on what constitutes a real man are heavily influenced by media. However, with positive male role models in their lives this perception can be moulded into a healthy one.
As your sweet boy grows up and learns to communicate in a series of grunts from behind a hoody and PS4, how do you communicate with him? Technology is part of life and a modern issue, so how can we manage it? Most importantly, how do we support our sons through their adolescence so that they grow into healthy men who are self-confident, happy and wanting to make a positive impact on the world? And how can we help them to set a solid basis for mental and physical health and strong relationships throughout their lives?
What will we cover?
In this workshop we will be focussing on a boy’s transition to adolescence and manhood. Although the main focus will be assisting sons who are 10-14 years old, it is relevant to parents or guardians of children who will eventually be adolescents, or who are still transitioning to adulthood (which is probably most of us!) We will learn about:
- Boy psychology versus healthy man psychology.
- What is a positive masculine identity in 2017?
- How a parent’s relationship to their boy changes through adolescence.
- Managing your child’s use of technology.
- How rites of passage have been used around the world and how they could help.
- Some of the best things you can do as a parent.
There will be interactive and written activities, plus the opportunity to share our experiences (if you want to) with each other in a safe space.
Who will be teaching?
Andrew is an educator and has taught 12-15 year old boys in the classroom for the past 5 years. He is currently an outdoor educator and loves taking boys on journeys of personal growth into the outdoors. He is passionate about growing boys and men (including himself) into healthy, passionate and happy men. He has been trained in the Global Rites of Passage framework as delivered by Dr Arne Rubinstein. In his spare time Andrew likes to get outdoors to hike, surf, climb, run, throw frisbees etc. He runs a regular men’s group in the Northern Suburbs and values time spent with his family, friends and partner.