A noted social commentator specialising in what makes boys tick will give parents plenty of inspiration to help their sons become good men at a public seminar at The Armidale School next week.
After 15 years as New Zealand’s first female prison officer working in a male prison, Celia Lashlie’s experiences were harnessed in the Good Man Project, where she worked with 25 boys schools throughout New Zealand aimed at finding what makes a good man in the 21st century.
Her insights into the minds of teenage boys and what they are feeling at this stage of their development became the basis of her best-selling book He’ll be OK: Growing Gorgeous Boys into Good Men.
Tackling subjects such as a teenage boys’ seeming inability to communicate and the constant temptation of fast cars, alcohol and drugs, Ms Lashlie is a highly sought-after speaker and educator who will give parents plenty of food for thought and hints about positive ways to work with their sons. Mothers, she believes, should “stand still” and let their sons find themselves and realise that actions have consequences, while fathers should step up and become a positive role model and have fun alongside their sons.
Ms Lashlie has some challenging suggestions for parents, and for women in particular, to rethink the way they interact with the men in their lives – their fathers, sons and husbands – if they want to see their sons become the good men they want them to be.
Parents from across the Armidale community, not just of students at TAS, are invited to hear Ms Lashlie speak at The Armidale School’s Hoskins Centre on Friday 22 August. The TASA P&F is subsidising the event, reducing the ticket cost to $10 per person. Book online at www.trybooking.com/FNAL or call TAS Reception on 6776 5800.
