TEENAGE boys and their parents often struggle with communication, but a group of Year 11 boys and their mothers got to know and understand one another a little better at The Armidale School’s recent mother and son weekend.
Held at Nymboida Canoe Centre near Grafton, 15 boys, their mothers and TAS staff enjoyed each other’s company as they competed in games, shared meals, kayaked in pairs and learned more about each other’s values and expectations.
“At 16 to 17, boys are moving out of middle adolescence and wanting to know more about building relationships, so it’s an opportunity to help start a conversation between boys and their mothers at this important transitional stage in their lives,” co-ordinator Martin Levins said.
For Sally MacDougall, the weekend was an important opportunity to spend some special time with her son Ben.
“We all had lots of laughs and played numerous fun games on Saturday afternoon, followed by a fabulous trivia night after being served a dinner prepared by Mr Levins and our boys,” she said.
“The highlight of the weekend for me was a canoe trip with Ben down the Nymboida River on Sunday morning.
“It was such a beneficial weekend for a mother and son to experience – away from our everyday distractions.”
The event reflects a strong focus on student wellbeing at TAS, with a Year 9 Father and Son weekend to be held next month.
