Tabai Matson (left) led a Q and A session with mum and son Lisa and Mitch Jacobson at last week’s breakfast.
Cambridge High School treated its Year 9 students and their parents to breakfast recently, putting on a dads and daughters event on Tuesday last week, followed by mums and sons on Wednesday.
With around 45 in attendance each morning, one of the organisers, CHS Year 11 dean Rachel Wallis, said the breakfasts were about building connections with the community and celebrating the good work that parents do. Co-organiser Nadia Matson said it was lovely to see the connection between fathers and their daughters at Tuesday’s breakfast.
“A lot of dads are on the road early and home late…it was nice for them to spend some easy time together,” she said.
Nadia’s husband, Tabai Matson, led a question and answer session at the mums and sons morning, with special guests Lisa and Mitch Jacobson. Mitch, a Cambridge High graduate who plays rugby for Waikato, had some good advice for the young men in the room: “Don’t be too hard on your mum” he told them, urging them to help out where they can and maybe pay her a compliment every now and then.
While young men are not notoriously talkative, Lisa said that it is important to “leave the door open for them” to talk when they need to. There are also some great conversations to be had in the car, she said, which can be easier because no eye contact is required.
The breakfast was supported by Pony, Loulous and Mystery Creek Wines, who came on board with spot prizes, including a dad and daughter pedicure package. “It will be an opportunity to create memories,” Rachel laughed, adding that they hope to extend the breakfasts to other year groups in the future.
