02/09/2026
Hi all! One of our local parents and follower shared these thoughts with us ahead of the new term and we wanted to pass it on.
"Hi everyone,
I’m a parent with children who go to school here in Epping. As many other families, we are gearing up for the start of the new school year.
Right before the holidays, our school sent out a message acknowledging how hard the past academic year has been against the background of the Bell Hotel protests, and the tension it brought to our wider community, but also sharing real hope for a fresh start built on togetherness, connection and understanding.
That message really stayed with me, and it’s where I want to put my energy this year.
So I'd like to encourage us all to stick with it as our kids head back to school. As the grown-ups in their lives, we have a massive role to play in where our community goes from here.
Let’s do our best to raise our kids with open minds toward people and ideas that are different from what they (we!!) know. Different doesn't mean scary or wrong; it's just something new to learn from.
Let’s teach our kids basic kindness. It means helping them listen and see things from other people's perspectives. The truth is, everyone is fighting battles we might not see, and empathy really does go a long way.
Let’s teach them basic respect and tolerance. Me being an atheist doesn't harm anyone, just like someone else being Christian, Muslim, or Jewish doesn't affect my day-to-day life. We can all live alongside each other peacefully.
Let's teach them about gender equality (still very much needed!). Showing respect for women and girls, rather than protection… starts early. It means dropping outdated ideas like 'boys' toys' or 'girls' toys.' It's about raising our boys to become kind, supportive men who treat women as absolute equals.
And while we're teaching our kids to be good to one another, we need to teach them to be good to planet Earth, too. You never know where life will take them one day, but learning to respect the world around them will serve them anywhere.
At the end of the day, no one "owns" this earth. We don't get to choose where we were born and we're all only here for a little while, and everyone deserves a fair chance at a good life. If we can nurture our kids to be decent human beings, we’re setting them up for life.
Wishing all the children the very best of luck as they start the new academic year, and sending strength to all the grown-ups getting back into the wonderfully chaotic family routine!"
