By Mitch Gaynor
BACK to school again and as much as kids want to make it all about them, it doesn’t get any easier for parents.
For us it’s another year of avoiding parent-teacher interviews, of waiting until they can’t play sport until you pay the fees (and don’t get me started on whatever this so-called free state school education is meant to be), of forwarding half-read emails about your child’s grades/homework/uniform, and then being berated by your child for not knowing their latest “best friend’s” name. It goes on.
I’ve always maintained I’d rather our children were social, empathetic and confident rather than aiming for Dux … but at some point you have to step in.
So here we are starting the year by parenting the old-fashioned way: bribery.
Our little Year 8 delight struggled and muddled her way through Year 7, which came as a surprise because I always thought she was our smartest. Turns out she’s more likely our cleverest.
She can talk her way into and out of any situation like the smoothest criminal and revelled in schoolyard dramas at the expense of anything remotely close to good grades. So we tackled this with the promise of a pet – probably a dog, maybe a cat.
Either would be a disaster for me as I’m not a pet person, but bring on the good grades and I’ll pretend to be furry happy to welcome Rex. The beaming glee on her face suggested it just might work.
Stay tuned.
WAVE OF CONCERN
The turnout for last week’s public meeting about the $5.5 billion Wave rail project tells you how much the impact of this decision is being felt across the hinterland.
In my time with GC&M News, one thing has stayed constant: change moves fast and it’s only speeding up.
The Sunshine Coast and the hinterland are popular.
Politicians, developers, tourists and interstate migrants all have their eyes on the Sunshine Coast and its towns.
But popularity comes with pressure, and that pressure lands squarely on local communities.
You only have to look at the entrance to Beerburrum, or the tree clearing through Beerwah and Glasshouse, to see the scale of what’s underway with the Beerburrum to Nambour rail upgrade.
After years of discussion, it’s happening, and it’s huge.
The same goes for The Wave. Even before the first sod is turned, the impact is being felt, especially around Beerwah Station and the future of the 90-year-old Beerwah Co-op.
What was disappointing at last Wednesday’s meeting was the number of apologies, particularly from TMR.
They can’t hide behind bureaucracy then keep repeating the mantra that it’s going ahead anyway.
This is about bringing the community on this journey and explaining why decisions are being made the way they are.
It’s about being upfront and transparent, rather than political and evasive.
This project won’t stop for anyone, but the community deserves to be kept in the loop at every step.