Nurturing Resilient Families

The recent Parent Conference, organised by the Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly, was a resounding success. It attracted 150 parents who engaged with high-quality presentations from esteemed speakers. (15 June 2024)

The recent Parent Conference was an outstanding success, featuring esteemed speakers who captivated and left a lasting impact on our community. Leaders from the Diocese of Lismore, Michele McDonald and Gary Reen, shared valuable insights into the Mission Learning and Teaching that animate our Catholic schools, inspiring parents to continue their journey as primary educators. 

The high calibre of speakers, including award-winning speaker and bestselling author Michelle Mitchell, who presented on ‘The Science Behind Confident Kids,’ and author Lael Stone, who explored the development of emotional intelligence in children, provided enlightening guidance. The conference concluded with motivational speaker Marty Wilson’s humorous yet inspiring take on building resilient families in an ever-changing world. 

With 150 parents in attendance, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive and filled with deep gratitude, with many expressing heartfelt thanks to the Lismore Catholic Schools Parent Assembly for organising such a remarkable event. The Parent Assembly team of Coordinators and Parent Representative volunteers were not only instrumental but also deeply appreciated for their crucial role in the event's success, fostering a joyful atmosphere and strong support for our Catholic schools throughout the conference.

The evaluations were anonymous, but here are some quotes from the feedback:

‘All the sessions were so very relevant. I enjoyed them all. There were great themes to inspire and strategies to help manage both parents and children's emotions.’

‘The entire conference was brilliant - thank you! My parent toolkit is fully stocked up! I found that there was a broad range of advice for all age groups of children and also as an adult.’

‘I was able to attend the Parent Assembly Conference, albeit only for the morning session, given I had commitments back in the parish. This was an impressive event. It struck me as I listened to the speakers and spoke with some of the parents that this was truly evangelisation in action. The Parent Assembly, which owes so much to the vision of John Graham, and the conference is so worthwhile in our support of parents as the prime influence in the formation of their children,’ said Parish Priest of Casino, Fr Peter Slack.

The overwhelmingly positive feedback not only underscores the importance of such gatherings in supporting parents as their children's primary educators but also serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Parent Assembly. The Parent Conference has now become a cornerstone in our collective effort to nurture confident, emotionally intelligent, and resilient families, a feat that we can all be proud of.