Mr Joel van Bentum | Principal   

One of our College's mission goals is to support families as the cornerstone of a flourishing society. We hold this goal because of our belief in Scripture and the understanding that the family is a structure God built into the fabric of Creation.

In Genesis 2, it says:

"That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."

This statement describes the creation of a new family unit. From the union of two people, a new family is formed.

The Bible also makes it clear that the family is responsible for the education and raising of children. In Deuteronomy 6:4-8, it says:

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

The concept of commandments in the Bible covers every part of life. This passage highlights the need for us, as adults and families, to be intentional in teaching our children how to live. Our children are always observing us, and they learn from what we say and do, whether we are intentional or not. If we are not deliberate in how we guide them, they are less likely to learn the values and lessons we hope to pass on.

Parenting well may be the most important and meaningful thing we ever do. The opportunity to love, raise, and shape another person is an extraordinary privilege. Sadly, the world we live in today presents many pressures and distractions that can make parenting more difficult. The pace of life, work commitments, comparison with others, broken relationships, and technology are just a few of the challenges we face. Parenting asks us to be thoughtful, calm, and intentional. Yet the world constantly pushes us to move quickly and chase the next thing.

Being a parent is a lifelong responsibility that comes with many joys and many challenges. As a College, we are committed to supporting families. We do this in a variety of ways as we work together in partnership. Over the coming weeks, we will share several ideas that may help build stronger relationships and support meaningful connections between home and school.

For now, I want to encourage you with this thought. Be kind to yourself. As a parent, I have made many mistakes over the years. Some of them were very difficult to face. In those moments, I needed to ask my children for forgiveness, which is not easy, and I also needed to learn how to forgive myself, which can be even more difficult. When I was able to do this, I saw God's grace at work in a profound way. So in the midst of the demands and pressures of everyday life, remember to show kindness to yourself. Your children will learn from that too.

Partners in Education Event