We know it’s going to be a bit strange spending Father’s Day in Lockdown, but we still wanted to honour all the amazing papas out there. Here’s our top seven Prefects talking about why they love their dad!
Grace Chen (Head Prefect)
Dad’s Name: Kai
Tell us the top 3 things you love about your dad:
- He is hilarious. We have the same sense of humour and can laugh at each other doing silly things for hours whilst Mum just stands and shakes her head at us. As an only child, it’s nice to have what feels like another sibling in the house!
- He is insanely intelligent. Whenever I’m bored during quarantine I can trust my Dad to come up with an interesting conversation topic. We’ve previously had heated debates on purchasing stocks, the Auckland housing crisis, climate change and who gets to use the quiet study room in our house. I think I won all of these arguments but if you ask my Dad he might say otherwise.
- He is a great chef! Meals are something I can always look forward to at home and it has been especially rewarding during lockdown as we get to eat the food he makes 24/7 (although I do miss fast food a little…)
Tell us one key thing he has taught you:
One key thing my Dad has taught me is the importance of hard work and resilience. When my parents immigrated here 20 years ago, they arrived with next to nothing. As young Chinese university students, they had to navigate their way through the unfamiliar country of Aotearoa speaking only a little English. However, through long days of working hard and studying at university, they have grown to thrive here. This was due to their persistence and strength when times were tough. I’m so fortunate to live the life I do today because of their mana, and I strive to have the same amount of willpower that my Dad has.
Charis Allison (Deputy Head Prefect)
Dad’s Name: Neil
Tell us the top 3 things you love about your dad:
- Always willing to have a good chat or answer my many random questions.
- He has always put me and the family before himself.
- His taste in music (and the subsequent years at Festival One).
Tell us one key thing he has taught you:
“Make your plans and hold them loosely”
Essentially, he taught me to be resilient and to roll with the punches. To not get too hung up on the little things and not stress out if the outcome doesn’t match the original plan. Leave a margin for error and more importantly, room for God to move in my life.
Paige Blake (Akoranga House Captain)
Dad’s Name: Callum
Tell us the top 3 things you love about your dad:
- That he can always make me smile.
- How he has always supported me in everything.
- How selfless he is – he always puts my brother and me before himself.
Tell us one key thing he has taught you:
The most important thing my Dad has taught me is the importance of hard work. My Dad has always helped me see that with hard work and desire you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Especially in sport, I feel like the dreams that I have are actually attainable because he has helped me realise that if I put everything into my training even when no one is watching, then I can achieve these dreams, no matter how big they are.
Jumana Maash (Hauraki House Captain)
Dad’s Name: Sameer
Tell us the top 3 things you love about your dad:
- I love that he lets me put together all of the big furniture myself because he knows I love to do it. But he of course comes in at the end to tighten all of the screws for me.
- I love how much effort he puts into trying to make us laugh. His jokes aren’t always funny but you can always count on him to pull out an awful celebrity impression that he’s so proud of.
- I love how affectionate he is because it’s quite an uncommon trait among men, especially Middle-Eastern men, but my dad probably hugs me at least once a day (or at least he tries to – I’m the less affectionate one I’m sorry to say).
Tell us one key thing he has taught you:
I love how affectionate he is because it’s quite an uncommon trait among men, especially Middle-Eastern men, but my dad probably hugs me at least once a day (or at least he tries to – I’m the less affectionate one I’m sorry to say).
Ti’a Armstrong (Onewa House Captain)
Dad’s Name: Mark
Tell us the top 3 things you love about your dad:
- I love my dad’s sarcasm as he always makes me laugh.
- I love my dad’s attitude towards life as he lives on a boat and is very relaxed.
- I love my dad because he is always there for me 24/7.
Tell us one key thing he has taught you:
He has always taught me to keep true to my heart, To be true to who I am and stay grounded in everything I do in life.
Abbie Clements (Pupuke House Captain)
Dad’s Name: Russell
Tell us the top 3 things you love about your dad:
- His friendly nature: My dad is the kind of person who will have a long conversation with someone he hasn’t seen in 30 years after randomly bumping into them. He is always meeting new people and making connections, something I truly admire.
- How supportive my Dad is: Dad has always been very supportive of my sisters and I, both in a family and community way (by being involved with our projects or being on our schools’ BoTs).
- His work ethic: Dad is the hardest working person I know, he’s constantly on the move doing something, yet never complains! This is something I really admire and I hope I can be like him one day.
Tell us one key thing he has taught you:
Growing up I have always looked up to my Dad as a role model. He has taught me the importance of working hard and striving for personal excellence. I have learned from my Dad that perseverance and respect are crucial skills to help you succeed in life, and each day I hope to make him proud!
Aine Maloney (Wairau House Captain)
Dad’s Name: Colm
Tell us the top 3 things you love about your dad:
- His passion for his work, alongside his ability to train/inspire others.
- The ultimate best sense of humour and best music taste out of everyone I know.
- He is an amazing listener, which is something that I am incredibly grateful for. He knows me best.
Tell us one key thing he has taught you:
He has taught me that in order to achieve great things I must work for it – that nothing worthwhile in life is easy.
