Improving The Father And Son Relationship

Meetings are scheduled and the ball is rolling. The wait is almost over. Throughout this week and next I will almost be finished with compiling information for all the options the children will have for this summer. Just to give a little taste, there are many programmes happening this summer such as a marine camp by Junior Fleming, table tennis, football, cricket, tennis, the annual Library programme, the Anguilla Youth Sailing Club, Vacation Bible School and more.

The Sports Department has a great deal lined up for the children this year and if you need immediate information do not hesitate to call their office. Every year I always end up writing about summer in a passionate and detailed way. It seems that as the years go on, my love and excitement for summer never wanes. It is such an important time for growth for all children and equally as important for parents to be able to bond more with their little ones. Parents take time off to travel or even just stay home and enjoy being with their children. Some students go away for a few weeks or a month and some stay here on the rock and relax, letting the summer slowly pass by.

You will see in this week’s The Anguillian that Sanford Richardson, Commissioner of the Department of Social Development and his great team are putting together a Father and Son Retreat that is set to be one of the first events of the summer. Mr. Richardson is a man of his word. While away on a professional development retreat in Antigua, he had mentioned to me his idea to help bridge the gap between fathers and sons as especially in Anguilla, mothers seem to play the central role. He asked me if it was a good idea and what types of activities should be done. It was of course an honour to be asked questions by a man of Mr. Richardson’s stature and ever since then, he and I have shared a common interest in talking about the youth of Anguilla. Well, not surprisingly, he informed me that he was indeed following through with his idea to do a father and son retreat and he decided to do it in a big way. 15 father and son pairs will stay an entire weekend at the Anguilla Great House from June 27-29. They will be engaged in so many meaningful activities to improve their relationships and a great deal of presenters, facilitators and speakers have agreed to volunteer their time to make the retreat a success. Dr. Linda Banks, Pastor Phillip Gumbs, Reverend Clifton Niles, Brenda Lawrence, many others and I will hopefully be able to engender a better relationship between these particular fathers and sons.

In almost every circle in Anguilla, young girls and women are excelling in every way in the workforce, the athletic field and the classroom. This of course is an exciting statistic in a predominantly sexist world, but many male leaders in the community have publicly decreed that the men and young men are facing many challenges and are falling behind. In today’s politically correct world, it is almost taboo to have any type of function were it is all about the men. Yet, the Department of Social Development is answering the call of the citizens of Anguilla to help the men and young men of our society get along better. In this respect, the Department Staff, participants of the retreat and volunteers need to be commended for their dedication. If anyone reading this column would like to get involved in any way, feel free to contact Mr. Sanford Richardson at the Department of Social Development.