Learning to dance in the rain - Clongowes Wood College

Posted: 23rd January 2014

A Seminar for Parents on Adolescent Mental Health

Parents, you are cordially invited to attend a Seminar on Adolescent Mental Health next Monday, 27th January at 19.15 in the Boys’ Chapel. The seminar is timed to coincide with the return to school by boys after their forthcoming weekend break and will consist of a talk by Dick Moore, who is a Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor. The session will be preceded by some light refreshments (at 18.30 in the concourse – please note changed time) and will be followed by a question and answers session.

Dick Moore said he ‘became an English teacher, rugby coach, boarding school housemaster and, for over twenty years, the headmaster of a co-educational day and boarding school. I am not a doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist or counsellor. But I do have wide experience of young people – not least as the father of four sometimes errant children! Circumstances led me to develop a passionate interest in adolescent development and emotional wellbeing’.  (See www.dickmoore.org for further details).

The invitation to Dick Moore to come to Clongowes was issued by the Headmaster, Fr. Moloney. S. J. and the Parents’ Association is delighted to assist and really grateful to Mr. Moore for agreeing to travel over from London to speak to us on this very topical issue.

Following an introduction, which poses the

question ‘Who am I?’ Mr Moore will

  • Explore what we understand by adolescent mental health
  • Recognise the difficulties of parenthood
  • Development an insight into common mental health problems
  • Suggest some practical tips

As Dick says ‘Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the rain.’  We can all greatly benefit from his insights and experiences and learn how to dance with our adolescents rather than yearning for those years to pass.

We sincerely hope that you will consider attending on the night and ask you to email cwc-pa@clongowes.net if you can be there.

Aiffric Egan, Chairperson, Parents’ Association

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