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I was really touched by Áine’s newsletter piece last week, posing the question: ‘What would I tell my younger self?’
I spent some time afterwards thinking about my own parenting journey, and what it’s all been about, now that my two are adults and have ‘flown the nest’. Parenting isn’t easy for any of us, and that’s true even if you’re an experienced school leader – at home, I’m just Dad.
My belief as a parent has always been that I don’t own my children. They are individuals, with choice and responsibility in their own lives. I tried to model that when they were small children and, in different ways, as they’ve grown up. As I see it, my job is to guide them, love them and listen to them – but even when they were little, I always wanted to give them trust and help them to think for themselves.
Of course, this hasn’t always worked, and sometimes I’ve got it wrong – as we all do. Sometimes I’ve nagged and interfered when I shouldn’t have, and sometimes I’ve backed off when it would have been better to step in. My family has had its share of tense moments and friction, just like all families do.
At the end of it all, my children are now adults, and I find myself reflecting on what really mattered throughout their childhoods. They’re both doing well as young adults and are continuing their learning, but the questions I really care about are:
There are so many expectations on our young people to achieve amazing things. There are huge external pressures from social media and anxieties caused by the crazy world we inhabit. I’m happy (and relieved) that I can answer those questions positively.
In our hearts, we never truly let go of our children – but in our actions, we don’t have any choice. They're going to move on, whether we like it or not. Give them your trust, give them your belief in who they are, and keep giving them your love.
In the end, that’s what matters.
John Dibdin
Head of Primary
It’s something I’ve believed for a long time — that learning isn’t predetermined by our genes. It’s about growing, persevering, and learning through the process. I was really mindful of this idea at this week’s wonderful Primary Summer Concert, after which I found myself reflecting on whether these amazing children have an innate talent, or whether they have achieved so much because of hard work and practice.
I believe it’s the latter. These children, their parents, and their teachers all seem to share the belief that by trying and working hard, they will get better at what they do. This is what we call a growth mindset.
This week at BIS Abu Dhabi, we have had the joy of celebrating both ends of the school journey and it has been a beautiful reminder of how we support our students to dream big and grow into their future selves.
As exam season unfolds, there's a special kind of stillness that settles over the school. In the quiet hum of the examination hall, behind the rustle of papers and the soft clicking of keyboards, is a profound truth: we are witnessing a moment that our students will carry with them forever. It is the culmination of years of learning, growth, and perseverance, a chapter closing and a new one ready to be written.
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