Honestly. Have we always been wrong about the stereotypical Australian male or have they dramatically evolved in recent years? Perhaps they’ve always been sensitive new age men and we have simply not noticed, preferring to make jokes about their beer intake and their foreplay being “brace yourself Sheila”….not unlike their opinion that us Brits don’t wash very much and eat chips all day long.
My friend who lives in Australia has just been to visit her 14 year old son in the middle of nowhere. At his school they take all the boys away from home for a whole term. I’m not sure what the aim is, but they are obviously expected to learn new skills away from home.
They went to visit him last week and whilst she as his mother was allowed to bugger off to a hotel, his father was expected to partake in a ‘Boys to Men” experience. They had to go camping with their boys and were asked in advance to prepare for a group discussion including:-
– Your life from 0-15 years – the highlights and challenges you experienced
– What does it mean to become a ‘man’?
– The mistakes, successes and lessons learnt physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually and intellectually as you moved from teenager to adult
– Questions you would like to ask the boys regarding their life now and their hopes for the future
An item of significance:
We ask all the men attending the camp to bring with them something that is special to them to share with the group on the night. It might be a poem, short story, song, picture or photo, memento, memory or keepsake. Really it can be anything that you are willing to talk about and say why it is special to you.
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??? I can’t wait to find out how it went. I can see grown men crying can’t you?
Maybe we need to reassess our stereotypes. WHERE ARE ALL THESE NEW AGE SENSITIVE LONG HAIRED BODY BEAUTIFUL BONDI BEACH SURFERS??? I want to hear about your experiences in the woods with your dad.
Perhaps this is the way forward. Steve Biddulph with his books on “Raising Boys” would be proud.
Expat Mum
June 2, 2011Blimey – it all sounds rather American doesn’t it?
Family Affairs
June 2, 2011Thats what I thought x
Lynda
June 2, 2011I think it is too American for most of us Australians too – the male variety anyway. My two boys in their 20s seem to discuss nothing personal with their father or friends. A while ago I mentioned to the oldest that it was a shame that one of his closest friends had broken up with his long term girlfriend. “Has he” was the answer. When I said didn’t he mention it yesterday when you saw him he said “no, why would he”? Recently I mentioned the new girlfriend and he knew nothing about her. Just as well their mothers talk to each other!
Family Affairs
June 2, 2011Thats my experience of boys – clueless!! ha ha xx
Anna
June 2, 2011Impressive stuff. Since everybody has to participate, there shouldn’t be any “it’s so gay” type of harassment.
To think of it, two Australian guys I happened to meet over the course of last few years do stand out. Not exactly beach body types, but attractive, successful, talented, funny, AND sensitive. The accent doesn’t hurt either.
Sadly, women here might not be ready for them, after all.
One of them fell really hard for this girl I knew, offered her the world, and got really hurt, not only by her, but by her family, too. Her father deemed him a softie. He was an advertising exec (one of the top guys, actually) here in Toronto and then in Chicago. Well, last I heard his was so heart broken that he quit the dream job and moved back to Australia.
The other is still here, and undeterred in his pursuit of a really cute girl, who, however, is not so sure he is her type. The guy who was her type almost literally left her at the altar (refused to legalize the marriage after celebrating a posh wedding in Mexico). I am still keeping my fingers crossed for the Australian.
QldDeb
June 3, 2011Hmmm, I can just imagine the response I’d get from the blokes in my family if they got these questions.
But we are from the tropics in the North, and often described as a breed of our own. Have to be tough to get up after the cyclones and floods every year!
My brother let his daughter dye his hair for experience when she was doing her beautician’s course. It turned out bright orange. We called him the “Gaylord Beacon” for months afterwards.
janelle
June 3, 2011hmmm. hmmm…but fuck it, why can’t mother’s go camping too? what if someone didn’t have a dad? x
Family Affairs
June 3, 2011Good point – but only secretly because you LOVE camping! Lx
Kelloggville
June 4, 2011My Australian hubby can do sensitive if pushed but mainly his thought process involves beer and footy!