Chris, the sole carer for his two grandchildren aged 10 and 11, has built a life in South Mission Beach focused on giving them a strong and stable start in their next chapter.
Never one to stop learning, Chris lives by the belief that, “every day you don’t learn something, you should stay in bed”. He came to VPG Every Family’s Bringing Up Great Kids program with an open mind and a willingness to do things differently. He recognised that parenting had changed, and he wanted to change with it. “I realised my parenting style was probably a bit old fashioned compared to what we should be doing these days,” he says. “I just thought I’d do some courses, because it’s great to bounce ideas off others and learn new strategies and techniques.”
Since connecting with VPG Every Family, Chris has completed a four session Bringing Up Great Kids program and is now well into Circle of Security, delivered across eight sessions, both offered face to face at the Mission Beach Library.
The biggest shift has been patience. Every morning used to be a drama getting ready for school,” Chris says. “But I learned that the drama was mine, not theirs. My grandkids walk out the door every single day, ready and on time, and have never missed a bus.” Through VPG Every Family, Chris learned to step back, extend trust, and let his grandchildren navigate their own moments, giving them the independence they needed to grow.
Circle of Security has added another layer. The program explores how children need a secure base to venture out from, and a safe place to return to. Watching that pattern play out in his own home, Chris began to recognise when his grandchildren needed to be drawn back in, and how to do it. “It’s a calmer household now,” he says. “They’re responding better. I’ve learnt to explain my feelings to them and recognise when I need to change how I approach things. It’s not always easy being the granddad doing this, but I’m learning as I go.”
The shift has been especially meaningful in his relationship with his eldest grandchild. As Chris has grown in patience and understanding, their relationship has grown with it. “We used to argue every single day,” he says. “Now we’re communicating so much better. We’ve come such a long way together.”
VPG Every Family programs are delivered face to face, meeting families where they are. For Chris, that accessibility has been important, but so has the connection. Sitting alongside other parents and caregivers navigating similar moments has been a gentle reminder that he is not alone. “All parents seem to have the same problems,” he says. “They’re not unique to you. You’re not being singled out for any particular reason, and that’s reassuring.”
He is full of praise for VPG Every Family Officer Kate, whose warmth and knowledge have made the program what it is. “She’s very approachable, very understanding, very knowledgeable, and she delivers the program in a really good way. I can’t speak highly enough of her.”
Chris is a firm believer that every parent and caregiver should engage in programs like this. “When you buy a washing machine, you get an instruction book,” he says. “We have kids and we get no instructions whatsoever.” For Chris, VPG Every Family has been exactly that – a guide, a community, and a place to grow
And grow he has. “As a grandfather, I’m changing every day,” he says. “It’s just a work in progress, and it’s great to have this kind of support behind you.”
