31/03/2026
He wasn’t being difficult — he was working out if I was going to walk away like everyone else.
When I first met this young bloke, he came in hard.
Walls up. Defensive. Looking for confrontation.
He was testing me — figuring out who I was and whether I’d stick around.
I could’ve shut it down or walked away.
Instead, I stayed. I listened. I held my ground without pushing back.
Because for a lot of these young people, that’s the pattern…
People show up — then leave when it gets hard.
That wasn’t going to be me.
Not long after, things shifted. The group settled, and quietly he came over:
“Can you help me with my jumper?”
“Can you help me paddle out?”
Small moment. Big shift.
Behind the behaviour is often a young person carrying more than most realise — trauma, instability, experiences no one should have to navigate alone.
And yet we expect respect straight up.
But respect isn’t authority.
It’s not age or qualifications.
Respect is consistency.
Showing up. Staying steady. Not walking away when it matters most.
That’s where it
