Written by Dr Jolanta Burke
Jack trudged home from school, his heart heavy with disappointment. Another day, another note from the teacher about his slipping grades. He knew he hadn’t been putting in the effort, but the consequences of his actions were finally catching up to him.
As Jack dragged himself through the front door, he knew what was coming – the dreaded ultimatum.
“Hi, Dad.”
“How was school?”
“Alright” – he said, handing dad a teacher’s note.
Dad skim-read the note and sighed – “Not again” he finally said, gazing sternly at Jack.
“Remember our agreement? One more slip-up, and we’re turning off the broadband. No more gaming, no more movies, no more chatting with friends.”
Jack’s head dropped as he watched dad walk away to his office.
He grabbed an apple and dropped into an armchair. As he sat there chewing it and listening to the rhythmic click-clack of his dad’s keyboard, dread washed over him. It is at that moment that he realised what was happening – his dad was changing the broadband password.
Oh no! He hoped it was just a threat, not a reality. He quickly opened up his phone to check it. Yes – he had no access to the internet – “Darn it!” he exclaimed.
Defeated, Jack slogged upstairs to his room. He stared at his homework, feeling hopeless. But then, an idea sparked in his mind.
Dad can never remember his passwords so he always comes up with something easy. This made Jack embark on a mission to crack the broadband password. He scratched his head, trying to remember any hints his dad might have dropped, then started typing in passwords based on inside jokes and family memories.
Jack: typing “PotatoSalad4Ever!”
The computer beeped “Incorrect password.”
Jack laughed. “Okay, how about ‘ILoveMyCoffee’?”
The computer beeped “Incorrect password.”
Jack grinning, “Maybe ‘MomHatesDoingLaundry’?”
The computer beeped “Incorrect password.”
Jack’s attempts at humour only seemed to add to his frustration. No matter how clever or amusing his password guesses were, they just weren’t the right ones.
Undeterred, Jack brainstormed other ways to convince his dad to give him internet access. He offered to set up a study schedule, promising to devote more time to his schoolwork. He even volunteered to help out more around the house, hoping to show his dad that he was serious about turning things around. But dad was not giving up the password.
Hours turned into days, and still, the broadband remained inaccessible. But Jack refused to lose hope. He knew that anything was possible as long as he believed in himself and kept coming up with a new plan.
Jack’s creativity kicked into overdrive as he came up with some genuinely ridiculous ideas to win back the broadband password:
Jack could stage a “Broadband Begging Dance” in the living room, complete with elaborate costumes, synchronised dance moves, and tear-jerking pleas for internet access.
Jack could attempt to bribe his dad with a mountain of homemade cookies, each decorated with a pleading message written in icing.
Jack could recruit the family pet – a particularly persuasive parrot – to repeat phrases like “Please, Dad, give Jack the broadband password!” hoping to wear down his dad’s resistance.
Jack could create an entire PowerPoint presentation outlining the benefits of broadband access for educational and entertainment purposes, complete with flashy animations and catchy slogans.
Jack could organise a “Broadband Boycott” by enlisting his friends and neighbours to pick out outside the house with signs reading “Free the Wi-Fi!” and “Internet for All!”
Despite the absurdity of his schemes, Jack presented all his ideas to his dad and told him he was ready to try them one by one until he got internet access.
At long last, dad burst out laughing, and Jack couldn’t help but smile in relief. His dad’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked at Jack.
“You’ve shown real determination, Jack,” his dad said, a hint of pride colouring his words.
“And that plan of yours? Quite impressive. I think it’s time you had the broadband password back.”
Jack’s heart leaped with joy as his dad shared the new password. It wasn’t just a string of letters and numbers; it was a symbol of his hard work, perseverance and coming up with a good plan. He had learned that even the most demanding challenges could be overcome with hope.
As Jack logged back onto the internet, he knew this was just the beginning of his journey to a hopeful future where everything he ever wanted was possible. There was nothing he couldn’t achieve.