Aussie dad 'disgusted' by daughter's Father's Day gift from school

Trent and his wife were stunned when their six-year-old daughter handed him the present.

Brianne Tolj
·Associate News Editor
Updated ·2-min read

A Perth dad is fuming after his young daughter gifted him a “disgusting” Father’s Day gift she crafted at her primary school.

Trent Howard was horrified when his six-year-old handed him a paper activity dice featuring multiple ideas for dads when they’re having a bad day.

Trent Howard and the paper dice reading 'wishing you a berry lovely Father's Day'.
Trent Howard was horrified when his six-year-old daughter handed him the Father's Day gift she created at school. Source: 9News

“Frog for the times when you need to jump to it,” one side reads, while the others suggest Trent eat a Sherbie for when he’s lost all his “fizz” and a banana “for the days when you have ‘gone round the bend’”.

However, he said it was the last option that left his “disgusted”. “Bullet — take when all else fails,” it says.

School gift 'promotes suicide'

The Aussie dad told 9News the present — which she created at Connolly Primary School — clearly “promotes suicide”.

“If you’ve had enough, shoot yourself, what else does it say? I have a weird sense of humour, that’s not part of any sense of humour to anybody,” he said.

The paper dice showing a picture of a banana and a bullet with the words 'take when all else fails'.
The primary school has since apologised to parents and promised to never recreate the activity. Source: 9News

Trent and his wife, who “have suicide in [their] families”, promptly complained to the school, which has since apologised to all parents and promised to never recreate the activity.

“They wanted to be funny, that was my interpretation of what the teacher had said to me. It wasn’t funny,” Trent’s wife Renea told the publication.

The disappointed dad said the incident highlights the need for change regarding society’s flippant attitude toward suicide. “It’s not cool, it needs to stop,” he said.

The Department of Education told 9News the Father’s Day gift “showed a serious lack in judgement”.

Readers seeking support or information on suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.

Latest stories