Here is a listing of this month’s events to promote fatherhood:
Sunday's 
*Pray for fathers everywhere; Strengthen fathers everywhere, to encourage all children
*Pray for fathers everywhere; Strengthen fathers everywhere, to encourage all children *Schedule Food Drives, to help families in needSaturday's *Schedule Prayer Breakfast/Events to rally men in your community this week
*Schedule Prayer Breakfast/Events to rally men in your community this week *Schedule Coffee & Donut Social give out fatherhood topics. *Schedule Fatherhood Initiatives in your community parks/playgrounds. *Schedule Fatherhood fundraiser's, evening events as a evening out activity.Wednesday's *Promote/Schedule fatherhood dinners out with your children;
children learn from your example, plant the seed of good fathers in your children now
Official Events
June 2006
Nuttle Park, Seaford Delaware (get directions)
((N.North Street & Collins Ave: off of Rt 20- Stein Hwy)- Fatherhood "Celebrating The Moments""90% of all homeless
and runaway children
are from fatherless homes"
Ways to Strengthen Fathers' Connections With Children
Sometimes, those fathers who really want to be involved in the lives of their children are discouraged because society still tends to equate parenthood with motherhood. In order to provide positive opportunities for involvement, persons who interact with fathers must begin to see those fathers as participating partners in the parenting process.
- At home - Share responsibilities of caring for children with their father. Setting up regular dates with dad gives kids and their father time to connect without interference and mom time to do something for herself.
- At work - Don't assume that men have no family responsibilities. Meetings should be scheduled at times respectful of family obligations and co-workers should show respect not condescension for men who put their families first.
- At school - Fathers should be invited to be room coordinators, book readers, active participants in academic progress conferences (whether or not they live with their child).
- At the doctor's office - Dad's opinion counts too. Health care professionals need to recognize that dads today play an active role in the physical care of their children.
- At school programs - Whenever possible, children with parents who live apart should receive two invitations to school events. Faces shine twice as brightly when they see both parents in the audience.
- In legal situations - Dads' rights to see their children should be honored. Keeping a parent and child apart is painful to both of them. Only cases of mental, physical or sexual abuse warrant separating a child from her parent.
- In divorce - Feuding partners must be ever mindful of resolving conflicts without putting kids in the middle. This requires being objective about your children's needs (and not confusing them with your own) and compromising when the situation warrants.
- In parent education classes - Educators should plan courses with more than mom in mind. Researchers have found that men have special needs in parenting: more guidance about connecting with their children and, in some cases, assistance with anger management.
- In fatherhood programs - It's fun to have activities where dads can do things with their children and other men. It's also healthy for men to have a separate forum to connect with other fathers about parenting issues that may be bothering them. Combination events with child care when dads meet without their children can help satisfy these twin needs.
- In marriage or family partnerships - Dad's ability to contribute to his children needs support and respect from mom. He may not do everything to mom's specifications, but he deserves encouragement for trying to be involved in his children's lives. Encouraging rather than chastising is an effective way to help fathers "get it right."
Source: Seeds of Promise Report, Children, Youth & Family Consortium, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN. Phone: (612) 625-7248 for more information on the report series. Reprinted with permission granted exclusively to members of Family Information Services.
