Celebrating Engaged Fathers, Male Role Models, and Volunteers
Father's Day is just around the corner and we wanted to take the time to CELEBRATE fathers everywhere who make a lasting impact on their children. Repurposed from a June 2011 post, we have excerpted pieces from three top notch dads who illustrate how fathers, as positive male role models in service, can mold the lives of children in a way no one else can!
Tshaka Armstrong, founder and CEO of Digital Shepherds, shares tips and ideas on how dads can connect with their kids through technology.
"Now, in the workplace, fellow dads LOVE to talk about their gadgets! Me and the guys are often comparing notes about our latest smartphone purchase or laptop buy, but it seems as if that's where it stops. One of the things I find out when I speak to children is that their dads don't let them touch their toys and don’t play video games with them that often either. I believe we must do better, men! So, I thought I'd give you a few steps you might consider using to help you connect with your kids through the technology many of them are already using. It will make them safer and if you do it right, you can even grow a little closer to your little ones."
Read the rest of Digital Parenting: Dad's Toys & The Tots
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Eric Snow, National Director of WATCH D.O.G.S., shares how dads can make a huge impact on the quality of education that all children receive.
"Studies by the Department of Health and Human Services conclude that children with positive adult male role models have roughly twice the high school graduation rate of those kids without positive adult male role models. There is no better way to educate men about the important role that they play in their child’s education than to get those men working in the school. And, the best way to send the message to the kids that their education is important, is for them to see adult men volunteering in their school every day."
Read the rest of Why Male Involvement in Education Matters!
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Michael Hall, Founder and President of Strong Fathers-Strong Families, gives the five phases of how a dad volunteer can change kids' lives in school and beyond.
"Our mission at Strong Fathers-Strong Families is to help schools, Head Starts, and community programs work better with fathers in order to strengthen children. Many times organizations will tell us that they want to get more men involved. Many, but not all, organizations just want men to volunteer because they are an untapped group, they are strong (and hairy) and they have a specific skill set (swinging hammers).
Strong Fathers want men to be involved in their child’s life first and we believe that once they connect with their child then they will become even better volunteers over the long term. We have found from working face to face with over 100,000 men that there are phases that every father goes through on his way to becoming a very strong volunteer."
Read the rest of 5 Steps to Building Strong Father Volunteers
