When will we be able to put the “dads don’t babysit” comment to rest? What will it take to focus on the things dads do, as opposed to what they don’t do? The new paternity leave offered to dads in Canada is an opportunity to change this perception. Dads taking the 5 week “use-it-or-lose-it” leave will have ample opportunity to show the world that they are primary care-givers to their kids.
We are inviting submissions for 90 minute workshops. The 4th Canadian National Fatherhood Conference; Side by Side: Celebrating the Diversity of Fatherhood, is for anyone interested in engaging fathers in their community with services, programs, or resources. Our goal is to help service providers and community members provide fathers with the knowledge and support needed around the healthy development of children.
In my early years of parenting I saw my role as supporting my wife, bringing home a paycheque, and making sure the leak in the roof of our house (among other things) got fixed. Oh, I spent a lot of time alone with my daughter because my job was a contract and my wife went to work while I stayed home for 4 months of that first year. That was before fathers could take a share of the parental leave.
Getting ready for back to school can become a true issue if your child is anxious about school. Research shows that today children are dealing with much higher levels of anxiety compared to kids of previous generations. Some experts call it an epidemic. So it figures that school, being such a big part of children’s lives, would be a source of anxiety for some kids.
Whatever you do, whatever your rules and curfews are, remember that your ability to understand and influence your teenager starts with a good relationship. A good relationship helps you talk to each other, including conversations about rules and expectations.