Parenting Department

Parenting is perhaps the greatest life challenge.

Unleashing the spirit of the warrior father

Events in September, 2003 are posted on their own page.

Fatherhood Forum, December 5, 2002, Braving the Storm.

School and Parenting Discussions

Plenty of school matters are expected to be a part of the Parenting Department. Matters of budgets, funding, involvement, testing and leadership are fair game.

School Links

Learning With Technology: Evidence that Technology Can, and Does, Support Learning Cable in the Classroom, May 2002, commissioned report by a professor at San Diego State in PDF.

Smaller, more complex families

Today's households have older fathers as well as more teen fathers. The number of fathers ages 15 to 19 and 30 to 49 are increasing.

Teen fathers tend to be less prepared emotionally and financially, adding to family complexity. This is contrasted to "older" fathers, who are likely to spend more time in childrearing and are more likely to believe that two parents are needed to effectively raise a child. Most often, older fatherhood is the result of men delaying marriage or wanting more time as a couple before having children. Occasionally, however, "later" fathering is a surprise.

Surprise parenthood

Fatherhood can be a shock and a blessing.

From birth through adulthood, children bring surprises into our lives. Sometimes they choose a path that we would never have considered, or they accomplish something we would never have thought possible, and we sit in wonder at their uniqueness. Those surprises can bring excitement and joy to life, but part of our job as fathers is to not be surprised, to not be caught off guard by difficulties that children may bring our way. We avoid those surprises by maintaining a steady presence in their lives, working at communicating with them, and being aware of the challenges they're facing.

Louisiana, leader in father training

Under Governor Mike Foster, Ann Williamson and Dana Reichert, a statewide campaign utilizing training and support helps fathers succeed. The programs seek to equip dads to be more effectively engaged in the lives of their children.

PA State Foster Parent Association

An online resource for foster parents, foster children and child placement agencies.

Hillary Cliniton put government day-care at the top of her US Sentate campaign

The most powerful weapons in our anti-crime arsenal are the investments in children and youth that get them off to the right start.

Illegitimacy is still our nation's most far-reaching problem -- National Center for Health Statistics say 1 out of 3 births are out of wedlock.

Boys with both parents in the home are half as likely to be incarcerated (without regard to race, income, or education).

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