Kelly is directing the middle school play, and has rehearsal this afternoon. Ian is sitting behind me, sending mail to my coworkers and pretending to be a ‘boxer man’. My iPod is playing in the background, and Centerfold by J. Giles came on a few minutes ago. Inappropriate content aside, can someone please explain to […]
Last night Kelly and I volunteered for clean-up after Ian’s school’s fall festival. It was going to be a late(r) night, so we asked her folks if Ian could spend the night. Did I mention that we live in St. Louis? Kelly and I got home just in time for the ninth inning. We were […]
Grow up, then, my Telemachus, grow strong. / Only the gods know if we’ll see each other / again. / You’ve long since ceased to be that babe / before whom I reined in the plowing bullocks.
Fatherhood is more than changing diapers and reading to our kids. It’s more than biology, and extends even beyond our own families. Zaid’s story is about the responsibilities we face when children come into our lives, and finding fatherhood in unexpected places.
It was a rare, stormy day in St. Louis, and many other families had the same idea. The theater was packed with kids. I didn’t mind, because we wouldn’t need to worry about Ian disturbing anyone. He spent most of the movie curled in our laps, quietly watching.
But this is not his story.
Today, more than most, is a good time to reflect on fathers and their impact. As we each deal with this grim anniversary in our way, please take a moment to remember the fathers.
Who knew the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has its own record label? This past summer it released its first album, Wings of Hope, which features inmates singing and rapping childhood favorites like Humpty Dumpty and This Old Man. The CD also includes songs and poems written by the inmates, and parenting advice.
…if rhyme and meter is an effective gauge of fatherhood, we dads have a lot of explaining to do.
When it comes to promoting fatherhood, Australia seems to be ahead of the curve. This weekend is the third annual Fatherhood Festival, held in Bangalow, New South Wales. The three-day festival ‘is a gathering of people and ideas, arts and activities, all with the aim to broaden, deepen, and support all dads.’
It’s difficult being a father, even if you’re happily married and gainfully employed. Relais-Pères helps men stay the course, recognize their significance as fathers, and to meet their obligations.