1of8's Giggly Smacker-Goop-Gobstopper Titchy-Top-Dollar-Book Recommendations and Other Stuff

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Father's Day

"Many Australians observe Father’s Day on the first Sunday of September. It is a day for people to show their appreciation for fathers and father figures. Father figures may include stepfathers, fathers-in-law, guardians (eg. foster parents), and family friends."
Quoted text retrieved 30th August from http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/father-day




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Monday, August 29, 2011

Part 1: Dad Blue, Still Cool? Help Reduce the Stigma

Like the popular Australian TV Program called MythBusters? Want to be tough and cool for your kids? Worried that you'll lose face with your colleagues, kids or someone you love? Help reduce the stigma 1) by informing yourself, 2) through education, awareness and support and 3) remember to look after yourself!

See if you can bust the following myths (no peaking at the end)...

1. I'm not being strong for my kids if I'm a man and I seek medical help or professional counselling, true or false?

2. If I'm a man I might lose face with my work mates or family members if I seek medical help or professional counselling, true or false?

3. If I'm a Dad it's not cool to show any emotions or cry, true or false?

4.  Paternal Postpartum/Postnatal Depression can happen to mothers and fathers, true or false?

If you didn't guess any of the answers to these myths, don't worry because I didn't know the answers either until I busted them with my research. Try busting the myths yourself by using the links below to find out more information. Help reduce the stigma 1) by informing yourself, 2) through education, awareness and support and 3) remember to look after yourself!


1. I'm not being strong for my kids if I'm a man and I seek medical help or professional counselling, true or false?

Take Care of Yourself!
  • By maintaining your own emotional health and well being, you are modeling important life skills to help your child learn and grow.
  • Take time to nurture yourself. Take a walk, exercise, read a book, keep a journal or have coffee with a friend.
  • Develop healthy, mutually respectful relationships with others. When you relate with friends, family and partners, your children will learn meaningful skills.
Retrieved 30th August 2011 from http://www.kidvision.org/feelings/guide.html

Helpful resources and links:
  • Foundation 49 "Your health doesn't just affect you, if you are a man over 40 you need an annual health check" (Home http://www.49.com.au/ )
Look up => 
Category Archives: Mental Health http://www.49.com.au/mens-health/mental-health/

Look up =>
Men http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=4.1127
Info line at http://beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=107 or phone 1300 22 4636 for the cost of a local call.
BeyondBlue music for your soul http://www.beyondbluemusic.org/home.html



2. If I'm a man I might lose face with my work mates or family members if I seek medical help or professional counselling, true or false? (See also links for question 3)

"However, a recent study from Penn State University in the US suggests that I may be worrying unnecessarily, that tears are becoming more acceptable for men and less so for women.

The study, using a sample of 284 people, found that men were judged much more positively for crying than women. This, according to the study’s authors, was because men were seen as expressing honest emotion where women were seen as out of control." 
Retrieved 30th August 2011 from http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article2811643.ece

Helpful Links (humorously written):

Look up =>

3. If I'm a Dad it's not cool to show any emotions or cry, true or false? (See also links for question 2)

"Our kids need us to show our emotions. If we as fathers need a good cry, then man up and let the tears flow...Our kids need to know how to process emotion, to feel. We can teach our kids how to do that, but better than teaching is showing. We all feel emotion, but we have an obligation to show emotion as well. We owe it to our kids, and they need it. I never heard someone say “my dad cried too much”. I have heard many times “my dad never cried”, and it is never spoken as a positive...If you think you are too much of a man to cry, I argue that you are more of a man if you do. It truly takes a strong man to let others see you do it. So, man up, grab  the box of tissues and turn on the water works if you need to. It’s good for you and it’s good for your kids. Would it be a bad thing to hear them say “my Dad was never afraid to cry”?"
Retrieved 30th August 2011 from http://daddysdown.com/2011/05/09/daddy-is-a-crybaby-but-thats-okay/

Look up =>

  • Dealing with Feelings A Parent's Guide, "All feelings are okay, it's what you do with them that counts" (To support your child and your own emotional wellbeing and development) http://www.kidvision.org/feelings/guide.html


4.  Paternal Postpartum/Postnatal Depression can happen to mothers and fathers, true or false? 

More information coming on this topic in Part 2: Men Blue, Still Cool? Help Reduce the Stigma.




Medical Disclaimer: This post is not written by a medical practitioner and no responsibility is taken by the writer (medical, legal or otherwise). This post does not replace medical information or help that can be obtained by a medical professional.
(Answers were: 1. False, 2. False, 3. False, 4. See Part 2: Men Blue, Still Cool? Help Reduce the Stigma)
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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Men, don't worry every hour counts!

Advocating for the Rights and Needs of Children and Young People;

"Male role models - every child needs them!"

 

(Note still to come Part 1: Dad Blue, Still Cool? Help Reduce the Stigma and Part 2: Dad Blue, Still Cool? Help Reduce the Stigma)

 

Even if it's a few hours a day or week remember that every hour counts! Children need woman and men to model their lives after.

Many times the importance of the Mom in a child's life is heavily referred to or spoken of...
http://www.fun-learning-activities-for-children.com/image-files/literature_storytime.jpg
...without any due reference to the extremely important role of the child's Dad, Grandfather, Uncle or other male role model.

Of course the importance of motherhood can never be underestimated in today's society.

But where are the stories and encouragement that men need to hear of how important it is for a child to have a strong male role model that is interested in investing time with children? Despite what is said about gender equality today, mothers are generally more careful and protective of their children. But where is the child who will have memory's forever of the adventures and rollicks that only a male role model can give?



http://www.calmigranted.org/courses/TABE/readingwithchildren.jpg

I definitely did not write this blog post to make the many wonderful single parents feel guilty about what-they-haven't-done for their children. For I have seen many cases where an extremely dedicated single parent has done a far better job than many 'traditional' modal families that haven't put as much exerted thought, time and effort into bringing up their children as these wonderful single mothers.

The reason why I wrote this post was because I want to give any men role models any spark of resilience, hope or courage that will help keep them giving themselves out for the children they come into contact with. Through a young child's eye any older teenage boy is a 'man' if he can do a 'man's' work like mowing the lawn. Young girls enjoy a male primary caregivers time and if they don't have a Dad they'll wonder and dream what it would be like to have a father of their own. Young boys wonder what they will be one day, and if they don't have a Dad at home they quite often look to the man that they are closest to whether it be their own Dad every other weekend, a well-loved brother, grandfather, uncle or even a teacher or caregiver to help them decide what makes 'de man'.

I have noticed the extremely important influence...

...which an older brother can have on a sibling...

http://hutchison.euroteamoutreach.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/RECENT-003.JPG http://www.law-of-attraction-parenting.com/image-files/infant-and-brother-reading.jpg

http://www.pennypickles.net/penny_pickles/uploaded_images/DSC05877-728524.JPG  http://www.alldrycleaningsystems.com/images/brother_and_sister_reading_book.png





...a grandfather or Uncle can have on his grandchildren or nephews and nieces...



http://sde.state.ok.us/Curriculum/CurriculumDiv/Reading/images/papa.jpg

http://www.medicalleader.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/grandfather-and-child.jpg


...and a man can have on a child.

http://www.ugandamissionacti.com/man%20and%20children.JPG

http://www.interfaithhumanitariansanctum.org/development/images/hugging.jpg



http://images.whereilive.com.au/images/uploads/2011/01/28/4127b34389f05e4801f8f397fbf6fcd3_resized.jpg


But if a young impressionable child has no male attachment figure living with the family or regularly seen...


http://media.pennlive.com/midstate_impact/photo/picture-018jpg-249b56e4824de43e_large.jpg


... it is always enhances the 'development of the whole child' if a child looks up to a male role model willing to foster feelings of safety, security and attachment and model and foster ownership of mulitcultural appropriate values, roles, and behaviour.

If you're a single parent out there who worries that you only see your child once a week or that your child does not have daily contact with a father, grandfather, uncle or similar role model, don't worry...

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SYc8Ta6u9mPc1Kx6ueHPPE8_HBLN0jGtLhXhRmdZ3IzC4gYSoKc_b_wQKhOhrpr7QmjUlPRlRIqmnhrgV_qa3DLn9r_OX7RQP7vKXL2zcXARl-tdjZsfoYV-ZfPQS3b-wYtWG_r0ONS0/s1600/dan-noah-pearce-playing-dad-father-child.jpg

...Every hour a child has with another male figure with values, roles, behaviour, or skills to model makes a difference!  In the end its frequent quality in interactions not quantity of time that truly makes an impact on children.

For Dad's - Give your Child a Dadificate (and it's free of course)!
For Dad's - Searching for more resources or information to help you: Remember to ask for more information at your child's child care centre or other local community groups or services such as the local doctor, local library, or other local services offered near you. Local libraries usually run programs for children during the weekends or holidays. Remember that it's okay to ask if you cannot find the information you are looking for by contacting or researching through the local community services offered near you, they might know of other community groups or services that you don't know of yet!

Support links specifically for fathers or men working with children:



Support links for parent/s and those working with children (of all ages):
  • Parentline (Queensland and Northern Territory)   "We provide support, counselling and parent education for the cost of a local call*. Call 1300 30 1300 from 8am-10pm, 7 days a week." http://www.parentline.com.au/

*Parentline operates in Queensland and the Northern Territory. Mobile phone charges apply. If you live in other areas of Australia, find out contact details of Parentline in your state.
Other Helpline Services (Parentline for other States http://www.parentline.com.au/getting-help/who-else-can-help/other-helpline-services.php)



Support links for parent/s and those working specifically with older children with disabilities or health needs:
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Tuesday, August 9, 2011

'Advocate for the Rights and Needs of Children and Young People - My Early Childhood Passion Is...

Give me eyes so that I may see... 

Check out this slide I created of the Unakho Children's Home (http://1of8kids.blogspot.com/2011/08/give-me-eyes-so-that-i-may-see.html), it's really cool! I will be presenting it tomorrow in class with the 'Brandon Heath Give  Me Your Eyes lyrics' as background music for the topic 'Advocate for  the Rights and Needs of Children and Young People - My Early Childhood  Passion Is...'
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