Great Fathers – “Men are really important to their children”
Great Fathers
The Challenge
When Dave Owens discovered that a baby’s experience in their first year of life creates their emotional foundation for life, he knew he had to spread the word to other fathers. “This was the most important information that I’d ever come across – and if I didn’t know it, most other men didn’t know it”.
The Response
Dave created Great Fathers, which caters to new dads by using three tools. The first is a Dvd called In your hands: A Gift for New Dads, which is a movie featuring NZ musicians – Tiki Tane, Warren Maxwell and Sean Donnelly (SJD) – talking about their experience of becoming dads. It also features six songs, a booklet with photos and a comic strip. The second tool is three sessions Dave does in antenatal classes in conjunction with a childbirth education provider. The third is the Great Fathers website, which offers more information and resources.
Dave says, “Men are so important to children; they help them reach their potential. Most of us don’t understand how vital this role is and I want to change that. To be effective, the information has to be presented in a way that people can painlessly understand and use it. Music, pictures, comics and conversations are more effective ways of reaching men than books or articles”
How The Todd Foundation Helped
Two years of funding has allowed Dave to experiment with different methods of reaching new dads, produce the DVD and website and start working with antenatal groups. Dave says, “Working along existing organisations, we’ve already reached into thousands of homes. Also, the staff at the Foundation are willing to have a personal relationship with you; I never felt like I was ‘just an application form’”.
What they say about it
“Dave is leading the way, not just in New Zealand but worldwide”, says Emily Willan, President of the New Plymouth Parent Centre. “There needs to be a shift in parenting education – it can and should be a 50/50 role and we are missing out by not including fathers. Childbirth education should cover baby care for both parents if it’s going to impact on communities. By including Dave’s classes, I believe we are having a positive effect on the community and the way that people think about parenting. Our dads always say ‘I can’t believe this hasn’t always happened.’ ”
