This Father's Day President Obama kicked off the Year of Strong Fathers, Strong Families as part of his Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. It's an effort with partners from around the nation to create simple opportunities for dads and kids to connect. Whether it's a free game of bowling, a Major League Baseball or WNBA game, a visit to the zoo or aquarium, or discounts for dads and kids through partners like Groupon and LivingSocial, we're excited to help create small moments that can have a big impact.
In addition, President Obama sat down for a TV interview and wrote an op-ed this week discussing the important role fathers play and his own experience as a father. Check out the links to both and other Father’s Day content below:
- TV Interview: Earlier this week, President Obama sat down with Robin Roberts from Good Morning America and discussed the important role fathers play in the lives of their children and his own experience being a father to two young daughters. You can watch the interview on ABC.com.
- Op-Ed: President Obama also wrote an op-ed in People magazine discussing the importance of being a good dad. Check it out on People.com.
- Champions of Change: In honor of Father’s Day, the White House is honoring 15 Champions of Change who recognize the importance of good fathers as role models in young children’s lives and have dedicated themselves to mentoring and supporting fathers across the country.
- Email: President Obama sent an email to the White House email list this morning in honor of Father's Day. Check out the email and if you didn't get it, sign up for the White House email list.
And be sure to check out the President’s weekly address where he reflects on his experience as a parent and discusses the challenges and necessity of being a good father.
Ben O'Dell serves as Associate Director at the HHS Partnerships Center promoting the importance of fatherhood.
So this is fun.
Like millions of dads across our country, President Obama has said that being a father is the "most important job he has." From coaching basketball to helping with homework, the President cherishes the time he gets to spend with his two girls, even when life gets busy.
On June 15th at a screening of the movie Cars 2 for military fathers and families, President Obama is kicking off something called the year of Strong Fathers, Strong Families as part of his Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. It's an effort with partners from around the nation to create simple opportunities for dads and kids to connect. Whether it’s a free game of bowling, a Major League Baseball or WNBA game, a visit to the zoo or aquarium, or discounts for dads and kids through partners like Groupon and LivingSocial, we're excited to help create small moments that can have a big impact. You can sign up for updates and find more in the coming days on www.fatherhood.gov.
Military fathers and families listen as President Barack Obama stops by a screening of the movie "Cars 2" in the South Court Auditorium of the White House, June 15, 2011. The President talked about the year of "Strong Fathers, Strong Families" as part of his Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama wrote about growing up without his own dad in his life – and millions of kids in America experience the same. According to the U.S. Census, almost one out of every three children in our country grow up without their father. And when dads are not around to support, families and children can be impacted as a result.
For years, the President has worked with dads from around the country to do something about fatherlessness, from supporting local fatherhood programs to encouraging personal responsibility. We're thrilled to advance this work through the year of Strong Fathers, Strong Families. Remember to sign the President’s fatherhood pledge and stay updated at www.fatherhood.gov.
Michael Strautmanis is Counselor in the Office of Public Engagement and a proud father of three.
Welcome to the new DadTalk blog on fatherhood.gov!
Here on the DadTalk blog, you’re going to find updates on opportunities for dads to connect with kids; information for fatherhood programs; and insights from dads from around the country. The DadTalk blog and fatherhood.gov are a part of President Obama’s Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative.
President Obama started this initiative because, like millions of fathers across our country, being a dad is the most important job he has. He also grew up without his own father, and sees how fatherlessness in America is impacting far too many kids. So the President is joining with dads from around the country to impact this issue and do everything we can to support our young people.
Here on the DadTalk blog, you can expect to find:
- Deals, news and events for dads and kids
- Articles and essays from everyday dads and celebrity fathers
- Insights into moms’ views of fatherhood
- Information on new policy, programs and research
And if you want to receive emails about the President’s fatherhood initiative, take the fatherhood pledge here!
This is an exciting time for fatherhood in our country! Let’s keep the conversation going.
--Michael Strautmanis and Joshua DuBois of The White House, co-coordinators of the President’s fatherhood initiative
In support of President Obama’s Fatherhood & Mentoring Initiative, Oscar Winner Lou Gossett, Jr. and Deputy Assistant to the President Michael Strautmanis led a Responsible Fatherhood Roundtable discussion and recognition ceremony. At the event, both spent time recognizing individuals who are working to promote responsible fatherhood in Los Angeles. These people were surrounded by young people involved in sports games and leadership activities from Challengers Boys and Girls Club who hosted the discussion.
Through the discussion, all of us had the chance to learn about, lift up, and connect organizations in Los Angeles that are helping fathers to be actively engaged with their kids. I was inspired by the individual stories of the ten men and women connected with these organizations. Their dedication and positive presence in their families and communities is truly remarkable.
- Roderick Elzy helps dads discover the tools they need to become better fathers through the Fatherhood Initiative at Great Beginnings for Black Babies.
- Kenneth Hilton balances his work schedule as a Mortgage Banker with his first priority of spending time with his wife and his four children.
- Sung Soon Lee dedicates himself to the care of his 15-year-old son, who was born with Cerebral Palsy.
- Michael Cummings meets regularly with other fathers at a housing development in South Central LA to help them connect with their kids, as he is doing with his own daughter, Emonni.
- Mary Weaver serves as the Executive Director of Friends Outside in Los Angeles County, which provides services to families and children and their incarcerated and formerly incarcerated family members.
- Thomas Enriquez receives valuable support from the Children’s Institute’s Project Fatherhood and from his family so that he can attend school related events with his kids, as a single father of four.
- Samuel Spicer, Jr. helps dads get involved with their children’s education through the Fatherhood Program at CDI Head Start, serving the San Gabriel Valley, CA.
- Jason Franklin mentors youth returning from juvenile camps and prison back into society and has benefited from his own mentors, who have helped him be a better father to his two young daughters.
- Jim Miller spends more time with his family now that he left the corporate world and started Elevate Sports LA, where he encourages families to grow together through the mutual enjoyment of physical activity.
- Edward Sykes gives credit to his wife, mother, and grandmother for helping him understand the values that have made him a good father to his teenage son, despite growing up without his own biological father.
Through the actions of each of these individuals, and the support of their mentors and families, it was clear that a major effort is taking place in our local communities to make sure every child has a responsible adult role model in their life.
Deborah List is a Presidential Management Fellow in the Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships at the Department of Justice.
For the last three years, The Fatherhood First Project in Rapid City, S.D. has been tasked with getting dads more involved in Head Start and Early Head Start programming. This has been accomplished by Fatherhood First Specialists:
- Working one-on-one with Head Start and Early Head Start dads facilitating one-on-one activities between the dads and their kids, helping them understand the value of play time with their kids.
- Hosting Father/Child activity nights where Father’s eat dinner with their kids and then everyone participates in a special activity designed to highlight dad’s strength of play.
- Conducting training for community based organizations on the important role that dads play in the development of their children raising awareness on the importance of fathers helping breakdown individual bias and preconceived opinions about fatherhood.
Through all these events, we are working in our community to redefine and, most importantly, celebrate fatherhood.
We have found that the vast majority of dads we work with want to be involved. They are excited to have special events for just them and their children. They want to understand more about what their child is learning while they are playing. They love becoming more involved.
The challenge we issue the dads in our program is the same challenge I issue all parents: Go play. Get on the floor. Sit at the table. Grab some blankets to build a fort. Grab a doll. Go outside. Go play. Playing offers so many opportunities for dads to talk to your kids about a variety of issues like morality, fairness and courage. In most cases, it is a no cost activity. Most importantly, playing is fun!
Now I know firsthand that this can be easier said than done. We work. We are tired. Sometimes it is hard to find the energy but we have to do it. Our time with our children is far too short and we need the make the most out of it.
Playing doesn’t scratch the surface of what fathers do but it is one of the things that we, as dads, do best.
Bob Burke is the Fatherhood Program Coordinator for Youth & Family Services in Rapid City, SD
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En respuesta al llamado del presidente Obama para una conversación nacional sobre la paternidad responsable y las familias saludables, aprender cómo usted puede unirse a la Iniciativa Presidencial de Padres y Mentores.