HHS releases money for fatherhood

Supporting Our Fathers and Our Families
Posted: 06/29/11 05:29 PM ET

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sec-kathleen-sebelius/supporting-our-fathers-an_b_887231.html?ir=Yahoo

On Father's Day, many of us took the time to celebrate how much our dads mean to us. My father turned 90 this year, and I feel blessed that he is able to enjoy and engage with his children, grandchildren and now a great-granddaughter. Whether it's coaching little league or getting involved in a parent-teacher association or just being a good role model, active and involved fathers boost their kids' self-esteem and provide them with a secure environment to thrive.

Unfortunately, far too many children today do not have a father figure in their lives. One out of every three children in America lives apart from his or her father. And research shows that these children are more likely to live in poverty, drop out of school, and engage in risky behaviors.

As Secretary of Health and Human Services, I believe we need to provide fathers and families with the support they need in the most important job they have: raising America's next generation.

This is why I am pleased to announce a new $150 million investment in programs that support responsible fatherhood and healthy marriages. We know there's a close connection between having a job and being able to provide for a self-sufficient, functional family, and these programs will connect dads to jobs, training programs, and financial advice. They will also strengthen the bonds between couples with kids, reducing domestic violence and providing role models for adulthood. This work supports families without dads, too, affirming the central role that mothers have in the lives of their children.

Responsible, involved fathers help raise healthy children and build strong communities. Today's investment builds upon the president's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative, which I helped launch last year. This effort is a call to action to cities and states, individuals and organizations -- from the NFL Players Association, to the National PTA, to everyday moms and dads -- to raise awareness about responsible fatherhood and to work together to re-engage absent fathers with their families.

Recently, the effort brought Jonathan Mayo to the White House for an event celebrating fatherhood. Jonathan believes his responsibility as a father goes beyond his children. As internship coordinator at an organization called Year Up, he takes time to mentor young people in his community who need someone to have high expectations of them.

Mary Polk also participated. Through her work in Delaware government, she saw first-hand the obstacles that fathers faced like limited parenting skills due to a lack of role models in their own lives. To address these obstacles, Mary co-founded Delaware's Fatherhood/Family Coalition. The group has developed strategies that promote parenting and mentoring skills while also raising awareness about the needs of fathers and families.

Thousands of individuals like Jonathan and Mary have signed on to the president's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative. Businesses are joining to promote simple, yet meaningful, opportunities for dads and kids to connect. And organizations are supporting families as they learn how to adjust to a military parent returning from a tour of duty.

One day a year is not enough to honor the lifetime of love and support that our dads have given to us. And our commitment to promoting responsible fatherhood does not end with one announcement. Our work is ongoing. We need more Jonathans and Marys -- people who are willing to step up and do everything they can to set our kids on the right path, in community centers, on basketball courts, in libraries, and at dinner tables across America. While the responsibilities of being a father are never easy, being a dad is a privilege and can be one of the most fulfilling roles a man can have.

I encourage you to visit Fatherhood.gov to learn how you can get involved this year to help strong fathers build strong families in your neighborhood.

To my Dad, and all the dads out there -- and all the family and community members working to help them succeed as parents -- thank you for helping our children thrive, and for helping to ensure a brighter future for all of us.

Sex after kids: the art of the quickie

Ian Kerner, a sexuality counselor and New York Times best-selling author, blogs about sex on Thursdays on The Chart. Read more from him at his website, GoodInBed.

Hey parents, remember sex before kids? Remember when lovemaking was long and languorous, when vacations and weekends (and every other moment of the day for that matter) potentially revolved around sex? Remember morning sex?

Chances are that many dads will get to sleep in this Father’s Day, but odds are their Sunday morning won’t include much post-coital cuddling - or coital anything for that matter. According to a recent survey by the online magazine Baby Talk, just 24% of parents say they’re satisfied with their post-baby sex lives, compared to 66% who were happy before they had children.

At Good in Bed, we believe that parenthood is about perfecting the art of the quickie and finding moments between the chaos and exhaustion to squeeze in some intimacy. Quickies don’t necessarily have to lead to orgasm, and they don’t even have to be wholly sexual.

Take a long hug, for example. Studies have shown that positive physical touch stimulates a brain chemical called oxytocin. Dubbed the “cuddle hormone,” it’s produced during a range of scenarios, including sexual arousal, orgasm and childbirth.

The result: Oxytocin helps to create a sense of emotional intimacy, relaxation, contentment and trust. Scientists have even found that oxytocin helps relieve stress, improve mood and lower blood pressure. Even better, you and your partner easily can boost oxytocin all day long: just a 20 to 30-second hug can raise oxytocin levels in both men and women.

Other potential quickies:

Re-discovering the art of the kiss. Believe it or not, less than 50% of people kiss their partners on daily basis. No wonder so many people are stuck in sex ruts. Once we stop kissing, it’s a sign that something needs to change.

Sending your partner a sexy text. These days technology is often depicted as a time bomb that could destroy a relationship at any moment, but couples in trusting long-term relationship can use sexy emails and texts with each other to cultivate their connection and build sexual anticipation.

Telling your partner about a sexy fantasy or dream. A study at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, found that intercourse is the most common sexual behavior in dreams. A healthy 37% of participants reported having a sexual dream once a week, while 19% reported dreaming about sex up to five times per week. So share the dream!

Hop in the shower together. With the summer heat come more excuses to shower - why not save the water and enjoy one together? If you’re headed for the beach, take some time to rub suntan lotion on your partner with meaning and verve.

These small connections may not be explicitly sexual, but they create “transferable” desire that adds up over time and contributes to lasting sexual desire and fulfilling sexual experiences.

“Little quickies are a great way to get our adrenaline going,” writes Naughty Mommy blogger, Heidi Raykeil: “From handjobs to frisky playful exhibitionism, to just taking a moment to feel each other up, quickies are a way of re-connecting and building up a reserve of sexual anticipation. Taking the big O out as a ‘goal’ really leaves more room for playful, fun stuff - as long as we know we can get that other fulfillment later.”

You can read the rest of the article at: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/06/16/sex-after-kids-the-art-of-the-quickie/.

Dads and Diapers

This is such a great commercial aimed at dads. As the father of boys I understand this commercial and think huggies has hit the nail on the head with this video. This video is a finalist for the video of the month for July.

Army dad surprises son

I love the son's reaction. All sons should so look forward to seeing their dads.

Children's Book of the Month: Dad's are for catching fireflies

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K-Parental roles are celebrated in these lift-the-flap books. Cartoon illustrations of multihued parents and children accompany simple statements such as those in the titles. Occasionally, thoughts are continued in text found beneath the flaps. The roles as described here are traditional ones. Daddies tease and play, offer a bit of comfort, and go to work. Mommies do a lot of caregiving, cook breakfast, and remind children of their manners. None of these women are shown working outside of the home and a picture of children getting off of the school bus is paired with, "A mommy waits for you to come home." These books are not as charming as many of Ziefert's other titles or as effective as Laura Numeroff's What Mommies Do
Best/What Daddies Do Best (S & S, 1998). Flap appeal aside, this is well-intentioned literary fluff comforting to those children whose lifestyles match the featured models.
Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library,
Elgin, IL Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
Daddies do so many terrific things. A daddy always gives you the best seat at the parade, he reads you bedtime stories, and he tries his best to fix your toys when they break (even if he doesn't always succeed). Filled with soft, beauti-ful watercolor artwork and lilting text, this lift-the-flap book about all the great things fathers do is perfect for young children.

New Dads Struggle To Balance Family And Work

A new study out of Boston College’s Center for Work and Family finds that new fathers are increasingly struggling with wanting to be more involved as a parent while also wanting to advance in their careers.

The study called “The New Dad — Caring, Committed and Conflicted,” surveyed 1,000 men nationwide, all new dads who worked as professionals for Fortune 500 companies.

A majority of the new dads — 68 percent — said they want to share in parenting 50-50. At the same time, 76 percent said they wanted to move up in their field and take on more responsibility.
New dads also found that they do better in the workplace and are perceived as being more committed, more mature and more credible employees after they become fathers. Earlier studies have showed that new mothers have a tougher time at work after they give birth, and unlike new dads are less likely to be promoted, and can be considered less committed as employees.

The question is whether fathers and mothers can attempt to balance their desire to advance in their careers while also being active and involved parents. A growing number of couples are trying to construct more equal partnerships despite a culture that enforces traditional roles for the sexes.

The best and worst dads on TV

I found this article very interesting. 

By Randee Dawn


TODAY.com contributor TODAY.com contributor

updated 6/15/2011 8:37:22 PM ET 2011-06-16T00:37:22

He's the first man in your life, the guy who (often) brings home the bacon and can occasionally be found mowing the lawn without his shirt on. But there's more to being a father than just being called "dad": He's around to help with scraped knees and teach life's lessons.

Since he can often be found right in front of the TV with his feet propped up, here's a look at five of the best — and worst — examples of fatherhood currently on the small screen today.

THE BEST

Burt Hummel (Mike O'Malley, 'Glee')

On first glance, mechanic Burt didn't seem like he was going to be the kind of guy who could handle his teen son's homosexuality — even if it hardly came as a shock when Kurt came out. But Burt surprised everyone by not just being supportive and understanding, but by his spirited defense of his son's right to be who he was born to be. Even if Burt doesn't always understand his son's methods, he'll stand behind him 100 percent. And that's the kind of father who should be guiding us all into adulthood.

To read the rest of the list go to: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43348304/ns/today-entertainment/

What Dads Want Most For Father's Day

As we celebrate Father's Day this next weekend it got me to thinking about what dads want most on Father's Day.

Dads like to be treated like a King. Dads feel like they rule the house and for one day of the year they would like to be treated that way. They would like their favorite meal fixed and be able to watch their shows on T.V.

Dads like to be told that they are appreciated. Dads do so much for their children and one this one day they would like to hear in words how much their kids appreciate them.

Dads like to praised as a good dad. Most dads feel like they are not doing a great job at being a dad and this one day of the year they would like to hear from their kids that their kids think they are a good dad and they feel lucky to have their father as their father.

What do you want on father's day?

Upcoming Unforgettable Fathers Seminar

Video of the Month Winner: It's a Dad Life