Fathers To Fore In The Shoalhaven

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday April 8, 2006

By GABRIELLE DUNLEVY

A FESTIVAL in the Shoalhaven this weekend will be a day for dads and their kids to remember.

The Fatherhood Celebration will recognise the importance of dads, while not ignoring the value of mothers.

Anglicare welfare officer Tony Shewan has organised the festival, and hopes it will be a fun event to bring families closer together, encouraging dads to take a more active role in their children's lives.

Mr Shewan, a father of four boys - Luke, 11, James, 8, Matthew, 6, and Thomas, 4 - said there were many support services available for mums, but not many for dads.

"I think it's tough for dads in a lot of ways," Mr Shewan said.

"There's ... separation and custody and I think there's also hidden pressures like work.

"Particularly now with changes in industrial relations where there is pressure to always be at work, and people have high mortgages and financial commitments.

"I think dads are really seeing all this as a message that their role is to provide, and the kids miss out because of these sorts of pressures - I find that myself, you get so caught up with work."

Research shows that when fathers are involved in their children's learning, children enjoy better mental health, higher quality of later relationships, less criminality, better school attendance and behaviour and better exam results.

The Fatherhood Celebration will include a celebration of Koori dads, pops, uncles and brothers at Nowra Showground today from 10.30am, a children's art exhibition at St Martin's Anglican Church, Ulladulla, today from 1pm, and a family fun day at Nowra Showground tomorrow starting at 10am.

© 2006 Illawarra Mercury

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