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A “Dad-Involvement”
‘System’ that Spotlights Your BEST Dads and Makes
Them ‘Famous Mentors’ For the Rest to Copy—With Almost ZERO Effort on Your Part!”
Exciting New, But Already Proven
‘System’ That'll Get YOUR Dads
DEEPLY Involved
You’ve got some great men connected to the
children in your program. They “give their all” for their kids
every day. Some even work 2 and 3 jobs to make ends meet.
They volunteer, and you know their names. But… you’ve
also got some “Daddy Duds” who need to “open
their eyes” and see how vitally important they are to
their kids’ lives.
I’m going to tell you how to get MANY more men involved.
But first – I need to share this “sobering” truth:
No matter what you tell them, SOME of your dads are never
gonna “GET IT.” Not today. Not tomorrow.
Maybe never…
“…THE UNPLEASANT,
UNCOMFORTABLE "SECRET" RESISTED BY SO MANY HEAD START PROFESSIONALS and
other EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS (especially those who are “new” to the game)
IS THAT EVEN WHEN YOU "ASK MEN TO GET INVOLVED,” YOU WON’T GET A
BOATLOAD OF THEM LINING UP AND DIVING IN TO VOLUNTEER…”
…And that’s a shame, because
1 out of 6 kids has no significant man at home. Trouble is, 85% of early childhood educators are women –
GOOD women and good teachers. But that means about 1 in 10
kids aren’t getting ANY significant male involvement –
at home or at school!!
 None
of this would matter except for THIS fact…
“…Father Involvement Matters as Much as Life and Death…”
Fatherhood research over the
past 25 years is crystal clear that children without involved fathers
are more likely to grow up poor, get into trouble with the law, abuse
drugs and alcohol, become a teen parent, drop out of school, and commit
suicide (the suicide rate for kids without involved dads is
10 times higher than other children).
You have HIGH EXPECTATIONS for your fathers. But
let’s be honest – getting men “involved” can be like PULLING TEETH.
Aren’t you frustrated with your father involvement “results?” I mean,
you knock yourself out trying to get men in the door – and to stay
long enough to do something meaningful. In truth, you’ve had
some success. (But nothing to write home
about.) You offered the men food (probably pizza), and that worked...
sort of. But you’d like to see more (on-going) male
involvement. Correct?
You’d like MANY MORE DADS involved, like that one
‘Super Dad’ who volunteered all the time. He was so good you put him
on ‘Policy Council’. Remember him?
And then there was that GRANDPA who came in just about daily… he was
like a GIANT MAGNET and the children were like little metal shavings  drawn
to him…. clinging to his legs when walked into the classroom!! …He
was great!! (But he’s gone.) He left when his granddaughter left
the program.
Let me ask you this – Wouldn’t
it be great to see that
kind of enthusiasm in a Grandpa or Dad again?
You took this job to make a
difference. And you have made “SOME” difference. But you
were hoping for a bigger “splash” with father involvement, right?
Here’s one of the things you’ve learned:
“…‘Reading’ Men Is Difficult...”
Let’s face it – men are
STRANGE creatures. And it can be
tough getting them to do “exactly” what you want. Just ask any
wife. Or girlfriend. Or mother. Or Male
Involvement person, principal, or program director!
You’ve “brainstormed”
ideas to get dads more involved. Some ideas worked (for a little
while)… and others fell flatter than “poorly flipped pancakes” that landed
on the kitchen floor and had to be scraped up and thrown away. Then
the dog ate what was left over. Goodbye great idea. We live and
learn. “Woof, woof!”
Then there was your “Dad’s Group.” Let’s be
honest: It fizzled. You tried to get those guys
interested, and you cranked father involvement up BIG TIME (four about four
months) … but the group vaporized….. disappeared…… Made you
wonder if men can stick to anything at all. Yes, men are
busy, but you KNOW they could (and should!) get more involved, for the
sake of their child. And you’re justified feeling a bit “angry” about
the situation. Let me ask you this question…..
Don’t you sometimes feel you could just
“slap” some sense into those men? Or reach out
with L-O-N-G arms and “wring their un-involved necks?” Or HUG them?? Or SOMETHING?!! (By
the way, please don’t slap the dads or wring their necks… they really
DO want to be involved….they just don’t know “exactly” HOW. (And
besides, somebody very small loves them VERY MUCH!)
“...But I Know
How to ‘Read’ Your Dads...!”
 How
can I say I can “READ” your dads? Do I have a big crystal ball?
Do I consider myself a “seer”?
Hardly! I know
how to “READ” your dads because I
“WRITE” them all the time! Let me explain:
I have long conversations with dads by phone, when I interview them
each month.
…They talk to me – they
tell me amazing things. Then I WRITE ABOUT
what they tell me, creating “feature articles” based on our
conversations. Other men READ these articles about YOUR men.
(Your “community partners” eat these articles up, too.)
I’ve personally talked with THOUSANDS of
fathers connected to early childhood programs, and I've interviewed HUNDREDS
of them. I want to interview YOUR dads.
HERE’S MY OFFER: I
will interview your dads. I will
write about them in magazine-quality professionally edited
articles, and I will send the articles to you (and you make copies
and give them out to your families and community partners) – ALONG
WITH The Down To Earth Dad monthly newsletter, now
in its eight year of publication.
-
I will “quote” your dads the way a
journalist does (I, and my team, are seasoned journalists.
I will make your dads “famous” within your program or school
community for one thing: Being Dads!! Doesn’t that sound
EASY on your end? It is!! I do all the work FOR you!
-
You give me the “Go-Ahead,” and MY TEAM
INTERVIEWS, FEATURES, and SPOTLIGHTS YOUR MEN!! Here’s
how it works for the MANY programs (and schools) already using this:
-
In a Nutshell à
I am inviting you to implement my TRIED, TESTED, and PROVEN National Dads Matter!™
Project for your SCHOOL or PROGRAM and DRAMATICALLY
increase your male involvement.
I’ve done it successfully for others, and I’ll do it for you, too. I
focus with GREAT ZEAL on ONE thing:
‘FATHER INVOLVEMENT
in kids’ lives!’
My PROFESSIONAL
experience gives me “Keen Insight” into the minds of the men in your
program. And I can tell you this:
“... I Will
Get Your Men
DEEPLY Involved…”
And … I do 95% of the work FOR You!!!
 It’s
called the National Dads Matter!™ Project and it’s been “proven” to
work in several other programs and schools, so it's not like you’re trying
something that’s “untested.” This really works!!!!!
Here’s how it works: I Interview Your Dads and Make them
FAMOUS within YOUR program and community – famous for ONE THING,
that is: Being Involved Dads!
Finally! A totally
“turn-key” ready-to-roll interactive
resource that GETS DADS DIRECTLY INVOLVED in your
statewide, regional, or local-level program, school, tribe, or
community, even though past “male-involvement” efforts may have left you
high and dry….
"I am overjoyed with what I
am receiving. My families here, with that first article, they were just
blown away.  They
were just totally floored.
I am happy.
Ecstatic! It has done wonders. Since the newsletter came out, I
did have an increase in my male involvement. I have to
attribute this to the Dads Matter! Project. I'm getting more and more
hits at our Head Start website too. You have made my year because
it has been such a struggle to get this (male involvement) program off the
ground... I am very happy with the Dads Matter Project. It shows
that Dads really matter."
— Ranzer Turner, Family and Community
Partnerships Manager, Lake Community Action Agency Head Start, FL
“…Puts Father
Involvement on ‘Auto Pilot’ So You Can Go
Home On Time…!”
Here’s the deal – You have PLENTY to do without worrying
about operating a “full – blown” father involvement effort. But the
Dads Matter!™ Project puts father involvement on “AUTO PILOT” and you won’t
EVER have to work late, or stress out because of this project.
The project makes father involvement a breeze!!!
This project is designed for LOCAL PROGRAMS like
yours (and for larger programs and schools, too), and it’s SO EASY TO
IMPLEMENT that you can pretty much ‘Turn It On,’ let it roll – and do its
work – even while you’re at home!
Here’s the scoop – I, and my team of professionals, do ALL
the work for you. You do next to nothing. Kick
start this project, then sit back and watch it roll! Somebody sends me
(by email) a short list of dad’s names/phone numbers/and digital photos of
the dads in time for publication, and I interview your men.
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"Causes Your Dads to Feel
EMPOWERED -- To Be Involved!”
“
I love the results that we are seeing with this project.
This may be the only place our featured Dads get positive
press and acknowledgement of the important job they have.
As one featured father put it, ‘Dang,
I’m not just a father... I'm a father with important
things to say, and other fathers should listen.’ What a great boost to his ego this experience
gave him!
”
— Linda Bleything, Director, Douglass Community Services
Head Start, Hannibal, Missouri |
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The Dads Matter!™ Project is BY FAR THE Best Way to motivate
the men in your program to get involved. You’re letting them “SEE” OTHER DADS role-modeling
what “involved Dads” look like. That’s powerful. I’m
ready to roll up my sleeves and “go to work” for you...
I, and my team of
interviewers and writers INTERVIEWS YOUR DADS connected to
YOUR program or school EVERY MONTH. A two-page article is created,
and made available to you so that you can make as many copies of it as you need
for your FAMILIES and community partners each month.
Let Me Ask You THIS…...
ARE YOU READY
For DADS TO GET MUCH MORE
INVOLVED????
I’ve GOT
something FOR you!!!
à
YOU GET ALL
OF THE FOLLOWING...
1.
YOU GET:
A Customized,
LOCALIZED
Publication Featuring
YOUR
Dads …
I’m talking about a “HIGHLY CUSTOMIZED” piece here…. customized to YOUR program
or school and featuring YOUR DADS.
I, and my team of professional interviewers and writers, interviews your
men by telephone—the dads, grandpas, and uncles connected to YOUR
program or school, and FEATURES THEM each month in a customized
article—complete with a photograph of the man and his children,
grandchildren, nieces, or nephews, if you send us a picture. Having 12
pictures of 12 of your dads-and-children (and 12 professionally-done “Feature
Articles” about the dads!) that’d create an awesome “visual” of how you’re
“raising the bar” for father involvement, wouldn’t it?
These are first-run, primary source,
professional quality articles, and the result is making your men
famous within your program and community. Here’s the deal...
your featured dads become visible role models to the other men in
your program. Your dads become famous in their “circle”—their
neighborhood. Won’t your dads feel good when they become so visibly
“famous?”
We’re talking about
supremely well-done, professional newspaper-and-magazine-quality feature
articles here, and they all feature YOUR men EVERY MONTH. This
specialty newsletter becomes a “hard copy” when you print it out on the
computer printer each month and make as many
copies as you like, and give them to all your
families and community partners each month.
Here’s the deal – I, and my team of Father Involvement team of professional
interviewers, journalists, editors, and writers do EVERYTHING for you
(except come up with the names and phone numbers, and photos of the dads.
Oh, and by the way….
“Done-For-You” means DONE for You!
Neither you, nor any member of
your staff does ANY of the interviewing or writing. My
team does EVERYTHING. Here’s the bottom line: Beyond
emailing the names, phone numbers, and photos of your dads once a month,
You Don’t Have To Do A Thing!!! Here’s what else you get….
2. YOU ALSO GET:
The Down To Earth Dad
Monthly Newsletter…
This is a VERY COOL publication which has been circulated to select
programs, schools, and families nationally (and internationally) for the
past eight year (see sample below)…..
EVERY MONTH, you’ll
ALSO receive, on your
personalized web page, a clickable, viewable version of
THE DOWN TO EARTH DAD NEWSLETTER, and any and all of your
visitors to the website can view this newsletter each and every month of
your subscription period.
The Down To Earth Dad newsletter is the ORIGINAL “Dads”
newsletter—for fat hers,
mothers, educators, practitioners, and child-and-family advocates and other
professionals. I, Patrick Mitchell, am known nationally (and
internationally) as “The Down To Earth Dad.” I publish and circulate
the newsletter widely to preschool and child and family serving programs.
The Down To Earth Dad newsletter takes the “big picture” view of
father involvement, with articles based on interviews I personally
conduct with child development experts, psychiatrists, psychologists,
medical doctors, authors, deans of colleges and universities, and
researchers on the “BIG PICTURE” of father involvement.
+++++++TESTIMONIAL++++++
"I just
wanted to let you know that I read the September issue of “The Down to Earth
Dad”. This is a very good newsletter, critical for fathers. It’s
a very easy read and I think helpful. Thanks for sharing!!"
—
Tanya R. Howell, Program Specialist, Office of Family Assistance,
Administration for Children and Families,
United States Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
The Down
To Earth Dad Newsletter Contains…
·
A Feature Article such as The Power of Play, Early
Literacy Enhancement, Dads Reading to Children, Storytelling,
Role Modeling, and other topics. It’s FILLED with valuable
information.
·
A Recipe (easy to follow) so dads can cook more often for their kids,
and a “personal column” written by Patrick Mitchell, “The Down To Earth Dad.
·
A Father-And-Family Activities section for dads, and your
staff -- ideas to get father involvement happening at home and at
school.
The Down To Earth Dad
monthly newsletter is the “shell” publication into which your
customized, localized Dads Matter!™ insert/supplemental publication (that
features YOUR dads) is placed monthly, and you then distribute this
newsletter-and-insert combo to your families and local community partners.
The four-page Down To Earth
Dad publication is geared to the general topic of father
involvement while the Dads Matter!™ insert is focused on the local
picture—featuring YOUR dads—and how male involvement takes shape in relation
to your local program efforts. The two publications
together (THE CUSTOM one I make for you, and
The Down To Earth Dad newsletter) are a powerful combination
of father-involvement information.
3.
YOU ALSO GET …
A Custom Web Page to ‘SHOW OFF’ YOUR Dads!
Specialized, customized web
pages are created and maintained just for your program to showcase
your dad articles online. Here’s what happens: My
team creates a Customized Web Page
showcasing your dads (and grandfathers) connected to your LOCAL
program or school.
This is important:
You don’t have to do anything except GO TO THE WEBSITE and
click the “thumbnail” image of the article online at your very own
National Dads Matter!™ Project web page... and VOILA! – You’re seeing a
Feature Article about “that dad who drops his son off in the morning and
then leaves,” or “that grandpa who comes in for lunch, or “That guy who
never says anything to anyone.” Won’t it be nice to “read up” on your
dads once these articles are in print?
The customized articles, and the customized
web page – created JUST FOR YOUR
PROGRAM is created and maintained on the “Down To Earth Dad”
website, and it’s accessible with a special “Username” and “Password.”
You can steer anybody to the web page, and you can
LINK to the website from any other website you like (such as your
main program or school website.)
I’m going to show you
EXACTLY HOW to get MANY of your “In-active” dads
fully engaged in your program, and how to hold your BEST ‘Dads
and Grandfathers’ up as Mentors for the rest to copy…
I
want to make your dads FAMOUS within YOUR PROGRAM or SCHOOL—among the other
families, and in your community. I want to make YOUR local dads
FAMOUS for ONE thing: Being Dads. Being Invovled Dads
specifically. Isn’t it about time dads became famous for that
important job – being a dad? The fact is, other dads in your
program (and moms) need to see who the GREAT men are who volunteer their
time and help out. And, you know of men who don’t help out much (or at
all) at yoru program or school who are still great dads, and THEY need to
have a voice too. This project is their voice! And won’t it be nice to
blast that “voice” out for your fathers, mothers, and community partners to
“hear?”
Here’s a sampling
of "Dad Quotes"
from dads I’ve interviewed:
“The challenge is to
help them to learn all the good things. I guide them all I can and
give them the right directions.”
— Ben One Feather, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Head Start
“All kids need a Dad around. Children learn no matter what.
They’re quick at learning. Be there, and they’ll learn from you.”
— Sam Martin, Pueblo of Isleta Head Start, New Mexico
“Show them you love
them and pay attention to them. “We had a part in bringing them into
this world, so it's up to us to take care of them.” —
Anthony Anderson, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Head Start
...And here’s what programs
are saying…
"Since we began the Dads Matter!
Project,
not only has our father participation, but also all
male involvement participation increased
15%.
Since implementing the Dads Matter Project we have begun having
fathers volunteer their time.... The roster for participants is
almost to full capacity! So once again, thank you Patrick for
including Isleta Head Start & Child Care families in the Dads Matter
Project! We hope to continue the Dads Matter Project for years
to come."
— Jacqueline
Yalch, Social Service & Behavioral Health Case Manager, Pueblo of Isleta
Head Start, NM
"As a result of the (Dads Matter) program, we have seen an increase in
father involvement in our programs as well as throughout the agency.
For example, fathers are feeling more "at home" getting involved in their
child's direct care at our agency, but also volunteering to complete
projects and participate in additional events such as fundraising and our
building renovation. This project encourages interpersonal support
and gets people together.”
—
Tami Walters, Executive Director, Mighty Oaks Children’s Therapy Center, OR
“Through your Dads Matter! Project, and contributions to the Children’s Voice Magazine, you
have remained a true champion for all America’s
children and families.
The Child Welfare League of America appreciates your effort and support in
addressing the needs of children, youth and families.”
—
Cassaundra Rainey, Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, The Child Welfare
League of America, Washington, DC
“I talked with Joshua Colon this morning and he was very excited about the
(Dads Matter!™ Project) interview and article. He asked me what I
thought. I told him I was almost in tears of joy when I read it.
He said he had shared it w/ his family.”
— Donald Johnson,
Father Involvement Specialist
DCS Head Start,
Roxbury, Massachusetts
“It's (Dads Matter! Project) very cost-effective.
It’s good service, and you're using a very efficient way of bringing people
in and empowering them to be part of the whole process. This project
highlights the needs of fathers and helps create a support system
for them.”
— Cynthia
Thompson, Executive Director
Children’s Trust Fund of Oregon
Here’s what a Dad said...
“To
have someone like you call me and ask me these questions, that’s a good
feeling. I’m not trying to be a great dad, but for someone to
call you up and ask you about being a dad because they think you’re doing
a good job, that’s a priceless feeling.”
—
Matthew Collins, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
TRIED AND TESTED
The Dads Matter!™
Project is a tested and refined turn-key resource highlighting the important
role fathers play in their children’s lives. The Project is EASY to
implement and operate; it’s ready-to-go and directly involves your dads and
families right from the start. This is a tried and tested
fatherhood strategy that really works!
I’ve Spent the Past
Seven Years ‘Perfecting the Craft’ of interviewing Dads of PRESCHOOL
CHILDREN. So you’ll get top-notch customized, localized articles about
YOUR dads that you can be PROUD of. The truth is, your dads are
BURSTING with information about their challenges and triumphs as fathers…
but nobody is asking them to come forth with the
information!!! Nine times out of ten – no, 999 times
out of a thousand – nobody asks the right questions, including,
“What’s it like being the father of a preschool child?”
You only need four
(4) things to get started, and HERE they are…
1.
Families—Moms and dads (married or single) who have
children in your program. The Dads Matter!™ Project can serve a
minimum of 100 families. There is no  maximum
number of families that can be served. Many programs serve
several hundred families.
2.
Dads to Interview Each Month—You must have fathers,
grandfathers, uncles, or other "significant males" willing to be
interviewed—by telephone—and featured in the customized, localized
“Dads Matter!” publication each month.
These men are EASY to find, as everyone loves the idea of having their
"Fifteen Minutes of Fame," so to speak. The truth is, fathers,
grandfathers, and uncles love being interviewed! For many
fathers, having the spotlight on them and their personal experiences
relative to raising a preschool child is a wonderful experience. The
interviews are conducted by telephone, and they may call a Toll Free number
to be interviewed by The Down To Earth Dad
editorial team. Our team of professional
journalists and editors interviews these men for you every month!
3.
Community Partners—Your
friends, such as local schools, agencies, physicians, hospitals,
child-and-family advocacy programs, counselors, and others will enjoy
receiving copies of the articles about your dads. It lets them know
what you’re doing, and they can help recruit dads and families to your
program.
4.
Project Coordinator—A volunteer dad, mom, or paid staff
person is needed to communicate with The Down To Earth Dad editorial
team monthly, to coordinate interviews and help with distribution. The
Project Coordinator does NOT have to interview anyone or do any
writing.
Can you think of someone on your team who can send us a
monthly email and photo? That’s really all that we need
in order to get started. The Project Coordinator might assist in
distributing/circulating the Dads Matter! supplemental publication and The
Down To Earth Dad monthly newsletter, depending on whether you involved
“hard copies” in your chosen implementation version of the overall Dads
Matter Project for your program or school.
“Top 10 Reasons”
to get the
Dads Matter!™ Project for Your
Program
In addition
to the benefits of quick start up, ease of implementation and maintenance,
and utility as a sounding board to tell your community what you're doing,  here
are additional reasons to get the project for your program or school:
1.
The Project Is Meaningful
By
implementing the Dads Matter!™ Project, you are affirming that your
program or school involves fathers. This will be much
appreciated by the fathers connected to the children in your program, and
they will show their gratitude by participating. Providing
opportunities for your children to have their fathers more involved in their
early lives is a great gift indeed; it is a gift from the heart.
The
Dads Matter! Project is a tool you can use to reach out to families with
a tangible, tested resource to help children get “significant male
involvement” in their early education and lives.
By
implementing this simple project, you are establishing your program as
uniquely dedicated to enhancing children's preschool experience.
Children love their mothers and their fathers, and thoughtful parents
realize that in today's world, creating special occasions for dads to be
more involved-at school and at home-is supremely important to their child's
cognitive, social, and emotional well being.
Fathers long to provide all the good things they can to their children.
They sense they are valued, important contributors, and the Dads Matter!
Project celebrates that reality. Sometimes, work and other obligations
keep dads from making the kinds of contributions they want to make.
You can help men get more involved at school, and at home, via this
project—for the sake of the children you care for, and for the sake of your
program or school’s growth and prosperity.
2. Harnesses the Energy of Father Involvement
Father Involvement
is a hot topic in America right now, as the benefits of that involvement
become more widely known in the wake of two decades of intensive research.
You can HARNESS the power of father involvement by embracing and
implementing this ready-to-go “Done-For-You” project. You can
start to harness, or continue to harness, the energy of father involvement,
and focus it on YOUR program with the expectation of positive results
for your program, and for the children you serve.
A
famous study by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 1999),
revealed that children do better in school
and enjoy school more when their fathers are highly involved in their
child's school. The National Dads Matter! Project
leverages the reality that kids do better when Dads are involved, and gets
their Dads involved early.
3. The "I Know That Guy!" Factor
The
best way to spread good news and get people more involved is to show them
someone they know who is involved. The Dads Matter!™ Project
does this well. By featuring your Dads (and Grandpas) via this
project, and by creatively making the elements of the project available to
families outside of your current population of enrolled families (a.k.a. a
few copies to your community partners), men connected to your program and
community will invariably recognize each other-by name, by face, or both-and
your program will benefit by this positive association of their relationship
with, or recognition of, this other man.
4. "Raises the Bar" for Parent Participation
A
growing body of research shows that when early childhood education programs,
including Head Start, state their expectations for father involvement
right from the start, during intake/enrollment, dads participate more
during the school year. By utilizing the Dads Matter!™ Project --
a plug-and-play father involvement resource that demonstrably involves
fathers in their child's school-you are effectively "raising the bar" for
father participation and you're implicitly setting a high standard for
father involvement at your school. This, in turn, means you'll have
fathers who feel involved. You will have no shortage of dads to help
anytime you need them to get something done. This project gets dads
involved, plain and simple.
5. Promotes Your Events
A
short Calendar of Events on "page 2" of your Dads Matter! publication
can be included each month (as an option), and you can use this space to
promote what's going on at your school or program. Invariably, friends
of your current parents will find out about your special events because of
the calendar of events section, and some of these parents will attend your
special events. The media might show up, too. (HINT: Be sure and send
a copy of the Dads Matter!™ publication to your community
partners and the news media. This way, everyone will know what you're
doing.)
6. Promotes Your Program
Successful programs need a constant influx of new families coming through
the door and calling on the phone in order to maintain a healthy program.
This project effectively "sells" your program or school as a valuable place
for children to be. Not all families qualify, but doing something
exciting like implementing this project, keeps the excitement in the air,
locally, for being in your program or school.
“Dads On The Wall”…
You can showcase the articles featuring your dads (the monthly Dads
Matter!™ publication) on a wall at
one of your sites, perhaps in the entry area of your building. Over
the course of the school year you can amass and display numerous
Dad-oriented feature articles appearing in the Dads Matter!™
publication. These can be normal-sized 8 ½ x 11" pages, or blown-up
11" x 17" pages for easier readability from afar.
7. Generates a Re-Usable Resource
You'll end up with 12 personalized, customized articles all featuring the
parents of your preschool students, and all referring to your school.
These "living articles" can be displayed, almost indefinitely, at your
school for years to come-as flyers or posters on the wall, showing everyone
your program or school is truly father-friendly. To put it another
way, the articles generated by the Dads Matter!™ Project become a
re-usable resource that you can use in many ways now, and in the future.
8.
It's
Easy
To Implement
The
Dads Matter!™ Project is an easy-to-implement resource helping men become
more directly involved in their children’s lives. The Project also
helps program staff and families reach out to fathers and families with the
message that father involvement matters.
Children benefit from implementation of the Dads Matter! Project because the
project makes father involvement an ongoing commitment and thereby commits
good men to interacting more meaningfully in their children’s lives. This
is a turn-key, ready-to-go project, and my team takes care of the main
details, managing everything behind-the-scenes—including all the web
components. All you do is provide the names of the fathers to
interview each month and communicate with us, and the program
practically runs itself. Say the word, "Go," and The Down To Earth Dad, LLC
team of professional father involvement writers and editors will interview
the first dad, and we're up and running!
You
are guided every step of the way! (In fact, there's not much for you
to do at all!)
9. Have something wonderful to show the “Federal Reviewers”
If there is someone, or some entity, that you might like to “impress” from
time to time, with the fact of your dedication to father involvement/ "male
involvement", the Dads Matter! Project fits the bill nicely!
"I just
wanted to let you know that I read the September issue of “The Down to Earth
Dad”. This is a very good newsletter, critical for fathers. It’s
a very easy read and I think helpful. Thanks for sharing!!"
—
Tanya R. Howell, Program Specialist, Office of Family Assistance,
Administration for Children and Families, United States Department of Health
and Human Services, Washington, DC
10. This Is an Exciting Project!
Spotlights Your Dads...
The National Dads Matter!™ Project highlights the Dads themselves -- YOUR
Dads -- putting them in the spotlight and showcasing their thoughts,
challenges, and triumphs. The Project can also make dads and moms
aware of relevant programs, services, and resources that you offer, or which
you’d like your families to know about.. The Dads Matter!™ Project
supports your current male involvement efforts and
improves and sustains father involvement in your program.
“Piloted,
Tested, and
PROVEN
Successful”
The National Dads Matter!™ Project has been piloted, thoroughly tested, and
refined for five years at various pre-schools, public schools, and
child-and-family advocacy programs, states, and outreach programs throughout
the country. The Project has been an overwhelming success among Dads
and Moms connected to schools and programs ready to celebrate the challenges
and triumphs of fatherhood (and grandfather-hood) through the eyes and words
of dads.
How The Project Works…
The Dads Matter!™ Project is easy to implement and operate -- it's virtually
ready-to-go and directly involves your dads (and grandpas, if you like!)
right from the start. The Dads Matter!™ Project leverages an existing
resource known as
The Down To Earth Dad
monthly newsletter, currently in its sixth year of publication. (See a
sample issue of
The Down To Earth Dad
below).
The Down To Earth Dad newsletter
is made available to your families, staff, and community partners along with
a customized, localized monthly publication customized specifically to
YOUR program or school, called Dads Matter!™ (See a sample
issue the Dads Matter!™
publication below).
.
The Dads Matter!™ publication created just for you
is highly customized and specifically tailored to YOUR specific
population of fathers and families. Professional journalists and editors
from The Down To Earth Dad, LLC, based in Couer d'Alene, Idaho, interview
your dads by telephone and create original feature articles
spotlighting your fathers each month. These articles are then featured
in your localized Dads Matter!™
publication in tandem with The Down To Earth
Dad newsletter.
The two publications together -- The Down To
Earth Dad and Dads Matter!™ -- provide a powerful
one-two punch of vital information in the "Big Picture" of father
involvement (facts, research, articles based on interviews with experts),
and father involvement in the "Local Picture" (articles featuring interviews
with YOUR dads connected to YOUR program.)
The Project Philosophy
Dads Need Access To Other Dads...
Moms matter supremely. Children need their mothers like fish need
water. Without moms we'd be sunk! But children need Dads, too, and
Dads need access to good information in order to be the best parents they
can be. Vital information, programs, services, and resources are often
underutilized because fathers often are not informed of the existence of the
programs and services, and/or they do not always feel welcome to
participate.
In a study of 3500 Early Head Start teaching staff and fathers, 96% of
teachers felt they had invited fathers to become involved in a specific
event happening at their center, but only 43% of the fathers believed they
had been invited. Fathers need extra encouragement and highly specific
information in order to engage fully in their child's preschool experience.
The Dads Matter!™ Project helps fathers become more directly engaged.
Fathers of preschool children in particular need access to resources,
including other fathers from whom they can gather vital information, and
with whom they can share common experiences. A father who is well
informed and has a network of support available to him is able to positively
impact the future of his family. Your fathers will benefit from having
a unique forum of their own; specifically, the forum the Dads Matter!™
Project provides. By the way, moms like reading about what the
Dads have to say!
Brings Fathers Together
Fathers are often needlessly isolated from one another and do not typically
share activities, their stories, joys, frustrations, and triumphs in
parenting their child. And yet, they have much in common and much to
offer each other. Men who are parents are too often the silent keepers
of a wealth of unique knowledge and support that can be shared via this
project.
Men who are parents share a common experience; namely, striving to be the
best Dads they can be for their children. Fathers share unique
experiences that can, and should be shared whenever possible. Public
interest in fostering fathers' involvement is increasing because of the
recognized benefits of fathers' contributions to their families.
However, some fathers feel they are simply unwelcome and inadequate as
parents (Batten & Stowell, 1996; Knitzer & Bernard, 1997). Part of the
solution lies within our programs and schools, specifically, and with social
programs generally, but this is only part of the answer. Parents need
to step up to the plate and help create their own innovative support
programs to better facilitate their own involvement in their children's
early education experience. Dads, specifically, need to step forward
and participate. The Dads Matter!™ Project is a sturdy platform
Dads can step up onto in order to see what's going on and more fully
participate.
The Dads Matter!™ Project for families and community
partners helps fathers become more directly involved in building their own
network of support and encouragement in a manner that allows for closer
communication between fathers and families, and furthermore, among fathers,
families, and your community partners.
Satisfies
the Need for “Resource Awareness” at your School or Program
Parents of young children aren't always aware of the resources available to
them in their community. That's where the monthly Calendar
of Events (specific to father-friendly events) fits into the Dads
Matter!™ insert that we customize
for you each month. In addition to featuring/highlighting your Dads
every month, a key purpose of The Dads Matter!™ Project is to provide
information and resources-including the valuable human resource manifest in
the real-life experiences of other fathers, and to elevate the important
role that fathers play when they're actively engaged in their children's
lives.
Celebrates
Fatherhood...
The Dads Matter!™ Project celebrates fatherhood and encourages
fathers to get involved and stay involved in their children's lives. This is
accomplished by showcasing individual Dads' stories about parenting their
child in monthly feature articles based on exclusive interviews with fathers
conducted by The Down To Earth Dad
editorial team, and the subsequent publishing of feature stories based on
those interviews in your own local version of the Dads Matter!™
publication.
The Project is a tool that helps Dads get actively involved in their
children's early education experience and in obtaining information about
programs, services, and resources in their state and community.
FAQs—“Frequently Asked Questions”
Q – “This looks
like a lot of work. How much effort will I personally need to put into
this?”
A – It IS a
lot of work – but MY TEAM does most of the work! My team of expert
interviewers, writers, editors, programmers, web designers, and support
staff do ALL the hard stuff in the background, so…
…. you really ONLY do THREE SIMPLE THINGS:
1) Send
me (by email), the name and phone number of a dad or grandpa to
be interviewed. Many programs spend a little time initially
putting together a “short list” of men for my team to interview – say,
six dads – and then they do nothing more for six months.
2) Give
out any “hard copies” of the customized, localized “Dads Matter!"
publication, featuring your dads. You can do this by “mailing”
them out to families and community partners, or simply by making stacks
of them available every month at one or more locations.
Easy!
3)
Point people to your customized web page (the one we BUILD for you) to
show off your dads. You get the web page no matter what; however,
you don’t have to steer anyone to the page if you don’t want to.
But you CAN, and it’s really cool.
Q – What if it
just doesn’t work for us. Can we get our money back?
A – Yes, you
can. See my guarantee, below. But I'm not worried – because I know you
will LOVE this project!
IMPORTANT: ONLY
A LIMITED NUMBER of Programs Can Participate
Customization and
personal service are hallmarks of this project, so I’ve drawn the
line at 20 Participating Schools-and-Programs
for the 2007-2008 school year. (And Nine (9) are ALREADY SIGNED
UP!) So… if you like what you see here, “waiting” is probably not
a good idea.
As
attractive as the National Dads Matter!™ Project is, I know that only
about 10% of programs receiving this information about the Project will
respond. Although that’s okay with me from a general project-promotion
standpoint, it still bothers me. That’s because I know how much
preschools, and other child-and-family-serving programs—at the national,
state, and local program/school levels—benefit from this project.
I receive positive emails from program directors and parent involvement
specialists frequently, and I talk to them on the phone. I see them
personally when I visit their programs, and I feel the pride of the dads
when I interview them. Many program directors tell me what Ranzer
Turner at Lake Community Action Head Start in Florida told me:
“I am overjoyed with what I am receiving. My families here,
with that first article, they were just blown away. They were
just totally floored. I am happy. Ecstatic!
It has done wonders. Since the newsletter came out, I did have an
increase in my male involvement.”
Because of this, I just hate the thought of a preschool program, school, or
other child-and-family-serving program NOT getting the National Dads
Matter!™ Project for their local program because of some error or
omission in my explanation. That’s why I asked several programs
for input to try and figure out why you might say “no” to my offer.
After crunching the data, I came up with only three possible reasons:
Here are some common “initial” worries that some people have:
“WORRY”
# 1…
“I don’t know if our dads will ‘Get Into’ this project.”
Not all your dads will get into this project. However,
MANY
of them will. The Dads Matter!™ Project has worked wonders for
some programs, getting men DEEPLY involved.
Some of your men will be “interviewed.” Others will “read about” (and
see pictures of) the dads who get interviewed. The point is that
both groups of dads—the ones interviewed (the “mentors”) and the ones
who read the articles (the “mentored”)—will benefit.
Also, remember, there’s a 100%
Money-Back Guarantee for all
un-used months. If it turns out that you have “regrets”
that will only be eliminated by getting your “money back,” then so be it.
You’ve got nothing to lose.
Here’s what one father said:
"When I first started getting the newsletter I had some serious reservations
about it. But after I started reading the articles I just found the
stories about men in my situation to be really beneficial.
Other guys in my situation, they go through the same things as me.
It's encouraging to read the articles and it's just great."
-- Matthew Robbins, Father, Post Falls, ID
“WORRY”
# 2…
“This looks GREAT, but I’m not sure we can afford it.”
Since you determine how many months to get, you decide how much
to pay. Consider “starting” with three months, then “finding” more
funds later on, to keep things rolling. (It’s a better deal, by far, to get
12 months up front, but you can hop, skip, and jump your way
through the project – by funding it one-step-at-a-time.)
NOTE: There are a few different ways to operate the National
Dads Matter! Project, and cost depends on the number of families and/or
community partners your organization, program, or school is chartered to
serve. It is likely that you WILL be able to afford this project
at some level of implementation.
The other thing is – this is a valuable project, and a good
investment in your families. Here’s what a state program director said
about the “value” of the Dads Matter! Project:
“It's (Dads Matter! ™ Project) very cost-effective.
It’s good service, and you're using a very efficient way of bringing people
in and empowering them to be part of the whole process. This project
highlights the needs of fathers and helps create a support system
for them.”
—Cynthia Thompson, Executive Director, Children’s Trust Fund of Oregon
* * * * * ** * * * * *
* ** * * * * * * ** * * * * * *
Here’s another “value” comment…
"I
would like to thank you for providing our program with the opportunity to be
part of this father-friendly program. Since we began the Dads
Matter! Project, not only has our father participation, but also all
male involvement participation increased 15%. Since
implementing the Dads Matter Project we have begun having
fathers volunteer their time…. The roster for participants is almost
to full capacity! So once again, thank you Patrick for including
Isleta Head Start & Child Care families in the Dads Matter Project!
We hope to continue the Dads Matter Project for years to come."
—Jacqueline
Yalch, Social Service & Behavioral Health Case Manager, Pueblo of Isleta
Head Start, NM
* * * * * ** * * * * *
* ** * * * * * * ** * * * * * *
Plus, you can always get a REFUND for unused months. Just let
me know by the 15th of the month prior to the months you want to
cancel, and I’ll send you a refund for your unused months. So – you’ve
got a guarantee for success!
“WORRY”
# 3…
“This project will ‘leave out’ our moms—we’re supposed to include both
parents.”
By involving fathers in children’s lives, you take some of the ‘load’
off the moms. Also, moms like reading “about the
dads.” Moms like seeing what makes men “tick.” I remember
one mom who cried when I talked to her, saying she had no idea how much dads
matter, and that she now wants to get her child’s father (whom she doesn’t
like) more involved for her child’s sake.
Besides – if your moms “just can’t stomach the project” (doubtful!!), and
you need to cancel, there's always my guarantee for refund.
“…This Investment In Your
Dads Fits Your Budget Because YOU Pick How Much to Pay…”
You'll get the entire "National
Dads Matter!™ Project" customized for your program or school.
PLUS THIS BONUS for the
FIRST 7 Programs or Schools to enroll by December 15, 2009…
100 FREE “hard copies” of
The Down To Earth Dad
newsletter each month (this
is a $2400.00 annual value
all by itself! That’s quite a bonus, indeed!)
It will be a pleasure working with you!
Respectfully,
Patrick M.
Mitchell
You’ll receive your BONUS
100 monthly “Hard copy” editions of The Down
To Earth Dad monthly newsletter via “Snail Mail” – meaning U.S.
Postal Mail—in your actual on-site postal mailbox. NOTE: This
is the paper version of the newsletter and you can GIVE IT OUT
or MAIL IT OUT to 100 of your families and/or community partners
every month.
"I
think our dads’ participation has risen at least 25%, since our program
adopted the Dads Matter Project!!! Last year our dads logged
over 425 volunteer hours for the year-end. I am very proud of them.
Every dad I have asked has agreed to be in the Dads Matter Newsletter…
We love it!!!!! We will be having a Federal Review soon. We don't
know the date yet, but I'm sure this will help in our father's involvement area.
Thanks again!!!"
— Mary Green, Family
Services Coordinator, Sault Tribe Head Start; Sault Ste. Marie, MI
How To Get Yours Now
Go and See the
COST Options…
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My Promise to You...
I have a very simple promise to make to
you. If the National Dads Matter!™ Project is not
everything I've said it is, and if it doesn't for any reason get your
dads energized and make people
feel better about father involvement, I invite you to ask for a full and
complete refund.
You've got 90 days
to think about it, experiment with it, learn from it, and reach out to
your men and families with the message that “Dads Matter!” That
should give you plenty of time to know one way or the other that the
National Dads Matter!™ Project is one critical tool that boosts your
father involvement success.
My Simple, No-Hassle, 2-Part Money-Back Guarantee:
1.
If you're unhappy with the Project for any reason, just tell me within
30 days for a full and courteous refund.
2. If you implement the
National Dads Matter!™ Project and you don't generate more
enthusiasm for father involvement among your staff and parents who
actually read the articles (featuring your dads’ stories), tell me that
you want to cancel (just tell me 15 days prior to the month you want
your cancellation effective by, within the first 90 days).
Fair?
I hope you think so, because I've been told it's more than fair.
If you don't like it, or it doesn't work at least as well as I've
described, you get your money back.
Simple as that.
Guaranteed.
Get it
Rolling
Today! |
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