As we [the Darien Father’s Forum] kick off the New Year, Janice Marzano, program director at the Darien Depot youth center, leads a panel discussion with grads from the Darien High School who share their thoughts about growing up in Darien.
One panelist is a former captain of the football team who saw how drinking altered his life direction and will speak to the circumstances that led him to drink.
We’re also pleased to announce that Trey Laird, co-founder of The Lighthouse, will join the group and offer his insights on how parents can manage drinking issues with their children.
It’s important to note that our approach isn’t to rehash research or lament the challenges but rather to help fathers connect with the issues so they can be more proactive in parenting — especially earlier in their children’s lives. So, dads with kids of all ages will benefit from this discussion.
As usual, we provide an interactive approach with mobile surveys to help the group connect with the issues more effectively.
— an announcement from the Darien Father’s Forum
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About the Darien Father’s Forum
Information excerpted by Darienite.com from the Darien Father’s Forum website:
Father’s forum discussions take place the second Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Darien YMCA, 2420 Post Road, in a conference room that’s adjacent to the front desk. To receive information and meeting reminders, click here
There’s never been a more important time than now for bringing dads together in fellowship and community to explore how we can be better at parenting and more knowledgeable about our roles in raising our kids…..
…..And we’ve assembled a truly first rate group of speakers for the coming year.
Our Mission
Build community connections by offering guidance and resources for fathers of children of all ages through monthly presentations from topical experts and group discussions.
We know this to be true about the specific role that you as a father play in raising your children:
- You model the kind of man your son chooses to be when he grows up.
- You model the man your daughter will marry.
We also know that unspoken communications have greater effect on others than the spoken word. So, often, it’s not what you say to your son or daughter but how you are being when you offer your thoughts and opinions….
……And how and when you choose to engage with them…..how you balance counsel with discipline–and so many other aspects of parenting that have a hand in the the way your child sees him or herself in the world.
The Fathers’ Forum is a place where dads can take in valuable insights that will help them connect with their kids and parent more effectively–in ways that work for their family. While we often acknowledge there’s no “playbook” or “owner’s manual” for parenting, there’s certainly no shortage of parenting information…and no shortage of so-called expertise that’s offered in the spirit of helpfulness either!
So, our focus is to let dads take in some information from a 30-minute discussion and then break out into smaller discussion groups, four-to-six per group, so they can connect with each other and share their thoughts and experiences on a more personal level.
We also see an opportunity for mentoring, where men who have been through key chapters can offer guidance or reflections to those about to experience them in their own parental journey.
What’s participation without surveys? We’ll include mobile surveys that let you see how dads line up around key topics, and we’ll provide the results in real time. We’ll also seek your feedback on what you like and don’t like with the Forum. […]
For more information, see the website.