In a fascinating survey of over 16,000 dads nationwide, Three For Me, a National PTA program, asked them how parent groups and schools could reach them better, and what types of activities they wanted to be involved in at school and with their children. When asked why they didn’t join a parent group or get involved at school, the top two responses were:
They didn’t have time and They were never asked.
Both responses speak to the need for a “two way street”: schools & parent groups do need to proactively reach out, invite, and cajole dads; dads also have an equal responsiblity to step out of their comfort zones and show up.
THE TAKEAWAY? DADS WILL MAKE TIME IF…“they are given a specific job, their skills are utilized, and the time and expectation of the activity is provided.” This is critically important. At my daughter’s school, our new Dads Group had its first major whole-school event, the Mother’s Day Breakfast on Sunday. Over 110 people showed up, and judging by the looks on their faces, it was undoubtedly a success. The main reasons for our success in engaging over a dozen dads to make this event happen are:
1). Each dad was given a specific job or role, such as shopping, renting griddle, publicizing the event, etc.
2). Grilling, cooking and generally serving others were skills and interests that the dads have.
3). From the start the time and expectations for each dad were made clear.
Are we really too busy? Certainly not any more than moms or single dads are today. Do invitations help? Absolutely a good starting point…More about busyness and invitations to come…