DADS and MOMS of Michigan eNewsletter
December 2007
Happy Holidays and have a wonderful new year.
We thank you for all of your support this year. We are doing well and now have over 15,000 registered contacts. We far exceeded our goal for this year. Obviously there is a lot more to do, and we will do more in 2008, we guarantee it.. We will double next year like we have every year. We have become more connected and respected within the community working on real change. Be sure to attend the Midwest Fathers Conference January 26 in Farmington Hills, and if you want to make a difference then attend the National Fatherhood Summit in Grand Rapids January 3-4.
It will not change until it changes for all of us.
Dads and Moms of Michigan has grown its focus on education to expand education programs around the state. We meet monthly with the Board of DADS and MOMS University and recruited more staff to teach classes. We have partnered with some new groups. For information and to help, call 248-559-DADS (3237).
Sign up for our eNewsletter at www.dadsofmichigan.org
Dads and Moms University Presents - You do not want to miss this one.
DADS OF MICHIGAN FAMILY FORUM
BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY HOUSE,
380 S BATES, BIRMINGHAM,MI 48009
| 7:00 - 7:30: |
Dads Presentation |
| 7:30 - 8:30: |
Guest Speaker |
| 8:30 - 9:30: |
LEGAL ROUNDTABLE |
| For information, call 248-559 DADS (3237) |
Tuesday, January 8, 2008: 7:00 PM
GUEST SPEAKER: ERIC TAYLOR
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
NATIONAL FATHERHOOD SUMMIT, January 3 - 4, 2008
This is turning out to be an all star event with national speakers, Legislators, Judges, social service workers, authors, and leaders. There will be a strategy planning session on Saturday for those that want to make real change. Network at the conference hotel Thursday and Friday night.
http://www.dcrally2008.com/events/2008-National-Fatherhood-Summit.php
Register: http://www.dcrally2008.com/events/register.php
When: January 3rd Check-Iin
Registration 3 - 8 pm
January 4th - Fellowship, Prayer & Unity
Where: Abundant Life Ministries
1725 Division SE,
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Price: $20.00 Advance - $25. 00 At the door
Agenda:
8:30 - 9:30am - PRAYER BREAKFAST
10:00am - 12:00pm - SPEAKERS
12:00pm - 1:00pm - LUNCH
1:00pm - 3:00pm - BREAKOUT SESSIONS
3:00 - 4:30pm PRAYER - FELLOWSHIP - UNITY
This event is for 2nd wives, Non - Custodial Mothers and Fathers and
Custodial fathers.
We are beginning the year on one accord and interjecting the Spiritual aspect of fatherhood combined with activism.
This is the first of a series of events leading to dcrally2008.
Midwest Fathers Conference - Saturday, January 26, 2008
Register now at: http://partnershipfordads.org/
8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
North Farmington High School
32900 West Thirteen Mile Road
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Keynote Speaker: Lem Barney, Detroit Lions Superstar & Pro Football Hall of Fame Legend
Featuring 24 all-new workshops and our first-ever Kids Panel, with children of all ages talking about what their fathers mean to them. We are expecting a huge turn-out with many leaders in Family education and development.
Breakfast and lunch are included.
Child care available through the Farmington YMCA.
Future Events
2008 ANNUAL GALA AND AWARDS BANQUET - Saturday, March 15, 2007
Westin Hotel, Southfield, Michigan. Check the web site for more details and to register, or call 248-559-3237. We will recognize many distinguished contributors and advocates that promote families and children. Meet several celebrities at this noted event. Recognize those great Dads, Moms, and parents that know family matters.
Fathers Day Picnic: Saturday, June 14, 12 noon - 5 pm
Be Ready for Holiday Stresses at Home - fathers.com weekly
As Christmas draws near, many dads are anticipating some rewarding and joyous family time. They're ready to soak it all in...but let’s be honest - along with the good times come plenty of stress and conflict. The kids love being out of school, and dads get some days off work, but that also means there’s a lot more time for family members to get on each others’ nerves. When you add in the sugar highs from holiday treats, irregular sleeping patterns, and other anxieties that come with the holidays, the conflict can really escalate if we aren’t careful.
Maybe one of the best things we can do to help our families have a Merry Christmas is to expect those squabbles and challenges. They’re going to happen, so we should prepare for them by brushing up on good discipline practices.
Here are six basic discipline principles as a refresher:
- Set clear expectations for your children’s behavior. Defiance and disrespect should not be allowed. Also talk about the principles, not just the behavior.
- Communicate clearly about consequences. Children want to know what happens when they don’t do what’s expected. Don’t be vague or unspecific here.
- Work with your children’s mother. Kids need to see a consistent purpose. If the two of you aren’t united, they’ll find ways to pit you against each other.
- Don’t let your children out of the consequences. Make sure the consequences rest on their shoulders, to increase the chances that they’ll learn from the experience. If they complain, you know it’s working!
- Show empathy, not anger. Demonstrating sadness instead of disappointment will help your children learn from their mistakes instead of getting distracted by the strong emotions.
- Keep demonstrating your love. Let your children know that though their behavior may be unacceptable, you will always love and accept them.
- If you want more of a refresher course, see this article on our website - one of our most popular - or one of the resources in this week’s special offer.
In the Trenches...
This week we kicked off a pilot project in the District of Columbia called "My Hero and Me." We are partnering with the DC Fatherhood Initiative to conduct father-child family fun nights in five different elementary schools. Dads and their kids will come to the school to do fun activities together, including writing an essay about the importance of those hero-dads in their children's lives. Those essays will eventually be published in a My Hero & Me essay book. We'll also survey the dads to gain a better understanding of their involvement in their children's education. Stay tuned for more...
Action Points for Committed Dads:
- Children are more likely to respond to you positively and not disobey when they feel loved, heard, and highly valued. So...
...give them your undivided attention - with direct eye contact and focused listening.
...initiate lots of physical contact, both loving and playful.
- Talk with your wife - and with your children - about a scenario that could happen during the holidays where two family members are in conflict. What are some positive and negative responses, and what would the results be?
- Give your children new privileges as they show increased responsibility.
- Have you "elfed" your family yet? If not, give it a try (or have your kids do it for you).
- After disciplining your child, make time to affirm him.
About RateTheCourts.com
RateTheCourts.com is a website of Government Forums, Inc., a Nevada corporation. Government Forums, Inc. is not affiliated with any advocacy, political or religious organizations.
In cooperation with CourthouseForum.com, its sister website, RateTheCourts.com provides the public with a free and anonymous judicial performance evaluation service spotlighting the nation's judiciary. Both websites share the same database so that surveys in RateTheCourt.com, are also in CourthouseForum.com, and vice versa.
RateTheCourts.com is a user-friendly way to post and review opinion surveys of the nation's federal and state judges. Our database currently includes over 27,000 judges of the nation's judges, which substantially consists of the following:
- All courts and judges of the federal judiciary;
- All appellate courts and judges of all states and territories; and
- All trial courts and judges of all states.
At RateTheCourts.com, visitors may anonymously complete judicial evaluation surveys for over 27,000 of the nation's judges and judicial nominees. Survey criteria is based, in part, upon the American Bar Association's Black Letter Guidelines for the Evaluation of Judicial Performance (February 2005). Survey responses and comments are tabulated and displayed instantly.
Visit RateTheCourts.com at: http://ratethecourts.com/
Live Talk Shows via the Web
Don't miss episodes of GET OFF THE BENCH!
GET YOUR JUSTICE LIVE EVERY SUNDAY AT 8:00PM AND WEDNESDAY AT 8:30 PM.
Also, Thursdays at 8:00 PM and tune into Children Need Both Parents at 9:00 PM.
http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/43507
To log in from your PC, first you goto www.talkshoe.com
I would suggest you set up an account so you can log in and participate in the chat boards. but without an account you can still listen to the talkcast. Next on the right hand side you will see the search section if you know the talkcast ID (ex: getoffthebench is 43507) you can put that in the search section and it will bring you right to the show. (current shows posted are for Lary Holland ‘Get off the bench’, Rev. Ron Smith ‘children need both parents’, and Keith Owens ‘F4J’). If you do not have the talkcast ID, you can search by name if you type in getoffthebench. You will get any show that is similar and you can find the one you are looking for.
After you find the show you want just click on it and go to the site from there you can listen to past shows which are at the bottom or if the show is playing live you can click on the join live icon and it will load the talkcast.
DADS Merchandise
http://www.dadsofmichigan.org/merchandise.html
Consider ordering some DADS merchandise for your favorite DAD this holiday season. Soon we will be adding MOMS merchandise. Sorry Moms, Stepparents and Grandparents, you are as important.
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Please consider making a monthly contribution via credit card.
I authorize DADS and MOMS of Michigan and The Village Secretary to keep my signature on file and to charge my Visa, MasterCard or American Express account for recurring monthly charges for a period of (example 1 year) __________ beginning (date) ___________ in the amount of $________.
I will give Dads and Moms of Michigan through The Village Secretary 30 days written notice to cancel the use of my credit card for this purpose.
Customer Name: __________________________________________________
Cardholder Name: _________________________________________________
Cardholder Billing Address: __________________________________________
City/State/Zip: ____________________________________________________
Credit Card Number Expiration Date: __________________________________
Cardholder Signature Date: __________________________________________
Fax 248-559-5427
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Dads and Moms of Michigan (www.dadsofmichigan.org) includes Dads of Michigan, Moms of Michigan, and Dads of Michigan PAC. These are volunteer responsible parenthood education organizations for fathers and mothers. They instruct on the importance of involved biological parents to the successful development of their children. Dads of Michigan PAC is an independent volunteer political advocacy group dedicated to legislation keeping both biological parents actively engaged in the lives of their children despite divorce and custody, in most instances. They believe men and women should be viewed equally under the law and their credo is: "fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents." Dads of Michigan, the Michigan affiliate of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children, is also the developer of the Dads and Moms University of responsible education for teenage, divorced, and unmarried parents. This educational program employs several features to either directly or indirectly benefit nearly 2 million men, women, and grandparents and just under one-half million children each year in Michigan. For more information, please contact us at (248) 559-DADS (3237) or email info@dadsofmichigan.org.
DADS and MOMS of Michigan Code of Ethics and Business Conduct.
"Fathers are responsible parents too...because the best parent is both parents"
