Father’s Day is a great time to stop, reflect and celebrate the diversity of the Australian Dad, according to Relationships Australia QLD. Fathers come in many shapes and sizes - some live in nuclear families with Mums, some are Grandparents, others may have shared care arrangements for their children and some don’t spend as much time as they’d like with their children.
Whatever the shape or size of your household one thing that’s certain is the importance of Dads in the lives of their children. Father’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate Dads and for fathers it’s a great time to think about the skills required to be the best Dad you can be.
“In today’s society, many men are faced with pressures in regard to supporting their family and children. The fabric of society is changing, and the nature of families are changing with it. We are all part of this shift. Part of Relationships Australia’s commitment to families is to support every member in the family unit, which is highlighted on a day like Father’s Day,” says Denise Reichenbach, counsellor and educator with Relationships Australia Qld.
“We provide many opportunities to get support for fathers and their children, like our Relationship Education Courses, which focuses on the intricacies of living in a stepfamily, or how to strengthen the couple relationship in our Building Better Relationship Course,” adds Denise, who runs these courses regularly at the Spring Hill venue of Relationships Australia.
The next round of six-week courses are Building Better Relationships (Mondays) and Stepfamily Realities (Tuesdays). These courses tackle serious subjects, and are run in a friendly and supportive environment. They will help you work through many aspects of your romantic and family relationships, issues around parenthood, and how to be a partner in a relationship.
Please contact Relationships Australia Qld on 1300 364 277 for information and bookings.
Top tips for Dads include:
• Share a common interest with your children: whether it is the local football team or preparations for the rock eisteddfod, a common interest can be a good way to make the most out of the limited time that we often have with our kids.
• Give kids room to make decisions: while it may be easier to be an authoritarian parent, this teaches a child to submit to orders no matter what. Instead, teach your child to make decisions, within the healthy and safe parameters that you set.
• Access help if you need it: being a father can be difficult. If you need support to manage the many conflicting demands, it’s OK to ask for help.
• Respect their mother: some say this is the most important part of being a father. Children who witness disrespectful or abusive behaviour are likely to model that behaviour in their own relationships.
• Never give up: life presents many challenges – there are good days as well as days we would rather forget. Even when we make mistakes with our kids or with others, we can show them how much we love them by changing course, apologising or having another go.
Relationships Australia QLD offers courses and programs especially for Men and Fathers. We also offer counselling for individuals couples and families; parenting and relationship education; and support for families going through separation.
To find out more contact Relationships Australia on 1300 364 277 or visit www.raq.org.au.
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Media contact:
Cathryn Mora, Marketing & Media Consultant
Relationships Australia QLD
Ph: 07 3423 6869
Email: [email protected]