“Fathering matters,” BC Council for Families program coordinator David Scheftel told a crowd of mothers and their children, during a weekly Monday morning Healthy Beginnings session at the Kaatza Health Unit.
Although the free weekly gathering/information sessions are open to fathers, as well, the all-mother crowd is indicative of our society, Scheftel said.
“Dads aren’t generally involved with babies,” he said. “But it’s so good for dads to be there... There’s all kinds of benefits to dads being involved.”
The benefits are many, he said, citing various statistics.
Although today’s society encourages more equality with regard to the duties of mothers and fathers than in the past, he said, “Even now, it’s rare for programs to include dads to be involved with their kids, or to even clean their houses.”
This gap needs to be filled, he encouraged.
Men tend to parent differently, with their involvement assisting in rounding out kids’ early education.
The Healthy Beginnings group meets just about every Monday at the Kaatza Health Unit, at 58 Cowichan Avenue West.
Attendance is free of charge, with snacks, a clothing exchange, and a parenting library all available on-site.
The Monday, May 9, meeting will have Vancouver Island Health Authority dental hygienist Heather Buchanan visit the group, to share her insight into teething and tooth care.
The event always begins at 10 a.m.