Thursday, May 06, 2004

Priorities!

OK, I really feel a good long parent/politics diatribe coming on, but (lucky for you) the impending rant will have to wait since I do want to get to my major whole-house cleaning project. Maybe it's because it's springtime... but before the buckets and paper towels go a-flyin', let me just point out a few choice morsels for your consideration:

Pete over at the At-Home Dad Newsletter, briefly mentions a new report out by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) regarding the involvement of fathers in children's lives (and specifically, healthcare decisions). Rebel Dad picks up the ball and summarizes a few of the AAP's suggestions. I will not regurgitate rD's entire synopsis, but I think the sixth point is critical:

Identify institutions and policies that facilitate fathers' involvement and work-family balance. Encourage child care centers, support groups, and schools to involve and include fathers. Promote the use of policies such as the Family Medical Leave Act (codified at 29 CFR 825 [1993]) and flexible work schedules as ways to balance employment and family responsibilities.


Having had a major struggle with an employer over the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) myself, prior to my becoming a stay-at-home dad, the Daily Yak fully and enthusiastically endorses any effort to promote and educate people (especially fathers) on their federally protected rights. This highlights one of the major concerns I have regarding the future of our culture. Businesses must begin to understand the broad ramifications of neglecting their employees' work-family struggles and institute policies that realize the best interests of our country's long-term future. Our children!

Now, I don't have all the answers on this issue, but I do believe that the first step is for parents (and fathers in particular, since they are more often negligent in this area, IMHO) to organize and make their voices heard. The corporate sector holds immense power in our society, and as Frederick Douglass once wrote, "power concedes nothing without demand." Now one blog, or even a few blogs, screaming in the wilderness is not going to change the world, but you have to start someplace. It is about time that parents stand up for what's in their best interest and the interest of their children! We must examine our priorities!

So, check our Rebel Dad's post (and the comments accompanying it) and let us know what you think. OK, end of mini-rant. Thanks for reading as I kick in my two-cents worth.

Note: Both the At-Home Dad Newsletter and Rebel Dad cite this article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as their source on the AAP report.

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