HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-11-18, Page 3Helping out at nursery 5_cho41
Duty dads joining in to
change traditional male roles
By Adrian Harte
T -A Sailor
EXETER - "When 1 started
two years ago I was a novelty
Land now I'm not," explains Rev-
'erend Mark Gaskin.
Gaskin- is taiking about his
role as a "duty dad" with the
nursery school his son attends.
-Many nursery schools operate
• with the understanding that each
child has a parent help out once
or twice a month . at the school.
However, until recently that par-
ent was almost always the moth-
er. •
Gaskin wasn't the first father
to help out at the Sunshine Nur-
. sery School in Exeter, but as he
said, he was still a novelty when
he started there. Today, five
"duty dads" help out with the
school's moming activities on a
-regular-basis,-and several others
have attended sporadically.
Gaskin said he expects more
fathers will becomeinvolved as
more men find their schedules
flexible enough toallow the oc-
casional morning away from
work. He said one college
teacher even schedules a morn-
ing off work and works the
weekend just so he can attend
the nursery.
"Dads are working, but in this
day and age, no more so than
morns;" said Gaskin.
One of the "myths" of the 90s
has it that fathers are becoming
more involved with the develop-
ment of their young children.
It's mostly wishful thinking, but
Gaskin said he for one thorough-
ly enjoys attending the school so
he can see his child interact with
other children and adults.
"You really get to know an-
other side of your child," said
Gaskin.
Even at their young ages, nur-
sery school children are already
aware that dads don't traditional-
ly participate in nurturing roles
and are aware that their presence
at nursery school is something
out of the ordinary. However,
the experience. at Sunshine Kids
has found that some children ap-
pear to fit in With nursery school
when there is an adult dad to re-
spond to.
Ruth Mercer, the nursery
school leacher, laid the is enjoy-
ing seeing.more lathers`arrive to
-take over a duty day f+rotrt their
wives, and that means that the
raising of young children is be-
conitng 'more and mote 'a shar-
ing duty of the parents".
"The kids really enjoy it," said
-Mercer, and explained that one
girl even went so far as to con-
vince her father he was the only
one not volunteering his help at
the school.
He agreed to attend, found out
the truth, but nonetheless liked
the experience.
Mercer says the dads who at-
tend aren't shy about joining in
either. She finds them "usually
keen to be here" and can even be
less inhibited and more eager to
join in with the children than
some moms.
Mercer says the continued in-
volvement of more fathers in the
nursery school is bound to be
good for the children who will
get the chance to see more males
in such rotes.
Duty dads Mark Gaskin (centre) and Mike Cooper (night) both have sons who attend Sun-
shine Kids Nursery School and they both say that volunteering to help et the school has
been a rewarding experience for them.
•
Correction
In last week's issue, a student was
incorrectly identified in n.presenta-
tion phctorraph.on page 27.
The student presenting the .
cheque on behalf of the South Hu-
ron District High School sindent
council was Troy - Robinson, not -
Fred.Steciuk.
The Times Advocate regrets the
error.
IA. anew spirit
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Timee.AdveiotMe, November 18, 1992 Page
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