PodCast - Murray Edridge

A Podcast hosted on International Dad featuring show hosts Scott Lancaster and co-hosts Eric Mooij and Stefan Korn from DIYFather.com.

Today guest is Murray Edridge, Barnardos New Zealand Chief Executive





About Barnardos

Our Vision:

In Aotearoa New Zealand, childhood is valued and each child’s hope and potential are nurtured.

Our Approach:

We serve children and young people

Through

- Recognising the importance of their families and whanau.

Parents under pressure - dads more so

Firstly I've got to congratulate DIYFather.com on the launch of this site, because it is bucking a big trend. If you look at the parenting environment you quickly see that it is opposite to the business, sports, arts - hell, it's pretty much on its own. In every other environment, success is valued, celebrated and supported - failure is pretty much ignored. No one in New Zealand knows who our worst rugby player is, but we all know the best. We can reel of a list of business leaders and cultural icons like Bob Jones, Dame Kiri or the Finn brothers but, despite around 3,000 businesses a year closing no one knows or cares who the worst is.

Message from the Children's Commissioner

"Fatherhood is a very important role. The experience of raising healthy well-adjusted children is challenging and rewarding. It’s great to see men taking an active role to provide good tailored information and support for fathers to help them to be good parents."

Dr C.A. Kiro
Childrens Commissioner
www.occ.org.nz

“HOW CAN I TELL?”

A NEW TOOL TO HELP NEW ZEALANDERS RECOGNISE AND ACT ON CHILD ABUSE

Written by Anthea Simcock
Published by CPS

For every child that’s killed or hurt through child abuse, there is an adult saying; “I was worried about that child, but I didn’t know what to do.”

“How Can I Tell?” gives all New Zealanders the skills to recognise when a child or a family is in need of help is the aim of the new book, “How Can I Tell?”

The book also includes advice for what appropriate actions to take if people suspect abuse.

As the subtitle of the book indicates, this book will help New Zealanders recognise when a child or family needs help. It has been designed to be easy to read and carry, to show the positive side of protecting children and at the same time to contain lots of helpful information.

Every Zealander has a responsibility to recognise when a family or child needs help and “How Can I Tell?” will assist. It's not about telling tales or being a nosy neighbour.

Violence against children - Part one

This week I was reminded that being a father is a priviledge and not a right. I remember thinking that in disgust that violence against children is something that needs to stop and it needs to be stopped ASAP so why isn’t it? Why is violence towards children especially in a small country like New Zealand occurring on an ongoing basis.

I found this article which made me mad and also want to do something about it and addressing it and not sweeping it under the carpet is something that I want to make sure happens.

- Scott

Three children repeatedly beaten with a broom handle were so hungry they had to rummage in rubbish bins, and yet neighbours were too scared to report the cruelty they witnessed.

Kylie Tekani, 30, of Porirua, has been sentenced in Wellington District Court to eight months' home detention after pleading guilty to three charges of cruelty to a child and assault with a weapon.

Celebrate Children's Day

DIYFather will be Celebrating Children's Day tomorrow at Government House.

Every Child Counts Childrens Day Event 2008

Every Child Counts is organising a public event at Government House on Sunday 2 March 10am-3pm. The day will provide an opportunity for children, families, and organisations working with children to join together for a new experience and celebration of Childrens Day.

The event will be hosted by His Excellency the Governor General Anand Satynand and Mrs Satynand and is free to all children, their families, carers and special friends. Live music, face painting, dancing and much more.

Toddler Day Out and Great Parenting Fair

Sunday March 2nd. 10am – 3pm

Gather up your children and head down to Waitakere City’s annual Toddler Day Out and Great Parenting Fair at Waitakere Trusts Stadium on Sunday March 2nd.

More than 11,000 people attended our previous event and this, the fifth of our annual events, promises to be bigger and better than ever before. There will be something for everyone at this fun event for families.

It is also National Children’s Day on this date, and with its theme of giving our children new experiences, what better way could there be to start the year off??

Massive Study Finds Active Fathers are Essential for Well Adjusted Children

20-year review finds children have fewer psychological and behavioral problems

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, February 13, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Active father figures play a key role in reducing behaviour problems in boys and psychological problems in young women, according to a review published in the February issue of the peer-reviewed journal Acta Paediatrica.

Swedish researchers also found that regular positive contact reduces criminal behaviour among children in low-income families and enhances cognitive skills like intelligence, reasoning and language development. Children who lived with both a mother and father figure also had less behavioural problems than those who just lived with their mother.

Dads at Christmas Miss Out

I came across this article which is a reality for a lot of fathers who don't have access to their children. Access is an issue for many fathers including celebrity dads like Sir Bob Geldof. It's particularly relevant at this time of year when absence is felt a lot more. The article is a good reminder of the important of the relationship between father and child, but also father and mother.

- Scott

Families across Britain are spending quality time over the holidays, except for the many fathers who aren’t, because the courts or their former partners won’t allow them access to their children.

In the vast majority of cases here, mothers receive residence, regardless of how involved the father was the children’s lives before the parents separated.

Medical News - 'Dad is Just As Good As Me', Say 7 Out Of 10 Mums

Medical News Today
8 January 2008

'Dad is Just As Good As Me', Say 7 Out Of 10 Mums

Seven out of ten mums (68%) believe dads are as skilled at parenting as they are, yet the father role is seen as still secondary by much of society, according to new ICM research launched by the Fatherhood Institute today.

The new institute says involving fathers has a major impact on child welfare yet they spend on average a month less with their children than mums every year, mainly because of unsocial hours and inflexible working. It is calling for a shake up of parental leave, all family professionals such as midwives and teachers to actively involve fathers, and more done to ensure dads sign birth certificates, in line with international best practice.