October 2023: Join The ConVersation

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The Founder’s Reflection

  “Nothing you say or do is neutral” writes Dr. Meg Meeker in her book, Hero: Becoming the Strong Father Your Children Need.  As human beings we are wired to trust there is meaning to this madness we call life.  We believe it must be there and we seek to find it both consciously and subconsciously.  We read between the lines, hang on every inference like bobbing branches as we dangle over a crocodile infested pond.  Meaning matters.  And children imitate what they see.  In a study at the University of Queensland, scientists “have been finding this odd effect where children will copy everything that they see an adult demonstrate to them, even if there are clear or obvious reasons why those actions would be irrelevant,” stated Mark Nielsen.  “When I demonstrate the action, it’s purposeful. So, from the mind of a child, perhaps there’s a reason why I’m doing this,” (Nielsen).  If we truly get how significant this is, we cannot take our role as parents lightly.  At Father-Con we encourage men to come to grips with the fact that it is never too late to rise to the opportunity of being a trustworthy father, and likewise, for a mother to be aware of the unique and vital contribution fathers make to child development, safety, and sense of being worthy of being loved.  We also encourage young men to aspire to fatherhood as the relationship that provides a deeper satisfaction than other short-lived measures of success.

Patrick Erlandson, Founder: Father-Con, and See it. End it. Film & Arts Festival