WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Parenting is never easy, and the stresses of a nearly year-long pandemic aren’t helping matters. A new campaign hopes to help fathers become more actively engaged in the lives of their children. It’s called “Dadication”, a series of short and long public service announcement geared toward encouraging and celebrating fatherhood.
One of the project organizers recently spoke with WWAY’s Donna Gregory about the focus of the plan, the impact it hopes to have. Patrick Patterson manages the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse (NRFC). He and his wife are parents of two children, ages 18 and 11.
He says the pandemic has actually strengthened many father/child relationships, because more dads are home now, instead of traveling for work. He also says by relieving some of the duties from mothers in the house, fathers are helping create more harmony for many American families.
Studies show children whose fathers are actively engaged with them are
- Twice as likely to go to college or get a job after high school
- 80% less likely to end up in jail
- 50% less likely to suffer depression
The public service campaign is made possible by a partnership between the NRFC, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, the Ad Council.