KIDS]

At right, Laya and Eddie Barak.

David and Kevin Rosenberg.

Just Me And My Dad

These youngsters have a regular date
in their fathers' appointment books

ELLYCE FIELD

Special to The Jewish News

C

Sandy and Adam Rocking do some heavy-
duty sanding.

88

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 1988

onsider this: you're an am-
bitious, busy father of small
children. You work all the
time. Most weekday morn-
ings you leave the house
before your children are awake. You
return after they have been tucked in
for the night. You see your kids on the
weekends, all at once, amid great
noise and confusion, three small
children demanding your undivided
attention.
The Jewish Community Center
recognized a father's need to have
quality time with each of his children.
In 1981, when Marcia Fishman, cur-
rently Hillel Day School's executive
director, was the JCC's divisional
director of Group Services, the Center
purchased the "Me and My Dad" pro-
gram from the Chicago Jewish Com-
munity Center.
"We were trying to implement a
program that would give fathers
quality time with their five- and six-
year-old children," said Fishman.
"Chicago offered us a franchised,
ready-made program complete with
logo, T-shirts, awards, brochure and
guide book. It was pretty expensive,
but we were ready to be pioneers in
this area. We broke even after a few
years."

The program's premise was sim-
ple. Give approximately six fathers
and their five-year-old boys or girls a
monthly time to meet as a group in
each other's homes. Create group har-
mony with a group chant, song, ban-
ner and symbol. Offer the father-child
teams projects or games that en-
courage one-to-one participation.
Throw in a sprinkling of Jewish
values and you've got a warm,
positive, fulfilling program.
During the first year, three groups
were formed based on geographic
location. Each had a Center-trained
facilitator who acted as leader. "I led
an Oak Park - Huntington Woods -
Detroit - Southfield bunch;' said
Fishman. "We stuck to the letter of
the manual and were quite suc-
cessful." There were also groups in
Farmington Hills and West Bloom-
field - Birmingham - Bloomfield.
Dr. David Rosenberg has been a
part of "Me and My Dad" for the last
six years. In 1981, he was in one of the
first groups with Barry, his oldest of
three sons. "In the beginning, we
focused on projects. It basically gave
us a chance to do something together.
It carved out a special time that
allowed me to be with only one child;'
said Rosenberg.
Barry and his dad spent the next
two years together going to monthly
"Me and My Dad" meetings. By the

time they were ready to call it quits,
Stevan, the second son, was five years
old and anxious for his turn. "Stevie's
group tended to focus less on projects
and more on activitis. We had several
joint activities held at the Center
with all the groups. The kids really
enjoyed those Sundays of relay races
and games;' said Rosenberg.
Two years later, it has become
youngest son Kevin's turn. "He's been
wearing the hand-me-down T-shirts
for several years and just waiting for
his turn. He's looking forward to the
overnight!"
By now, the yearly summer
sleepover has taken on mythic propor-
tions (at least for Kevin!) in the
Rosenberg house. Held the first
weekend in June at Camp Maas in
Ortonirille, the fathers and children
leave before Shabbat on Friday and
return late Saturday evening.
The day-and-a-half is spent in out-
door togetherness: fishing, hiking,
field sports, and pioneer crafts at the
Pioneer Skills Village.
"It was like a retreat from our
busy schedules:' said Rosenberg. "The
primary purpose was to be with our
child, but as a natural spinoff, the
dads became friends and stayed up
kibbitzing in the social hall."
The program has grown steadily.
In 1986-87, there were approximate-
ly 40 families; this past October,