welcome to dads in distress

"Dads in Distress Inc (dids) abhors violence in any form. The Dads in Distress organisation believes domestic violence is non gender specific and as such promotes the awareness amongst its members and clients that the safety of all parties of divorce or separation be paramount and in the best interests of the children"

Tony Miller, Director/Founder

• An estimated 1.3 million children live apart from their natural parents.
  
  
• These children are statistically ten times more likely to be abused or neglected and twice as likely to have a mental health problem.
  
  
• 200 children go through the family law system every day.
  Up to 200 children will have their fathers removed from their day to day lives.
  
  
• There is a divorce every 10 minutes in this country.
  
  
• Young separated men are 10 times more likely to die by suicide than through road accident.....
  
  
• The suicide rate among separated men is more than double the rate of contracting aids.

Here we get to know
ourselves

We really get to hear
ourselves

And one another...

Daddy's Day
Written by Cheryl Costello-Forshey©2000

Cannot be copied or reproduced in any form without the written consent of the Author
Contact: costello-forshey@1st.net


Her hair was up in a pony tail, her favorite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school, and she couldn't wait to go.

But her mommy tried to tell her, that she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand, if she went to school alone.

But she was not afraid; she knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates of why he wasn't there today.

But still her mother worried, for her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again, she tried to keep her daughter home.

But the little girl went to school, eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees a dad who never calls.

There were daddies along the wall in back, for everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently, anxious in their seats.

One by one the teacher called, a student from the class.
To introduce their daddy, as seconds slowly passed.

At last the teacher called her name, every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching, for a man who wasn't there.

"Where's her daddy at?" she heard a boy call out.
"She probably doesn't have one," another student dared to shout.

And from somewhere near the back, she heard a daddy say,
"Looks like another deadbeat dad, too busy to waste his day."

The words did not offend her, as she smiled up at her Mom.
And looked back at her teacher, who told her to go on.

And with hands behind her back, slowly she began to speak.
And out from the mouth of a child, came words incredibly unique.

"My Daddy couldn't be here, because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be, since this is such a special day.

And though you cannot meet him, I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy, and how much he loves me so.

He loved to tell me stories he taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with red roses, and taught me to fly a kite.

We used to share fudge sundaes, and ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him, I'm not standing here alone.

"Cause my daddy's always with me, even though we are apart.
I know because he told me, he'll forever be in my heart"

With that, her little hand reached up, and lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat, beneath her favorite dress.

And from somewhere in the crowd of dads, her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter, who was wise beyond her years.

For she stood up for the love of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her, doing what was right.

And when she dropped her hand back down, staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice so soft, but its message clear and loud.

"I love my daddy very much, he's my shining star.
And if he could, he'd be here, but heaven's just too far.

But sometimes when I close my eyes, it's like he never went away."
And then she closed her eyes, and saw him there that day.

And to her mother's amazement, she witnessed with surprise.
A room full of daddies and children, all starting to close their eyes.

Who knows what they saw before them, who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second, they saw him at her side.

"I know you're with me Daddy," to the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers, of those once filled with doubt.

Not one in that room could explain it, for each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her, was a fragrant long-stemmed red rose.

And a child was blessed, if only for a moment, by the love of her shining bright star.
And given the gift of believing, that heaven is never too far.

"Daddy's Day" has been published in the book
Chicken Soup for the Parent's Soul
Publisher: HCI (September 14, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN: 1558747478

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take ... but by the moments that take our breaths away.....
May we never under estimate the value of Daddy's everywhere.

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Dads In Distress is funded by the Australian Federal Government.