Dads

an invaluable reference for all fathers-to-be 

This is a wonderful video about fatherhood. It could have been called ‘Listening to Dads’ because ten very different men talk from the heart about the experience of being a father and show us what being a dad is all about. There is hardly a mother in site although there is always a sense of a strong parental partnership.

So if you want a video which gives a complete picture of the glories of fatherhood - of unconditional love, responsibility, and total involvement - this is it. Of course, no two experiences are the same, so as each man talks about his way of seeing his role as a father fresh perspectives emerge. We follow an 18-year-old father, an ‘older’ dad of 45 who is doing the parenting bit a second time around, a devoted stepfather about to have a baby of his own, and some first-time dads, and we hear what the coming baby means to them. The men discuss what seeing the scan meant to them and the pro’s and con’s of being in at the birth. It is difficult not be moved when listening to the dads’ experiences of seeing their children born. They tell about their excitement (and tears) and from one ‘the best moment I’ve ever had.’ The role of the father certainly has changed for many men over the years.

The film focuses on a variety of issues: pregnancy and preparation, choices on involvement in the birth, bonding with the baby, relationship with partners, changing priorities, and ongoing fatherhood. But it is more than that; it is a dynamic chronicle of the feelings and thoughts of these men at a time of a great change in their lives.

We see the playtime and the wonder of it all, but we also see the father’s commitment to nappy changing, bathing and night feeds. We hear the sadness in the voice of one dad who says his work means he doesn’t see his kids from Sunday night to Saturday morning. Paternity leave is discussed, and most of the men believe it should be seen as a necessity. As one dad said, "If you want connection to the kids you have to be with them for the moment." Another said he wanted to be there and see for himself the first smile, not to be told about it. Although we did hear that if you are self-employed, or working at a very senior level, paternity leave is just not on for some fathers.

I would like to see this video shown in all schools, for girls as well as for boys. It captures the reality of being a father. Lucky are the babies in these families. It comes as no surprise to me that DADS has been awarded the BMA Certificate of Education Merit.

Other award-winning videos are Birth, Breastfeeding, and Weaning Your Baby.
They are available from B-Line Productions Tel:  +44 20 8444 9574 or from  web site: www.b-lineproductions.co.uk.. The cost is £15 per title (for non-professional use). Take a look at their impressive list of videos. Leading complementary practitioners are filmed talking to and treating clients who have chosen the particular therapy of that practitioner. The series covers 53 different therapies for cancer, skin problems, arthritis, back pain, osteoporosis and other important subjects.

Also, the complementary childcare TV series is now available on video from www.b-lineproductions.co.uk. Each half hour programme tells the story of children who have benefited from complementary therapy: from allergies and behaviour problems to overweight and asthma and more. This series covers most areas which parents are concerned about.