Buy vs. Build

And now another of the problems confronting the father who wants to be a part of the life of his children. Should he build bookshelves or just bring an ice cream cone?

On the side of construction are the fathers from Lisbon, Ohio, who joined with each other and their kids to create a better life through decoration for their children in the local Head Start classrooms. The idea was based on the philosophy that kids will do better when their fathers are involved in many different aspects of their lives.

However, according to Kirk Douglas, 92, all his success in life was destined from the moment his father, who had previously ignored him, bought him an ice cream cone to commemorate his performance in the kindergarten play. He became an actor and recently had the chance to close a run of his one-man play in California by having his son, actor Michael, bring him to tears with the on-stage gift of an ice cream cone in lieu of the more traditional flowers.

So do you build or buy?

School Daze

I had a dream.

I dreamed of a day when a man could head the PTA. When a million men would be walk their children to school. I dreamed that moms would step aside and welcome, if not actively encourage dads to relish time in their childrens' schools.

And in my dream boys stopped being boys when they got to be dads. And never in my dream did two dads duke it out in on school grounds, killing one, to settle the fight begun by their sons the week before.

** New Dream: you pull the man out of the boy and most of the boy out of the man. **

First Man

All hail and best of luck to Chuck Saylors, the 47-year-old, South Carolinian father of four who is "running" unopposed for a two year term as president-elect of the national PTA. If as is custom he then steps up, he will become the first man to top the organization first known as the National Congress of Mothers.

On the honey-do list for Saylors prepared by incoming president Jan Harp Domene is service as a role model for other fathers to encourage their involvement in their kids' schools. Oh, and he is supposed to do something about crumbling school buildings, as well.

** Is there any father who has tried to do more than take his orders of how to serve at a school function who doubts this mongoose is more stupid than brave as he enters the nest of vipers? **