Received: from beru.its.uow.edu.au (130.130.68.31) by staffmail.uow.edu.au (10.5.102.13) with Microsoft SMTP Server id 8.1.336.0; Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:33:07 +1100 Received: from febris-nat.its.uow.edu.au ([130.130.68.210] helo=febris.its.uow.edu.au) by beru.its.uow.edu.au with esmtp (Exim 4.69) (envelope-from ) id 1LLnKE-0003R5-Pd for blane@uow.edu.au; Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:33:06 +1100 Received: from c3.confirmedcc.com (c3.confirmedcc.com [64.95.77.164]) by febris.its.uow.edu.au (MOS 3.10.3-GA) with ESMTP id QIO31361; Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:33:02 +1100 (EST) Received: from p2-ws508.ad.prodcc.net (unknown [10.252.0.101]) by c3.confirmedcc.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id B1CBA1860909 for ; Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:15:39 -0500 (EST) From: Fatherhood Foundation To: Brian Lane Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:17:20 +1100 Subject: A Father's Love Thread-Topic: A Father's Love Thread-Index: Aclze8qzBbk6h7vCTb2j3Vbcv0DcFg== Message-ID: <1102393962504.1101938345415.1211.8.86181519@scheduler> List-Unsubscribe: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&v=001jm8CFGIzLJHYg-gJRLc-3d90mBLDU8ykJ-mqZeQmzG2xyG8l5TxTxw== Reply-To: "info@fathersonline.org" Accept-Language: en-AU, en-US Content-Language: en-US X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthAs: Anonymous X-MS-Exchange-Organization-AuthSource: excasht01.ad.uow.edu.au X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: x-junkmail-status: score=10/49, host=febris.its.uow.edu.au x-junkmail-sd-raw: score=unknown, refid=str=0001.0A150203.49693032.006D:SCFMA772204,ss=1,fgs=0, ip=64.95.77.164, so=2008-09-22 23:22:13, dmn=5.4.3/2007-10-18, mode=single engine x-junkmail-iwf: false x-return-path-hint: ESC1102393962504_1101938345415_1211@in.confirmedcc.com x-roving-id: 1101938345415.1211 x-lumos-senderid: 1101938345415 x-roving-campaignid: 1102393962504 x-roving-streamid: 0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="_000_110239396250411019383454151211886181519scheduler_" MIME-Version: 1.0 --_000_110239396250411019383454151211886181519scheduler_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/526.gif?a=3D1= 102393962504] 12th January 2009 Inspiring Fathers Encouraging Families Issue 334 [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/stock1/3m9q9k8q.jpg] A Father's Love Dear Brian, Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information servi= ce for Fathers and Families as we present a Father's Love. In This Issue Frontline...Dick Hoyt's commitment Link...My Redeemer Lives Laughter..The Axe Granny Grandfathers...Meaningful Communication Single Dads...Shared activities essential for Love All You Need is Love..Less Slobivity Special Feature...World's Strongest Dad News & Info..News Links Dad's Prayer..Help me rise to the commitment Next Week A Father's Love [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] Join our Mailing List! [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/ftf_btn_1.gif] Quick Links Fatherhood Foundation Lone Fathers Fatherhood Project Fatherhood Institute UK Smart Marriages Centre for Action and Contemplation Festival of Light Richard Hillman Foundation Men's Confraternity CSA Adverts Thought of the Week [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/567.jpg?a=3D1= 102393962504][http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] I just want to be the very best father I can be. Dick Hoyt Frontline [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/566.jpg?a=3D1= 102393962504]The story of Dick Hoyt's commitment to = his son Rick is one of the most amazing stories I have ever seen or heard. = It is almost beyond comprehension. It is the story of a father's love and h= is absolute commitment to his son which is carried out in the most extraord= inary way. Rick was born in 1962 with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, and = as a result has cerebral palsy. His parents were told by doctors to put the= ir son in an institution because he would be nothing but a vegetable the re= st of his life. Rick's mother, Judy, was absolutely furious., "This was my = baby and there was no way I was gonna put him anywhere." She fought with ev= erybody to make sure he was not discriminated against, "No, you're not goin= g to leave my child out of things. He's gonna do what he's supposed to do." Thanks to his mother and father, Rick went on to complete high school and e= ven to finish university. That's pretty good for a guy who can't write, tal= k or barely move. It says a lot about Rick, but it also shows the power of = a family's love as well as the Engineering Department at Tufts University w= ho built Rick's communication interface. It was through this interface that Rick indicated his desire to go in a run= ning race with his Dad, who wasn't a runner. Rick an= d Dick entered their first race in 1977, a 5 mile benefit run for an injure= d lacrosse player who was a schoolmate of Ricks. That day changed Rick's li= fe. "Dad," he typed, "When we were running it felt like I wasn't disabled a= nymore!" Since then Rick and Dick have competed in 984 events (as of 31st A= ugust 2008), 229 triathlons, 6 of which were ironman competitions, 20 dualt= hons and 66 marathons. As if that isn't enough they have also biked and run= across the USA in 1992, a 3,735 mile journey that took them 45 days. Sam N= all has written a book about their experiences called 'It's Only a Mountain= : Dick and Rick Hoyt -Men of Iron'. When I looked at the YouTube link I asked myself, "W= hy is this story so deeply moving for me?" Probably the best way to articul= ate my reaction is to let you read one of the many thousands of letters and= emails that Dick receives each year. I write this because I am a father and to my shame I have been nothing like= you Dick. I have been selfish more than I have been selfless. I am not rai= sing my son the way I had intended to raise him and up to this point you co= uld say I have failed. But yesterday in a moment's time I was changed. My h= eart was broken when I saw how much you must love your son to put yourself = through such agony that he might experience the thrill of the race. Yesterd= ay it became less about me and more about being my children's father. I tha= nk you sir. Another father. As the interviewer read these words to Dick & Rick Hoyt, Dick just started = to weep. Even Rick was visibly moved. The interviewer then made the comment= , "You are a hero to many and most importantly you are a hero to Rick." Dic= k choking back the tears said, "I am myself and I just love my family and I= just want to be the very best father I can be." Lovework It is hard not to be moved by this story of a father's love. Hopefully it h= as inspired you, just as it did the father who wrote that letter. Remember it's 'less about us and more about our children'. Yours for our children Warwick Marsh PS If you have any friends who would be interested in receiving this weekly= encouragement as a father why don't you forward it to them and then subscr= ibe them? Make sure you let them know they can unsubscribe at any tim= e but that you have subscribed them because you believe that they are fathe= rs who want to be as Dick Hoyt says, 'the very best father I can be'. ____________________________________________________________________ Warwick Marsh has been married to Alison for 33 years. He is the grandfath= er of two children and father of five children, four boys and one girl, ran= ging in age from 28 years to 16 years. Warwick is a musician, songwriter, = producer and public speaker who likes to think he can still laugh at himsel= f. Link of the Week My Redeemer Lives Laughter [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/565.gif?a=3D1= 102393962504]An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening= of Church services when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the ma= n in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled, "Stop! Acts 2:38! " (Repent and be baptised, in the name of Jesus Christ so= that your sins may be forgiven.) The burglar stopped in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and e= xplained what she had done. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, h= e asked the burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scripture to= you." "Scripture?" replied the burglar. "She said she had an Axe and Two 38's!" Grandfathers [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/564.jpg?a=3D1= 102393962504] Opportunities for meaningful communication between fathers and sons must be created, and its work to achieve it. James Dobson Single Dads Editor's Note: You might remember that we wrote last week about a 74 year o= ld single father, a pensioner, being unfairly treated by the CSA. John Flan= agan, well known in the men's movement, has given a full report so you can = make your own decision. [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938= 345415/img/570.jpg?a=3D1102393962504] Who Checks the Checker? The greater the regulatory and discretionary power and the further the regu= lator is removed from the shackles of accountability, the greater is the em= ployment of bullying and unfair arm-twisting tactics employed by our govern= ment regulators. A recent child support case has come to my notice, in which CSA officials h= ave engaged in these practices. The liable parent is 74 years old, well past the usual retirement age. He i= s of an immigrant background and he has difficulties with the English langu= age. However an internal Child Support Agency memo states that "While the CSA does not believe that Mr XYZ's income will change dramatica= lly in the future, the CSA does believe that future investigations may reve= al assets which could be used in litigation to eventually recover debts". This is despite the fact that the CSA have conducted two (2) failed court c= ases trying to locate assets. One court case ended in the Full Court of the= Family Court of Australia, with the CSA having to pay court costs for thei= r failed action. This is despite the fact that the child support assessments were based on a= deemed income which he did not have or likely to have, at the time. Furthermore, in their internal memo, the CSA does not state when these asse= ts will be revealed - just sometime in the future! Who checks the CSA? It is vital that regulatory agencies such as the CSA are made accountable. Judicial review has not restricted the unfair exercise of power by the CSA. The implementation of the Child Support Scheme was as a result of an Act ma= de by Parliament. Therefore the problem of regulators acting badly requires= a political solution. John Flanagan Deputy Registered Officer, Non-Custodial Parents Party (Equal Parenting). ncpp@xisle.info All You Need is Love [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/562.jpg?a=3D1= 102393962504] The Beatles wrote a song called, 'All You Need is Love' and t= hen broke up. Unfortunately they are not alone. According to statistics almost half of Australian marriages end in divorce.= But Professor de Vaus of La Trobe University, Melbourne says that this fig= ure is not correct, that it is closer to one third of marriages. The profes= sor is right because the failure rate for second and third marriages is muc= h higher and tends to skew the figures. However what is sad is that divorce= happens. Unfortunately the couple in our Frontline story, Dick & Judy Hoyt, broke up= 13 years ago. When the Sixty Minu= tes reporter asked Judy Hoyt if Dick's marathon running was an obsession Ju= dy replied, "Oh God, yes." My wife commented that mothers are usually the o= nes who suffer with obsessions about their children. Mothers in the animal = kingdom will fight hard to defend their offspring. Some human mothers will = fight tooth and nail to defend their child at school and in the competitive= /sport arena. Maybe that is why many mothers fight so hard in the divorce c= ourts for sole custody and one of the reasons that the word 'mother' is the= most popular word in the English language. The interviewer for the Sixty Minutes programme, Liz Hayes, made the commen= t that the Hoyt father and son teams "success has come at a high price". Fo= r this reason I fear success. Success can damage a relationship and it can = be very hard to live through it unscathed. The Beatles group didn't, nor di= d Dick and Judy Hoyt. [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/563.jpg?a=3D= 1102393962504] However the challenge is for you and I not to follow in the footsteps of so= many others before us. My wife pointed out to me that she has managed to p= ut up with me for 33 years and the only reason she would really have to lea= ve is that I am a slob. Heartening news for any man! I wish my wife was le= ss truthful. Then again the good news is that I am not an obsessive slob, a= nd I am working on being less slobbish. When I perfect myself I will be sur= e to let you know. Yours for less slobivity Warwick Marsh Special Feature World's Strongest Dad[http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345= 415/img/569.jpg?a=3D1102393962504] By Rick Reilly I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights to pay for t= heir text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots. But compared with Dick Hoyt, I suck. Eighty-five times he's pushed his disabled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Maratho= ns. Eight times he's not only pushed him 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but als= o towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy while swimming and pedaled him 112 miles = in a seat on the handlebars--all in the same day. Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on his back Mountain= climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. Makes taking your = son bowling look a little lame, right? And what has Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life. This love story began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was s= trangled by the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and = unable to control his limbs. "He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;'' Dick says doctors told him An= d his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months old. "Put him in an Institution= .'' But the Hoyts weren't buying it. They noticed the way Rick's eyes followed = them around the room. When Rick was 11 they took him to the Engineering dep= artment at Tufts University and asked if there was anything to help the boy= communicate. "No way,'' Dick says he was told. "There's nothing going on i= n his brain.'' "Tell him a joke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot= was going on in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to c= ontrol the cursor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was = finally able to communicate. First words? "Go Bruins!'' And after a high sc= hool classmate was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a char= ity run for him, Rick pecked out, "Dad, I want To do that.'' Yeah, right. How was Dick, a self-described "porker'' who never ran More th= an a mile at a time, going to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. "Th= en it was me who was handicapped,'' Dick says. "I was sore For two weeks.'' That day changed Rick's life. "Dad,'' he typed, "when we were running, It f= elt like I wasn't disabled anymore!'' And that sentence changed Dick's life. He became obsessed with giving Rick = that feeling as often as he could. He got into such hard-belly Shape that h= e and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Boston Marathon. "No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts weren't quite a Sing= le runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competitor. For a few Years = Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran anyway, then They found= a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they ran another marathon s= o fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the following year. Then somebody said, "Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?'' How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike since he Was= six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still, Dick Tried= . Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four grueling 15-hour Ironmans i= n Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stud getting passed by = an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you think? Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? "No way,'' he says. Dick d= oes it purely for "the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick with A cantalo= upe smile as they run, swim and ride together. This year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Mara= thon, in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time? T= wo hours, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, = in case you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy w= ho was not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time. "No question about it,'' Rick types. "My dad is the Father of the Century.'= ' And Dick got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mil= d heart attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95= % clogged. "If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, = "you probably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick sav= ed each other's life. Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home care) and works in Boston, an= d Dick, retired from the military and living in Holland, Mass., always find= ways to be together. They give speeches around the country and compete in = some backbreaking race every weekend, including this Father's Day. That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the thing he really wants to = give him is a gift he can never buy. "The thing I'd most like,'' Rick types, "is that my dad sit in the chair an= d I push him once.'' News & Info News Links for Parents[http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/110193834= 5415/img/35.jpg?a=3D1102393962504] Child Homicide rates reduced if Parents don't smack Kids!! CHILD homicide rates could be slashed if parents are banned from smacking = their children, according to new research by Australian doctors. Revealing that a third of child homicides are caused by "fatal child abuse"= linked to corporal punishment by parents and carers, psychologists have ca= lled for smacking to be outlawed ________________________________________________________________ Teasing Kids Builds Leaders IF your child is being teased in the playground - don't worry, it's good f= or building character. New research has found playful teasing, and being called names such as "ran= ga", could be good for young people because it helps them bond and develop = social skills. Daughters & their Dads Order 'Daughters & their Dads' by Dr Bruce Robinson for only $35 (includes = P&H). A great gift for adult daughters, dads or an inspiring read. 'This book is brilliant. It is the best book I have ever read on daughters = and their dads without a shadow of a doubt. It is a must read book for ever= y daughter and every dad'. Warwick Marsh. Limited numbers of this exceptional book are available. Email: info@fatherhood.org.au to order your= copy. Fathering Adventures 4-9 July 2009 'Fathering Adventures' operates out of the stunning beauty of Tropical Nort= h Queensland. Our next 5-night father-son adventure will be held from Satur= day afternoon, July 4th to Thursday morning, July 9th 2009. The minimum age= requirement for the 'sons' is 13 years, and there is no upper age limit. W= e are limiting these 5-night adventures to a maximum of 12 father & son pai= rs. A typical day features an exceptional full-day, professionally-guided o= utdoor adventure / activity e.g. white-water rafting down the Tully River, = snorkelling and glass-bottom boat viewing on the outer Great Barrier Reef, = dual sea kayaking between Mission Beach and Dunk Island, and hiking to the = summit of Mount Tyson. The outdoor adventures / activities selected cater f= or all fitness levels. A typical evening features a multimedia presentation= and small group interaction on topics such as 'Authentic Manhood versus Co= nventional Manhood', and 'The Four Marks of a Real Man', followed by time r= elaxing around the fire sharing stories of the day's adventures. Far more d= etail can be found at the website www.fatheringadventures.com.au . To apply for sponsorship, please email me at darren@fatheringadventures.com= .au giving a brief explanation of your current family, and financial situa= tion, and why it would be beneficial to your son and your relationship with= him, for 'Fathering Adventures' to offer your family a sponsorship package= . Please ensure sponsorship requests are kept to just one page in length. A= ll requests will be read and considered. Alternatively, if your financial situation is such that you or your busines= s are able to contribute to offering financial support to others through th= e 'Fathering Adventures' sponsorship fund, then please also contact me at d= arren@fatheringadventures.com.au = or phone: 07 47232941 Dad's Prayer [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/312.jpg?a=3D1= 102393962504] Dear God Dick has shown such an enormous commitment to his son. It makes me feel a bit weak and reminds me of your commitment to us. It's hard to remember the last time I put my children's needs in front of mine. Help me rise to the commitment like that dad who wrote, "I have been selfish more than I have been selfless. After seeing your story on TV it became less about me and more about being my children's father." Help me be the very best father I can be for my children. Help Us! [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]The Fatherhood Foundation = is a Harm Prevention Charity. Fatherlessness and inadequate fathering has been proven to be a source of h= arm. The Fatherhood Foundation helps children by promoting excellence in f= athering. Excellent fathers are in word and deed: responsible, involved, pr= otective, loving and committed to the well-being of their children and thei= r children's mother. If you would like to give financially to the Fatherhood Foundation Public F= und and receive tax deductibility: Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund (Name, address and amount details must be emailed for a receipt for tax ded= uctibility) Westpac Branch Wollongong DONATE ONLINE BSB: 032 695 A/C: 25-5558 Or mail cheque and address details to: PO Box 542 UNANDERRA NSW 2526 AUSTRALIA The Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund is a public fund listed on the Regis= ter of Harm Prevention Charities under Subdivision 30_EA of the Income Tax = Assessment Act 1997. You have received the fathersonline.org newsletter because you have subscri= bed, or you have been subscribed by a friend. If you do not wish to receiv= e future emails, please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below. Forward email [http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/safe_unsubscribe_logo.gif] This email was sent to blane@uow.edu.au by info@fathersonline.org. Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe(tm) | Pri= vacy Policy. Email Marketing= by [http://img.constantcontact.com/letters/images/cc-logo-color-sm.gif] Fatherhood Foundation | P.O. Box 542 | Unanderra | NSW | 2526 | Australia --_000_110239396250411019383454151211886181519scheduler_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
=09
3D"Dads4Kids
=09
=09 =09
 12th January 2009       Encouraging Families  Issue 334
 

 

 
=
A Father's Love
Dear Brian,
Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information = service for Fathers and Families as we present a Father's Love.
<= /font>
=09
In This Issue
Frontline...Dick Hoyt's commitment
Link...My Redeemer Lives
Laughter..The Axe Granny
Grandfathers...Meaningful Communication
Single Dads...Shared activities essential for Love=
All You Need is Love..Less Slobivity
Special Feature...World's Strongest Dad
News & Info..News Links
Dad's Prayer..Help me rise to the commitment
Next Week&nb= sp;
A Father's= Love
 =09 =09
= Join our Mailing List!
 
Quick Links
=09
 Thought of the Week
3D"Hoyt3D"Thoughtoftheweek" <= /div>
I just want to be the very best father I can be.
 
Dick Hoyt

Frontline
=
3D"Hoyts"The story of Dick= Hoyt's commitment to his son Rick is one of the most amazing stories I= have ever seen or heard. It is almost beyond comprehension. It is the stor= y of a father's love and his absolute commitment to his son which is carrie= d out in the most extraordinary way.
 
Rick was born in 1962= with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck, and as a result has cereb= ral palsy. His parents were told by doctors to put their son in an institut= ion because he would be nothing but a vegetable the rest of his life. Rick'= s mother, Judy, was absolutely furious., "This was my baby and there was no= way I was gonna put him anywhere." She fought with everybody to make sure = he was not discriminated against, "No, you're not going to leave my child o= ut of things. He's gonna do what he's supposed to do."
 
Tha= nks to his mother and father, Rick went on to complete high school and even= to finish university. That's pretty good for a guy who can't write, talk o= r barely move. It says a lot about Rick, but it also shows the power of a f= amily's love as well as the Engineering Department at Tufts University who = built Rick's communication interface.
 
It was through this = interface that Rick indicated his desire to go in a running race wi= th his Dad, who wasn't a runner. Rick and Dick entered their first race= in 1977, a 5 mile benefit run for an injured lacrosse player who was a sch= oolmate of Ricks. That day changed Rick's life. "Dad," he typed, "When we w= ere running it felt like I wasn't disabled anymore!" Since then Rick and Di= ck have competed in 984 events (as of 31st August 2008), 229 triathlons, 6 = of which were ironman competitions, 20 dualthons and 66 marathons. As if th= at isn't enough they have also biked and run across the USA in 1992, a 3,73= 5 mile journey that took them 45 days. Sam Nall has written a book about th= eir experiences called 'It's Onl= y a Mountain: Dick and Rick Hoyt -Men of Iron'.  
When I= looked at the YouTube link I asked myself, "Why is this story = so deeply moving for me?" Probably the best way to articulate my reaction i= s to let you read one of the many thousands of letters and emails that Dick= receives each year.
 
I write this because I am a fathe= r and to my shame I have been nothing like you Dick. I have been selfish mo= re than I have been selfless. I am not raising my son the way I had intende= d to raise him and up to this point you could say I have failed. But yester= day in a moment's time I was changed. My heart was broken when I saw how mu= ch you must love your son to put yourself through such agony that he might = experience the thrill of the race. Yesterday it became less about me and mo= re about being my children's father. I thank you sir. Another father.
=  
As the interviewer read these words to Dick & Rick Hoyt, D= ick just started to weep. Even Rick was visibly moved. The interviewer then= made the comment, "You are a hero to many and most importantly you are a h= ero to Rick." Dick choking back the tears said, "I am myself and I just lov= e my family and I just want to be the very best father I can be."
&nbs= p;
Lovework
 
It is hard not to be mov= ed by this story of a father's love. Hopefully it has inspired you, just as= it did the father who wrote that letter.
 
Remember it's 'l= ess about us and more about our children'.
 
Yours for our c= hildren
Warwick Marsh
 
PS If you have any friends who = would be interested in receiving this weekly encouragement as a father why = don't you forward it to them and then subscribe them? Make sure you let them know= they can unsubscribe at any time but that you have subscribed them because= you believe that they are fathers who want to be as Dick Hoyt says, 'the v= ery best father I can be'.


_______________________________= _____________________________________

Warwick Marsh  h= as been married to Alison for 33 years. He is the grandfather of = two children and father of five children, four boys and one girl, ranging i= n age from 28 years to 16 years.  Warwick is a musician, songwrit= er, producer and public speaker who likes to think he can still laugh at hi= mself.
Link of the Week
 
<= /table>
Laughter
=

3D"Burglar"An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evenin= g of Church services when she was startled by an intruder. She caught the m= an in the act of robbing her home of its valuables and yelled,

= "Stop! Acts 2:38! " (Repent and be baptised, in the name of Jesus Christ so= that your sins may be forgiven.)

The burglar stopped in his tr= acks. The woman calmly called the police and explained what she had done. A= s the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar,
"Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did was yell a scriptur= e to you."

"Scripture?" replied the burglar. "She said she had = an Axe and Two 38's!" 
 
Grandfathers
 
3D"Men
Opportunities for meaningful communication
betwe= en fathers and sons must be created,
and its work to achieve it.
=  
James Dobson
Single Dads
 
Editor's Note: You might remember that we wrote last = week about a 74 year old single father, a pensioner, being unfairly treated= by the CSA. John Flanagan, well known in the men's movement, has given a f= ull report so you can make your own decision. 3D"Detective"
 
Who Checks = the Checker?
 
The greater the regulatory an= d discretionary power and the further the regulator is removed from the sha= ckles of accountability, the greater is the employment of bullying and unfa= ir arm-twisting tactics employed by our government regulators.
 =
A recent child support case has come to my notice, in which CSA offic= ials have engaged in these practices.
 
The liable parent is= 74 years old, well past the usual retirement age. He is of an immigrant ba= ckground and he has difficulties with the English language.    
However an internal Child Support Agency memo states that 
 "While the CSA does not believe that Mr XYZ's income w= ill change dramatically in the future, the CSA does believe that future inv= estigations may reveal assets which could be used in litigation to eventual= ly recover debts".
 
This is despite the fact that the CSA h= ave conducted two (2) failed court cases trying to locate assets. One court= case ended in the Full Court of the Family Court of Australia, with the CS= A having to pay court costs for their failed action.
 
This = is despite the fact that the child support assessments were based on a deem= ed income which he did not have or likely to have, at the time.
 =
Furthermore, in their internal memo, the CSA does not state when thes= e assets will be revealed - just sometime in the future!
 
W= ho checks the CSA?
 
It is vital that regulatory agencies su= ch as the CSA are made accountable.
 
Judicial review has n= ot restricted the unfair exercise of power by the CSA.
 
Th= e implementation of the Child Support Scheme was as a result of an Act made= by Parliament. Therefore the problem of regulators acting badly requires a= political solution.
 
John Flanagan
D= eputy Registered Officer,
Non-Custodial Parents Party (Equal Parenting= ).
ncpp@xisle.inf= o
All You Nee= d is Love
3D"The The Beatles wr= ote a song called, 'All You Need is Love' and then broke up. Unfortunately = they are not alone.
 
According to statistics almost half of= Australian marriages end in divorce. But Professor de Vaus of La Trobe Uni= versity, Melbourne says that this figure is not correct, that it is closer = to one third of marriages. The professor is right because the failure rate = for second and third marriages is much higher and tends to skew the figures= . However what is sad is that divorce happens.
 
Unfortunate= ly the couple in our Frontline story, Dick & Judy Hoyt, broke up 13 years ago. When the Sixty Minutes reporter asked Jud= y Hoyt if Dick's marathon running was an obsession Judy replied, "Oh God, y= es." My wife commented that mothers are usually the ones who suffer with ob= sessions about their children. Mothers in the animal kingdom will fight har= d to defend their offspring. Some human mothers will fight tooth and nail t= o defend their child at school and in the competitive/sport arena. Maybe th= at is why many mothers fight so hard in the divorce courts for sole custody= and one of the reasons that the word 'mother' is the most popular word in = the English language.
 
The interviewer for the Sixty Minute= s programme, Liz Hayes, made the comment that the Hoyt father and son teams= "success has come at a high price". For this reason I fear success. Succes= s can damage a relationship and it can be very hard to live through it unsc= athed. The Beatles group didn't, nor did Dick and Judy Hoyt.
 
However the challenge is fo= r you and I not to follow in the footsteps of so many others before us. My = wife pointed out to me that she has managed to put up with me for 33 years = and the only reason she would really have to leave is that I am a slob. Hea= rtening news for any man!  I wish my wife was less truthful. Then agai= n the good news is that I am not an obsessive slob, and I am working on bei= ng less slobbish. When I perfect myself I will be sure to let you know.
 
Yours for less slobivity
Warwick Marsh

=
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Special Feature

World's Strongest Dad3D"Strong
By Rick Reilly
=  
I try to be a good father. Give my kids mulligans. Work nights = to pay for their text messaging. Take them to swimsuit shoots.
But co= mpared with Dick Hoyt, I suck.
Eighty-five times he's pushed his disa= bled son, Rick, 26.2 miles in Marathons. Eight times he's not only pushed h= im 26.2 miles in a Wheelchair but also towed him 2.4 miles in a dinghy whil= e swimming and pedaled him 112 miles in a seat on the handlebars--all in th= e same day.
Dick's also pulled him cross-country skiing, taken him on= his back Mountain climbing and once hauled him across the U.S. on a bike. = Makes taking your son bowling look a little lame, right?
And what has= Rick done for his father? Not much--except save his life.
This love s= tory began in Winchester , Mass. , 43 years ago, when Rick Was strangled by= the umbilical cord during birth, leaving him Brain-damaged and unable to c= ontrol his limbs.

"He'll be a vegetable the rest of his life;''= Dick says doctors told him And his wife, Judy, when Rick was nine months o= ld. "Put him in an Institution.''
But the Hoyts weren't buying it. Th= ey noticed the way Rick's eyes followed them around the room. When Rick was= 11 they took him to the Engineering department at Tufts University and ask= ed if there was anything to help the boy communicate. "No way,'' Dick says = he was told. "There's nothing going on in his brain.''
"Tell him a jo= ke,'' Dick countered. They did. Rick laughed. Turns out a lot was going on = in his brain. Rigged up with a computer that allowed Him to control the cur= sor by touching a switch with the side of his Head, Rick was finally able t= o communicate. First words? "Go Bruins!'' And after a high school classmate= was paralyzed in an accident and the School organized a charity run for hi= m, Rick pecked out, "Dad, I want To do that.''
Yeah, right. How was D= ick, a self-described "porker'' who never ran More than a mile at a time, g= oing to push his son five miles? Still, he tried. "Then it was me who was h= andicapped,'' Dick says. "I was sore For two weeks.''
That day change= d Rick's life. "Dad,'' he typed, "when we were running, It felt like I wasn= 't disabled anymore!''

And that sentence changed Dick's life. H= e became obsessed with giving Rick that feeling as often as he could. He go= t into such hard-belly Shape that he and Rick were ready to try the 1979 Bo= ston Marathon.
"No way,'' Dick was told by a race official. The Hoyts= weren't quite a Single runner, and they weren't quite a wheelchair competi= tor. For a few Years Dick and Rick just joined the massive field and ran an= yway, then They found a way to get into the race Officially: In 1983 they r= an another marathon so fast they made the Qualifying time for Boston the fo= llowing year.
Then somebody said, "Hey, Dick, why not a triathlon?'' =

How's a guy who never learned to swim and hadn't ridden a bike = since he Was six going to haul his 110-pound kid through a triathlon? Still= , Dick Tried.
Now they've done 212 triathlons, including four gruelin= g 15-hour Ironmans in Hawaii. It must be a buzzkill to be a 25-year-old stu= d getting passed by an old guy towing a grown man in a dinghy, don't you th= ink?
Hey, Dick, why not see how you'd do on your own? "No way,'' he s= ays. Dick does it purely for "the awesome feeling'' he gets seeing Rick wit= h A cantaloupe smile as they run, swim and ride together.

This = year, at ages 65 and 43, Dick and Rick finished their 24th Boston Marathon,= in 5,083rd place out of more than 20,000 starters. Their best time? Two ho= urs, 40 minutes in 1992--only 35 minutes off the world Record, which, in ca= se you don't keep track of these things, happens to Be held by a guy who wa= s not pushing another man in a wheelchair at the Time.
"No question a= bout it,'' Rick types. "My dad is the Father of the Century.''
And Di= ck got something else out of all this too. Two years ago he had a Mild hear= t attack during a race. Doctors found that one of his arteries Was 95% clog= ged. "If you hadn't been in such great shape,'' One doctor told him, "you p= robably would've died 15 years ago.'' So, in a way, Dick and Rick saved eac= h other's life.

Rick, who has his own apartment (he gets home c= are) and works in Boston, and Dick, retired from the military and living in= Holland, Mass., always find ways to be together. They give speeches around= the country and compete in some backbreaking race every weekend, including= this Father's Day.
That night, Rick will buy his dad dinner, but the= thing he really wants to give him is a gift he can never buy.
"The t= hing I'd most like,'' Rick types, "is that my dad sit in the chair and I pu= sh him once.''
News & Info
=
  =   =20
 

News Links for Parents3D"Reading
 
 

 CHILD homicide rates could be slashed if parents are banne= d from smacking their children, according to new research by Australian doc= tors.
Revealing that a third of child homicides are caused by "fatal c= hild abuse" linked to corporal punishment by parents and carers, psychologi= sts have called for smacking to be outlawed
 ____________________= ____________________________________________
 
 
 IF your= child is being teased in the playground - don't worry, it's good for build= ing character.

New research has found playful teasing, and bein= g called names such as "ranga", could be good for young people because it h= elps them bond and develop social skills. 

 
 Daughters & their Dads
 
O= rder 'Daughters & their Dads' by Dr Bruce Robinson for only $35 (includes P= &H).
A great gift for adult daughters, dads or an inspiring read.
 
'This book is brilliant. It is the best book I have ever read = on daughters and their dads without a shadow of a doubt. It is a must read = book for every daughter and every dad'. Warwick Marsh.
 
Lim= ited numbers of this exceptional book are available.
Email: info@fatherhood.org.au  to order your copy.
 

Fathering Adventures 4-9 Ju= ly 2009
 
'Fathering Adventures' operates out = of the stunning beauty of Tropical North Queensland. Our next 5-n= ight father-son adventure will be held from Saturday afternoon,&n= bsp;July 4th to Thursday morning, July 9th 2009. The minimum age = requirement for the 'sons' is 13 years, and there is no upper age limi= t. We are limiting these 5-night adventures to a maximum of 12 father = & son pairs. A typical day features an exceptional full-day, professionally= -guided outdoor adventure / activity e.g. white-water rafting down the Tull= y River, snorkelling and glass-bottom boat viewing on the outer Great Barri= er Reef, dual sea kayaking between Mission Beach and Dunk Island, and hikin= g to the summit of Mount Tyson. The outdoor adventures / activities selecte= d cater for all fitness levels. A typical evening features a multimedia pre= sentation and small group interaction on topics such as 'Authentic Manhood = versus Conventional Manhood', and 'The Four Marks of a Real Man', followed = by time relaxing around the fire sharing stories of the day's adventures.&n= bsp;Far more detail can be found at the website www.fatheringadventure= s.com.au .
 
To apply for sponsorship, please email me at da= rren@fatheringadventures.com.au  giving a brief explanation of your cu= rrent family, and financial situation, and why it would be beneficial to yo= ur son and your relationship with him, for 'Fathering Adventures' to offer = your family a sponsorship package. Please ensure sponsorship requests are k= ept to just one page in length. All requests will be read and considered. 
Alternatively, if your financial situation is such that you= or your business are able to contribute to offering financial support to o= thers through the 'Fathering Adventures' sponsorship fund, then please also= contact me at darren@fatheringadventures.com.au  or phone: 07 472329= 41
 
 
=09 =09

Dad's Prayer

3D"Family
Dear God
 
Dick has shown such an enormous commitment t= o his son.
It makes me feel a bit weak and
reminds me of your com= mitment to us.
It's hard to remember the last time
I put my child= ren's needs in front of mine.
Help me rise to the commitment like that= dad who wrote,
"I have been selfish more than I have been selfless.After seeing your story on TV it became
less about me and more ab= out being my children's father."
 
Help me be the very best = father I can be for my children.

=09
=09
Help Us!

3D"HelpUs"= The Fatherhood Foundation is a Harm Prevention Charity.
Fatherles= sness and inadequate fathering has been proven to be a source of harm.= The Fatherhood Foundation helps children by promoting excellence  in = fathering. Excellent fathers are in word and deed: responsible, involved, p= rotective, loving and committed to the well-being of their children and the= ir children's mother.

 

If you would like to give financially t= o the Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund and receive tax deductibility:

 

Fatherhood Found= ation Public Fund
(Name, address and amount details must be = emailed for a receipt for tax deductibility)

 Westpac Branch Wollongong      &nb= sp;            =   DONATE ONLINE

BSB: 032 695
A/C: 25-5558
 

Or mail cheque and address details to:<= br />PO Box 542
UNANDERRA  NSW&nbs= p; 2526
AUSTRALIA

 

The Fatherhood Foundation Public Fund&n= bsp; is a public fund listed on the Register of Harm Prevention Charities u= nder Subdivision 30_EA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.=

 

You have received the fatherson= line.org newsletter because you have subscribed, or you have been = subscribed by a friend.  If you do not wish to receive future emails, = please click the UNSUBSCRIBE button below.

=09
=09
=09
3D"Safe
This email was sent to blane@uow.edu.au by in= fo@fathersonline.org.
Fatherhood Foundati= on | P.O. Box 542 | Unanderra | NSW | 2526 | Australia
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