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 8.1.340.0; Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:55:11 +1000 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 1LvKNJ-0002QG-S0 for blane@uow.edu.au; Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:55:10 +1000 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 RNJ55721; Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:55:05 +1000 (EST) Received: from p2-ws508.ad.prodcc.net (unknown [10.252.0.101]) by c3.confirmedcc.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 90D5A34E8548 for ; Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:35:44 -0400 (EDT) From: Fatherhood Foundation To: Brian Lane Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2009 09:35:47 +1000 Subject: Fathers & the Global Financial Crisis Pt 2 Thread-Topic: Fathers & the Global Financial Crisis Pt 2 Thread-Index: AcnAgRxXGkTsZfjRQhiiJoaFZgqEpA== Message-ID: <1102553313079.1101938345415.1211.8.1161935FF@scheduler> List-Unsubscribe: http://visitor.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&v=001jm8CFGIzLJHYg-gJRLc-3d90mBLDU8ykebwFgAo5QleVdDEo0N_kpg== 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: excasht03.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=0001.0A150204.49EA685D.0065:SCFMA772204,ss=1,pt=DBB_65838,fgs=0, ip=64.95.77.164, so=2008-09-22 23:22:13, dmn=5.7.1/2008-09-02, mode=single engine x-junkmail-iwf: false x-return-path-hint: ESC1102553313079_1101938345415_1211@in.confirmedcc.com x-roving-id: 1101938345415.1211 x-lumos-senderid: 1101938345415 x-roving-campaignid: 1102553313079 x-roving-streamid: 0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="_000_11025533130791101938345415121181161935FFscheduler_" MIME-Version: 1.0 --_000_11025533130791101938345415121181161935FFscheduler_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable HTML Web Version Dads4Kids Newsletter [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/526.gif?a=3D1= 102553313079] 20th April 2009 Inspiring Fathers Encouraging Families Issue 348 [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/stock1/3m9q9k8q.jpg] Fathers & the Global Financial Crisis Pt2 Dear Brian, Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information servi= ce for Fathers and Families as we present Fathers & the Global Financial Cr= isis Pt 2. In This Issue Frontline...The GFC Shadow Link...Reunited Laughter..Old is when Grandfathers...Relationships Single Dads...The Best Gift All You Need is Love..Two Important Gifts Special Feature...Fear & Greed News & Info..Parents & Anzac Day Dad's Prayer..The Lord is My Shepherd Next Week The War on Fatherhood [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] Join our Mailing List! [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/ftf_btn_1.gif] Quick Links Dads4Kids Family Law Web Guide Mens Sheds National Fatherhood Institute National Marriage Coalition Camp Connect Men's Katoomba Convention Fathersafterdivorce.com<= http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=3D1102553313079&s=3D1211&e=3D0014UaMbFQ9BAduLHyLTg= yKiu7hgVlOKHzu7jA5vBUIqAoCLhP7uOzMiVAVbB0lscw4UaeCIR5uph5ea1eKjvkjS3CCENP0d= NONPP9H3lne2NSiuH1yU8lyTe0TI424eSox> Steve Biddulph CSA Adverts Help Us Help Others Thought of the Week [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/708.jpg?a=3D1= 102553313079] [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] The friendless owner of the world is poor. Aristotle Abbreviation Frontline [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/704.jpg?a=3D1= 102553313079]We live as fathers in the shadow of the Global Financial Crisi= s (GFC). How can we protect and provide for our families? We also ask why a= nd what as we look into an uncertain future. Many questions are rushing thr= ough our minds. One of the fathers of the modern men's movement Edwin Cole used to say, "The man who = knows how will always have a job, but the man who knows why will always be = his boss". Before I try to shed light on some of the deeper questions facing both us a= nd the world, let me tell you a bit more about my own personal financial cr= isis that I experienced in the mid-eighties. In 1985 the building company I owned was placed in receivership. I lost eve= rything I had ever worked for. Several weeks ago I told you how in a moment= ary lapse of reason in my own financial crisis I even thought about committ= ing suicide. Sadly many fathers in times of financial crisis not only have these thought= s, but put them into action. Great failure can induce great madness. The so= lution is to dig deep into your spiritual roots and remember the words of J= esus, "a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions". = Both fame and failure are imposters as Rudyard Kipling noted in his famous = poem 'If". Still it is hard to stare them down in the heat of the moment. At the time of my Personal Financial Crisis, I was living in a magnificent = 35 square home in a beautiful rural acreage on the outskirts of town. We ha= d both a Volvo and a Fairmont in the garage and the capacity to enjoy the b= etter things of life. I will always remember applying for the dole, and how= embarrassed I was to join the ranks of those 'drop kick dole-bludgers'! It= was most annoying as the lady at [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs0= 07/1101938345415/img/705.jpg?a=3D1102553313079] the Centrelink Office refus= ed to accept that I had no money. If you want to humble a man, strip him of= everything he owns and send him to a Centrelink office. I was both annoyed= and humbled at the same time. We had to move out of our home. We had nowhere to go. All of my 'friends' h= ad disappeared - funny how that happens. However John was one of the faithf= ul few and offered for us to live in his fibro garage at the rear of his ho= me. We had to renovate it a little to make it liveable for our family of 5,= but home is where the heart is. So my wife and I and 3 young boys squeezed into a makeshift home that flood= ed in big rains and that was half the size of the living room of our previo= us house. Funnily enough we were happy to have a roof over our head, some f= ood to eat and to be together. More than that we began to realize what true= wealth consisted of: Friendship. 'The friendless owner of the world is poo= r'. Friendship with God, friendship with family and friendship with the fri= ends who still like to hang out with you even if you are a grand failure by= other's estimations. It was a time of healing and recovery. As my brother = said to me at the time, "It's a long way from the bottom to the top, but it= 's a very short distance between the top to the bottom." Unfortunately in the next decade many people are going to experience the tr= uth of my brother's statement. Many families will have to adjust their fisc= al expectations and in doing so experience the deep joy that comes from rea= lising the best things in life cannot be bought. I have just finished reading a new book by Harry S. Dent Jr, written in 2008 called 'The Great Depr= ession Ahead - How to Prosper in the Crash that F= ollows the Greatest Boom in History'. Harry is a demographer and a student of cycles and even though he has got seve= ral predictions wrong over the years, his batting average is pretty high. T= he demographic winter we have created through an 'abortion-on-demand-self-c= entred society' is about to drop us into a financial black hole. Harry Dent is not the only one saying this. My wife came home from a recent= Colour Conference where Sy Rogers was ta= lking about the 80 year historical cycles as laid out in The Fourth Turning= by St= rauss and Howe published in late 1997. This book prophesied that the world = would enter a winter in about 10 years (2008/09) that will last until 2020 = as part of an 80 year cycle. This winter could involve war, economic depression a= nd times of social upheaval. Unfortunately such periods as those we are now= entering into are breeding grounds for fascist and totalitarian dictators.= War becomes a political wildcard for both financiers and world leaders who= want to perpetuate their power. Rather than trust the opinions of a few, listed below are several YouTube l= inks that should provide some answers for your many questions. All the auth= ors of these links could see the GFC coming. Take everything with a grain o= f salt but as you compare you will find the truth of the statement found in= Proverbs, 'Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success.= ' Harry Dent Discusses the Coming Depressio= n. Neil Howe and The Fourth Turning. Gerald Celente - Trends forecaster. Peter Schiff - Economic commentator. Peter Schiff & Steve Keen - Dateline ABC Prof Steve Keen, Economic Commentator, Western Sydney University. The Money Masters - How International Bankers Gained Control: this gives much of the= how, why & what of the current financial crisis and the history of money. Freedom to Fascism: a Political and Economic Journey of Discovery - a groundbr= eaking film by Aaron Russo. G. Edward Griffin, The Creature from Jekyll Island. Professor Niall Ferguson, Conversation with History - a very broad-based look at the = current crisis from an historical point of view. Lovework Forewarned is forearmed. Special Feature this week gives us some practical = tips as fathers in families for dealing with the challenges we are about to= face. The main thing is to keep a positive outlook, treasure your relation= ships, appreciate the ones you love and follow the words of the famous regg= ae song, 'Don't worry, be happy'. Yours for the ones you love Warwick Marsh PS. We are working on a Mother's Day TV campaign. We would greatly apprecia= te any help you can give with getting the ads to air. Motherhood, as well as Fatherhood, has been under enormous attack over the = last few decades. It is time for us as men to honour and appreciate the mot= hers of Australia. We will keep you informed of our progress. ____________________________________________________________________ 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 Dad Daughter Reunited Laughter [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/703.jpg?a=3D= 1102553313079] 'OLD' IS WHEN... Your sweetie says, 'Let's go upstairs and make love,' and you answer, 'Pick= one; I can't do both!' 'OLD' IS WHEN... Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're barefoot= . 'OLD' IS WHEN... A sexy babe or hunk catches your fancy and your pacemaker opens the garage = door. 'OLD' IS WHEN... Going braless pulls all the wrinkles out of your face. 'OLD' IS WHEN... You don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go= along. 'OLD' IS WHEN... You are cautioned to slow down by the doctor instead of by the police 'OLD' IS WHEN... 'Getting a little action' means you don't need to take any fiber today. 'OLD' IS WHEN... 'Getting lucky' means you find your car in the parking lot. 'OLD' IS WHEN... An 'all nighter' means not getting up to use the bathroom. AND 'OLD' IS WHEN.... You are not sure these are jokes? Grandfathers [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/699.jpg?a=3D1= 102553313079] Relationships must have priority in your life above everything else. Rick Warren Single Dads [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/614.jpg?a=3D= 1102553313079] When Don lost his wife to Cancer he was left to raise his 8 year old daught= er alone. by Don Barlow In January 1987, my wife of 12 years died from pancreatic cancer. This left= me with the responsibility of raising my 8-year-old daughter alone. After = the shock of my wife's death, I became aware that I knew nothing about rais= ing a daughter by myself. We had raised my wife's two children and my two s= ons, and they were all living outside of the home. During the grieving process, I sometimes wondered if the wrong parent had d= ied. Mothers raise daughters. Fathers are supposed to financially support t= he family. Mothers are the nurturers; it had been that way in my family. No= w, I had to learn a new role, one I hadn't anticipated. I never knew what b= eing a parent was about until I had to do it all myself. I believe my daughter's greatest fear initially was being left alone. She h= ad already lost her mother. Would she lose me as well? Who would take care = of her then? On one occasion she announced, "Dad, I know what you can get m= e for Christmas, and it won't cost a cent. You can find me a new mom." It w= as too soon for me to consider taking such a step, but her question helped = me to understand the depth of her need. She was hurting and she was scared. After the initial shock, denial and bargaining phases had run their courses= , we worked through the lingering anger and depression and started to put o= ur lives back together. When she was in elementary school, I became a "Room= Father." (When it was my turn to bring cookies, I could buy the dough in r= olls, cut it into individual cookies and bake them.) I helped coach her sof= tball team. I encouraged her involvement in church activities so she would = be spiritually grounded. I enrolled her in charm school and we joined ballr= oom dancing classes together. For cultural exposure, I involved her in our American Indian heritage. We a= ttended and danced at Indian powwows. I signed her up for summer basketball= camps and attended the awards ceremony at the end. I tried to be involved = by balancing work and family. I passed up a job at a local university becau= se of the position's frequent out-of-state travel. So many memories: the first date, graduations, basketball games at the aren= a, the first formal dance, her first prom dress, learning how to ride a bik= e, her Indian dancing. These things I will always treasure. The hard times:= the day she broke her arm playing basketball. The death of her older siste= r five years ago. My daughter is 23 years old now. Like any parent, I didn't know it would tu= rn out OK, until it did. It boiled down to this: Ultimately, the best gift I could give my daughter was my time, my love and= my encouragement. Daughters need their fathers no matter what their age, a= nd it's never too late to start. [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif]All You Need is Love Two Important Gifts for Your Marriage[http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com= /fs007/1101938345415/img/706.jpg?a=3D1102553313079] Several years ago, Leslie Parrott was headed out of the house to do some sh= opping. She put the children in their car seats and backed out of the garag= e. About a block away from the house she realized her youngest had fallen a= sleep. She decided to take him back home and let dad take care of him while= she shopped. She pulled in the garage, opened the passenger door, grabbed = the car seat with her child in it and took him upstairs to her husband. The= n she ran back downstairs, jumped in the car and backed out of the garage o= nly to hear a terrible screeching noise. At that moment she realized she ha= d not closed the passenger door and now it was sitting in the middle of the= driveway. "I heard this awful noise and ran downstairs to see what had happened," sai= d Les Parrott, co-founder, with his wife Leslie, of the Center for Relation= ship Development at Seattle Pacific University (realrelationships.com) and = author of numerous books on marriage and parenthood. "When I got to my wife= , she was crying and just staring at the car and the garage, which were bot= h totally messed up. I realized at that moment that it was not going to hel= p the situation any for me to start yelling at Leslie. Instead I put my arm= s around her, held her and said nothing." If there were two things the Parrotts could magically give to couples to en= hance their marriage relationship they would give them the gift of empathy = and good communication. "One of the most powerful things a couple can do to enjoy a deeper and more= satisfying connection with each other is simply to put yourself in the oth= er person's shoes," said Dr. Parrott. "Empathy is the heart of love. When y= ou are able to think about things from your spouse's perspective it really = changes your relationship. Couples tend to be less critical of each other a= nd nag less frequently. Conflicts tend to short circuited - not to be confu= sed with not having any conflict - and you become better friends." The second area the Parrotts believe can transform a marriage is good commu= nication. A national survey of couples revealed that the average couple act= ually talks less than 17 minutes a week to each other. "One of our friends told us he and his wife, in managing their household of= four children, feel more like air traffic controllers than husband and wif= e," said Dr. Parrott. "Busyness deludes us into thinking that we're convers= ing when we are actually just trying to hold on to the hectic speed of our = day. But it doesn't have to be that way." As hard as people say they are searching for more time to do things like ta= lk with their spouse, the dirty little secret that most know in their soul = is that there really isn't any more time to be found. We just have to figur= e out how to spend our time differently. "If spending time talking with your spouse is a priority you have to put it= before other things in your date book," said Dr. Parrott. "Robert J. McKai= n once said, 'The reason most goals are not achieved is that we spend our t= ime doing second things first,' Leslie and I believe he hits the nail on th= e head. We say that our marriage comes first, but that doesn't matter if we= devote our time to what is lower on our list. Making your marriage a prior= ity is the secret to reclaiming the conversations you have been missing tog= ether." Taken from the marriage website First Things First www.firstthings.org Special Feature [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] [http://origin.ih.const= antcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/707.jpg?a=3D1102553313079] Fear and Greed By Peter Hunt Adv. Dip. FS; AFPA A 47 minute animated DVD by Paul Grignon opens up something along these lin= es: Two great mysteries dominate our lives, love and money. 'What is love?' has= been endlessly explored and expressed in a variety of different ways such = as in books, television, art and the theatre. The same can't be said howeve= r about 'what is money? Have you ever wondered why individuals, small business, corporations and go= vernments can all be in debt at the same time, and owing such huge sums of = money that may never be repaid? It may be because monetary theory is not st= udied at school. Australians spend on average approx. 121% of their disposable household inc= ome on credit. That's 21% more than we earn. Our consumerist society encour= ages us to 'buy now, pay later' with 'interest free' terms, thus we fall in= to immediate debt. Not-to-mention the ease at which residential mortgages c= ould be obtained, and promises of ever-increasing equity all of which, fuel= led the Australian love-affair with property. Credit/debt is future money, spent now. Even governments around the world w= ant to create more debt, call it a 'stimulus package' then forget to tell y= ou that your children's children will pick up the interest repayments in th= e years to come. With a fall in birth rates and less people in the workforc= e in the coming years, as the baby-boom generation begins to retire in abou= t 2012 it is likely that interest rates and income tax rates will increase = dramatically. The impact of this could be of great detriment to the budgets of mums and d= ads battling to maintain a reasonable standard of living for their families= , and all the signs are there to suggest that a coming crash would pale 192= 9 into insignificance. Some will say that it is human greed that has caused all these problems and= I think that certainly plays a major part in these current and past money = problems. Others will cite fear as another reason. In fact, as a financial = advisor I believe that both fear and greed have played equally important ro= les in the workings of the money markets, especially when it comes to stock= s and shares. Yet these are human emotions played upon by a much larger iss= ue, and there is more to our money system than meets the eye. When Paul wrote a letter to Timothy in about AD64 he coined it thus: "For t= he love of money is the root of all evil". So instead of pursuing the meani= ng of two great mysteries that have dominated our lives over the centuries,= we've simply mixed them together, through both fear (of loss) and greed (t= o gain), made the acquisition and accumulation of money our life goal and n= umber one priority. John Adams, Founding Father of the American Constitution once stated: All of the perplexities, confusion, and distress in America arises, not fro= m the defects of the Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honour= or virtue, so much as from downright ignorance of the nature of coin, cred= it, and circulation. [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/82.jpg?a=3D11= 02553313079]If we knew just how beastly the money system of today really is= , we would not love money but learn to hate it, and well we should because = of the destruction and devastation to families, children, businesses and go= vernments caused by pursuing such a thing as fickle, cold and impersonal as= money. Here are a few things you can do to try and avoid getting caught out by wha= t could result in an inevitable failure in the money system. As you read th= rough, try to remember that while this might seem improbable, time and time= again throughout history the failing money supply has brought nations to t= heir knees and brought great poverty to their citizens...except for those w= ho were prepared for it: Live within your means and write a budget; Get out of all debt; Diversify your assets (what you invest in) and consider investing your asse= ts globally (where you invest them; Write a Will and keep it current; Study and research, get a grasp on some basic economics; Don't be a guarantor for anybody; Keep a store of extra food available; Keep fit and healthy and remain strong for your family; Have some cash on hand, about 15-20% of your net worth with as little as po= ssible left in the banking system, and; Spread the word, include family, neighbours and friends in your plans. My Father once told me c. AD1979: "Money is a wonderful servant, but a terr= ible master". Jesus of Nazareth c. AD31 said: "You cannot serve both God an= d money, for you will love the one and hate the other. You cannot have two = masters". My Father never quoted Jesus to me, but his words have proven to = be pearls of wisdom that echo my heavenly Father, and I am desperately glad= to share them. ____________________________________________________________________ Peter lives with his wife and two children near the Southern Highlands regi= onand works from his office in Campbelltown, NSW. Peter Hunt is the Financial Advisor & Authorised Representative of Professi= onal Investment Services Pty Ltd., AFSL No. 234951, ABN 11074608558 and can= be contacted on T: 02 4681 9900 or E) peter@fortefinancial.com.au Disclaimer: Nothing in this article represents specific or personal advice.= Please see your Financial Advisor for advice that is appropriate for you. = No responsibility for loss and/or damages arising from this article will be= accepted. News & Info [http://img.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/s.gif] [http://origin.ih.con= stantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/667.jpg?a=3D1102553313079] Parents check schools via Internet PARENTS will be able to compare their child's school with others on a websi= te providing information on student characteristics, test results and sourc= es of income under a proposal being considered by the nation's education mi= nisters. Mothers on trial for feeding toddlers pureed pizza TWO mothers will stand trial in Cairns on child cruelty charges after alleg= edly feeding their infants pureed pizza, pork crackling and other nutrition= ally poor foods. At the time the babies were taken into care by Department of Child Safety o= fficers in August last year, they were allegedly so severely malnourished t= hey would have died without intervention, prosecutor Senior Constable Sharo= n Steward told Cairns Magistrates' Court yesterday. Paid maternity leave could Boost Economy !! LABOR is under growing pressure to fund paid maternity leave in the budget = with new modelling showing it would boost economic activity and create thou= sands of jobs. Couples are shunning Church Marriages COUPLES are shunning religious wedding ceremonies in record numbers and goi= ng down the civil path to marriage to gain control and avoid pre-marital co= unselling. Religious weddings outnumbered civil ceremonies until 2001 when they reache= d a 50-50 split. __________________________________________________________________ Anzac Day The soldiers who served on the Gallipoli Peninsula created a legend, adding= the word 'Anzac' to our vocabulary, and creating the notion of the Anzac s= pirit. The Dads4Kids fatherhood Foundation would like to encourage our read= ers to celebrate this important day this coming Saturday the 25th of April.= Please find some ideas and locations of a an Anzac Day event near you. History Learn about the courage, endurance and m= ateship of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps when they landed on th= e Gallipoli Peninsula on 25 April 1915. Learn about the Dawn Service and th= e Gallipoli Campaign. Ceremonies in Australia 2008 | 2009 Find out what Anzac Day events are be= ing held in your area. Ceremonies overseas 2008 | 2009 Find information about = Anzac Day events held overseas. Anzac Day at Gallipoli 2009 Detailed information about the Anzac Day services at Gallipoli, Tur= key. Anzac Day in France 2009 Background= and images of the 2009 Anzac Day Commemorations in France. Organise a ceremony Discover how to= hold your own commemorative ceremony. Photo gallery Images of past Anzac Day ceremonies= around the world. Anzac Day Posters Posters issued by the Department of= Veterans' Affairs to commemorate Anzac Day. Dad's Prayer [http://origin.ih.constantcontact.com/fs007/1101938345415/img/668.jpg?a=3D1= 102553313079] 23rd Psalm for the Global Financial Crisis The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want even in the middle of the Global Financial Crisis. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. Even when I despair of life because of my financial woes. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of the Global Financial Crisis, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. My life is more than my job or my possessions. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my creditors and bankers. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. My relationships mean more to me than all the money in the world Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,and I will = dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 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_11025533130791101938345415121181161935FFscheduler_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
HTML Web Version Dads4Kids Newsletter
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20th April 2009      I= nspiring Fathers Encouraging Families  = Issue 348
 

 

 
Fathers &=20
the Global
Financial Crisis
 Pt2
=
Dear Brian,
Welcome to the Fatherhood Foundation newsletter and email information = service for Fathers and Families as we present Fathers & the Global Fi= nancial Crisis Pt 2.
=09
In This Issue
Frontline...The GFC Shadow
Link...Reunited
Laughter..Old is when
Grandfathers...Relationships
Single Dads...The Best Gift
All You Need is Love..Two Important Gifts
Special Feature...Fear & Greed
News & Info..Parents & Anzac Day
Dad's Prayer..The Lord is My Shepherd
Next Week&nb= sp;
 The War on Fatherhood
= 		=09 =09
= Join our Mailing List!
 
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<= a track=3D"on" href=3D"http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=3D1102553313079&s=3D1211&e= =3D0014UaMbFQ9BAduLHyLTgyKiu7hgVlOKHzu7jA5vBUIqAoCLhP7uOzMiVAVbB0lscw4UaeCI= R5uph5ea1eKjvkjS3CCENP0dNONPP9H3lne2NSiuH1yU8lyTe0TI424eSox" linktype=3D"li= nk" target=3D"_blank">Fathersafterdivorce.com =20
 
Steve Biddulph  =20
 
<= /tr>
Thought of the Week
The friendless owner of the= world is poor.
Aristotle Abbrevia= tion 
Frontline
= 3D"ManWe live as fathers in the shadow of the Global Financial Cris= is (GFC). How can we protect and provide for our families? We also ask why = and what as we look into an uncertain future. Many questions are rushing th= rough our minds.
 
One of the fathers of the modern men's mo= vement Edwin Cole u= sed to say, "The man who knows how will always have a job, but the man who = knows why will always be his boss".
 
Before I try to shed = light on some of the deeper questions facing both us and the world, let me = tell you a bit more about my own personal financial crisis that I experienc= ed in the mid-eighties.
 
In 1985 the building company I own= ed was placed in receivership. I lost everything I had ever worked for. Sev= eral weeks ago I told you how in a momentary lapse of reason in my own fina= ncial crisis I even thought about committing suicide.
 
Sad= ly many fathers in times of financial crisis not only have these thoughts, = but put them into action. Great failure can induce great madness. The solut= ion is to dig deep into your spiritual roots and remember the words of Jesu= s, "a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions". Bot= h fame and failure are imposters as Rudyard Kipling noted in his famous poe= m 'If". Still it is hard to stare them down in the heat of the moment.
 
At the time of my Personal Financial Crisis, I was living in a= magnificent 35 square home in a beautiful rural acreage on the outskirts o= f town. We had both a Volvo and a Fairmont in the garage and the capacity t= o enjoy the better things of life. I will always remember applying for the = dole, and how embarrassed I was to join the ranks of those 'drop kick dole-= bludgers'! It was most annoying as the lady at =3D"Humblethe Centrelink Office re= fused to accept that I had no money. If you want to humble a man, strip him= of everything he owns and send him to a Centrelink office. I was both anno= yed and humbled at the same time.
 
We had to move out of ou= r home. We had nowhere to go. All of my 'friends' had disappeared - funny h= ow that happens. However John was one of the faithful few and offered for u= s to live in his fibro garage at the rear of his home. We had to renovate i= t a little to make it liveable for our family of 5, but home is where the h= eart is.
 
So my wife and I and 3 young boys squeezed into a= makeshift home that flooded in big rains and that was half the size of the= living room of our previous house. Funnily enough we were happy to have a = roof over our head, some food to eat and to be together. More than that we = began to realize what true wealth consisted of: Friendship. 'The friendless= owner of the world is poor'. Friendship with God, friendship with family a= nd friendship with the friends who still like to hang out with you even if = you are a grand failure by other's estimations. It was a time of healing an= d recovery. As my brother said to me at the time, "It's a long way from the= bottom to the top, but it's a very short distance between the top to the b= ottom."
 
Unfortunately in the next decade many people are g= oing to experience the truth of my brother's statement. Many families will = have to adjust their fiscal expectations and in doing so experience the dee= p joy that comes from realising the best things in life cannot be bought. <= br /> 
I have just finished reading a new book by Harry S. Dent Jr, written in 2008 called 'The Great Depression Ahead - How to Prosper in the Crash that Follow= s the Greatest Boom in History'. Harry is a demographer <= /a>and a student of cycles and even though he has got several predictions w= rong over the years, his batting average is pretty high. The demographic wi= nter we have created through an 'abortion-on-demand-self-centred society' i= s about to drop us into a financial black hole.
 
Harry Dent= is not the only one saying this. My wife came home from a recent Colour Co= nference where Sy Rogers was talking about the 80 yea= r historical cycles as laid out in The Fourth Turning by Strauss and Howe published in late = 1997. This book prophesied that the world would enter a winter in about 10 = years (2008/09) that will last until 2020 as part of an 80 year cycle. This= winter could inv= olve war, economic depression and times of social upheaval. Unfortunately s= uch periods as those we are now entering into are breeding grounds for fasc= ist and totalitarian dictators. War becomes a political wildcard for both f= inanciers and world leaders who want to perpetuate their power.
 =
Rather than trust the opinions of a few, listed below are several You= Tube links that should provide some answers for your many questions. All th= e authors of these links could see the GFC coming. Take everything with a g= rain of salt but as you compare you will find the truth of the statement fo= und in Proverbs, 'Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring su= ccess.'
 
Gerald Celente -= Trends forecaster.
Peter Schiff - E= conomic commentator.
Prof Steve Keen,= Economic Commentator, Western Sydney University.
Freedom to Fa= scism: a Political and Economic Journey of Discovery - a groundbreaking= film by Aaron Russo.
Professor Niall Ferg= uson, Conversation with History - a very broad-based look at the curren= t crisis from an historical point of view.
 
Lovewor= k
 
Forewarned is forearmed. Special Feature this w= eek gives us some practical tips as fathers in families for dealing with th= e challenges we are about to face. The main thing is to keep a positive out= look, treasure your relationships, appreciate the ones you love and follow = the words of the famous reggae song, 'Don't worry, be happy'.
 Yours for the ones you love
Warwick Marsh
 
PS. We = are working on a Mother's Day TV campaign. We would greatly appreciate any = help you can give wit= h getting the ads to air.
 
Motherhood, as well as Fatherho= od, has been under enormous attack over the last few decades. It is time fo= r us as men to honour and appreciate the mothers of Australia. We will keep= you informed of our progress.=20

 __________________________________________________________= __________

Warwick Marsh  has been married to Ali= son for 33 years. He is the grandfather of two children and father of = five children, four boys and one girl, ranging in age from 28 years to = ;16 years.  Warwick is a musician, songwriter, producer and public spe= aker who likes to think he can still laugh at himself.
=
Link of the Week
 
Laughter
= =
 3D"Funny_Granny"
'OLD' IS WHEN...
Your sweetie says, 'Let's go upstairs and make l= ove,' and you answer, 'Pick one; I can't do both!'
'OLD' IS WHEN...Your friends compliment you on your new alligator shoes and you're baref= oot.
'OLD' IS WHEN...
A sexy babe or hunk catches your fancy and = your pacemaker opens the garage door.
'OLD' IS WHEN...
Going bral= ess pulls all the wrinkles out of your face.
'OLD' IS WHEN...
You= don't care where your spouse goes, just as long as you don't have to go al= ong.
'OLD' IS WHEN...
You are cautioned to slow down by the docto= r instead of by the police
'OLD' IS WHEN...
'Getting a little act= ion' means you don't need to take any fiber today.
'OLD' IS WHEN...'Getting lucky' means you find your car in the parking lot.
'OLD' I= S WHEN...
An 'all nighter' means not getting up to use the bathroom.AND 'OLD' IS WHEN....
You are not sure these are jokes?
 = ;            &n= bsp;       
 
Grandfathers
3D"Family
Relationships must= have priority in your life
above everything else.
 
Rick Warren
 

 
Single Dads
 
3D"SingleDads"
 3D"Dad_daughter"
When D= on lost his wife to Cancer he was left to raise his 8 year old daughter alo= ne.
by Don Barlow
 

In January 1987, = my wife of 12 years died from pancreatic cancer. This left me with the resp= onsibility of raising my 8-year-old daughter alone. After the shock of my w= ife's death, I became aware that I knew nothing about raising a daughter by= myself. We had raised my wife's two children and my two sons, and they wer= e all living outside of the home.
During the grieving process, I some= times wondered if the wrong parent had died. Mothers raise daughters. Fathe= rs are supposed to financially support the family. Mothers are the nurturer= s; it had been that way in my family. Now, I had to learn a new role, one I= hadn't anticipated. I never knew what being a parent was about until I had= to do it all myself.
I believe my daughter's greatest fear initially= was being left alone. She had already lost her mother. Would she lose me a= s well? Who would take care of her then? On one occasion she announced, "Da= d, I know what you can get me for Christmas, and it won't cost a cent. You = can find me a new mom." It was too soon for me to consider taking such a st= ep, but her question helped me to understand the depth of her need. She was= hurting and she was scared.
After the initial shock, denial and barga= ining phases had run their courses, we worked through the lingering anger a= nd depression and started to put our lives back together. When she was in e= lementary school, I became a "Room Father." (When it was my turn to bring c= ookies, I could buy the dough in rolls, cut it into individual cookies and = bake them.) I helped coach her softball team. I encouraged her involvement = in church activities so she would be spiritually grounded. I enrolled her i= n charm school and we joined ballroom dancing classes together.
For c= ultural exposure, I involved her in our American Indian heritage. We attend= ed and danced at Indian powwows. I signed her up for summer basketball camp= s and attended the awards ceremony at the end. I tried to be involved by ba= lancing work and family. I passed up a job at a local university because of= the position's frequent out-of-state travel.
So many memories: the f= irst date, graduations, basketball games at the arena, the first formal dan= ce, her first prom dress, learning how to ride a bike, her Indian dancing. = These things I will always treasure. The hard times: the day she broke her = arm playing basketball. The death of her older sister five years ago.
My daughter is 23 years old now. Like any parent, I didn't know it would t= urn out OK, until it did. It boiled down to this:
Ultimately, the bes= t gift I could give my daughter was my time, my love and my encouragement. = Daughters need their fathers no matter what their age, and it's never too l= ate to start.
= 3D"AlluNeed"<= /a>All You Need is Love
 Two Important Gifts for Your Marriage
S= everal years ago, Leslie Parrott was headed out of the house to do some sho= pping. She put the children in their car seats and backed out of the garage= . About a block away from the house she realized her youngest had fallen as= leep. She decided to take him back home and let dad take care of him while = she shopped. She pulled in the garage, opened the passenger door, grabbed t= he car seat with her child in it and took him upstairs to her husband. Then= she ran back downstairs, jumped in the car and backed out of the garage on= ly to hear a terrible screeching noise. At that moment she realized she had= not closed the passenger door and now it was sitting in the middle of the = driveway.
"I heard this awful noise and ran downstairs to see what had= happened," said Les Parrott, co-founder, with his wife Leslie, of the Cent= er for Relationship Development at Seattle Pacific University (realrelation= ships.com) and author of numerous books on marriage and parenthood. "When I= got to my wife, she was crying and just staring at the car and the garage,= which were both totally messed up. I realized at that moment that it was n= ot going to help the situation any for me to start yelling at Leslie. Inste= ad I put my arms around her, held her and said nothing."
If there were= two things the Parrotts could magically give to couples to enhance their m= arriage relationship they would give them the gift of empathy and good communication.
"One of the most powerful= things a couple can do to enjoy a deeper and more satisfying connection wi= th each other is simply to put yourself in the other person's shoes," said = Dr. Parrott. "Empathy is the heart of love. When you are able to think abou= t things from your spouse's perspective it really changes your relationship= . Couples tend to be less critical of each other and nag less frequently. C= onflicts tend to short circuited - not to be confused with not having any c= onflict - and you become better friends."
The second area the Parrotts= believe can transform a marriage is good communication. A national survey = of couples revealed that the average couple actually talks less than 17 min= utes a week to each other.
"One of our friends told us he and his wife= , in managing their household of four children, feel more like air traffic = controllers than husband and wife," said Dr. Parrott. "Busyness deludes us = into thinking that we're conversing when we are actually just trying to hol= d on to the hectic speed of our day. But it doesn't have to be that way."As hard as people say they are searching for more time to do things lik= e talk with their spouse, the dirty little secret that most know in their s= oul is that there really isn't any more time to be found. We just have to f= igure out how to spend our time differently.
"If spending time talking= with your spouse is a priority you have to put it before other things in y= our date book," said Dr. Parrott. "Robert J. McKain once said, 'The reason = most goals are not achieved is that we spend our time doing second things f= irst,' Leslie and I believe he hits the nail on the head. We say that our m= arriage comes first, but that doesn't matter if we devote our time to what = is lower on our list. Making your marriage a priority is the secret to recl= aiming the conversations you have been missing together."
Taken from t= he marriage website First Things First
www.firstthings.org

=09

Special Feature

 3D= 3D"Man
 
Fear and GreedBy Peter Hunt Adv. Dip. FS; AFPA
 
A 47 minute animated D= VD by Paul Grignon opens up something along these lines:

Tw= o great mysteries dominate our lives, love and money. 'What is love?' has b= een endlessly explored and expressed in a variety of different ways such as= in books, television, art and the theatre. The same can't be said however = about 'what is money?
 
Have you ever wondered why indi= viduals, small business, corporations and governments can all be in debt at= the same time, and owing such huge sums of money that may never be repaid?= It may be because monetary theory is not studied at school.
 Australians spend on average approx. 121% of their disposable household= income on credit. That's 21% more than we earn. Our consumerist society en= courages us to 'buy now, pay later' with 'interest free' terms, thus we fal= l into immediate debt. Not-to-mention the ease at which residential mortgag= es could be obtained, and promises of ever-increasing equity all of which, = fuelled the Australian love-affair with property.
 
Credit/= debt is future money, spent now. Even governments around the world want to = create more debt, call it a 'stimulus package' then forget to tell you that= your children's children will pick up the interest repayments in the years= to come. With a fall in birth rates and less people in the workforce in th= e coming years, as the baby-boom generation begins to retire in about 2012 = it is likely that interest rates and income tax rates will increase dramati= cally.
 
The impact of this could be of great detriment to = the budgets of mums and dads battling to maintain a reasonable standard of = living for their families, and all the signs are there to suggest that a co= ming crash would pale 1929 into insignificance.
 
Some will= say that it is human greed that has caused all these problems and I think = that certainly plays a major part in these current and past money problems.= Others will cite fear as another reason. In fact, as a financial advisor I= believe that both fear and greed have played equally important roles in th= e workings of the money markets, especially when it comes to stocks and sha= res. Yet these are human emotions played upon by a much larger issue, and t= here is more to our money system than meets the eye.
 
When = Paul wrote a letter to Timothy in about AD64 he coined it thus: "For the lo= ve of money is the root of all evil". So instead of pursuing the meaning of= two great mysteries that have dominated our lives over the centuries, we'v= e simply mixed them together, through both fear (of loss) and greed (to gai= n), made the acquisition and accumulation of money our life goal and number= one priority.
 
John Adams, Founding Father of the American= Constitution once stated:

All of the perplexities, confusio= n, and distress in America arises, not from the defects of the Constitution= or Confederation, not from want of honour or virtue, so much as from downr= ight ignorance of the nature of coin, credit, and circulation.
 <= br />3D"CoupleIf we knew = just how beastly the money system of today really is, we would not love mon= ey but learn to hate it, and well we should because of the destruction and = devastation to families, children, businesses and governments caused by pur= suing such a thing as fickle, cold and impersonal as money.
 
Here are a few things you can do to try and avoid getting caught out by w= hat could result in an inevitable failure in the money system. As you read = through, try to remember that while this might seem improbable, time and ti= me again throughout history the failing money supply has brought nations to= their knees and brought great poverty to their citizens...except for those= who were prepared for it:
 
Live within your means and write a budget;
Get out of all debt;
Diversify your assets (what you invest in) and consider investing your= assets globally (where you invest them;
Write a Will and keep it current;
Study and research, get a grasp on some basic economics;
Don't be a guarantor for anybody;
Keep a store of extra food available;
Keep fit and healthy and remain strong for your family;
Have some cash on hand, about 15-20% of your net worth with as little = as possible left in the banking system, and;
Spread the word, include family, neighbours and friends in your plans.=
 
My Father once told me c. AD1979: "Money is a wonderful = servant, but a terrible master". Jesus of Nazareth c. AD31 said: "You canno= t serve both God and money, for you will love the one and hate the other. Y= ou cannot have two masters". My Father never quoted Jesus to me, but his wo= rds have proven to be pearls of wisdom that echo my heavenly Father, and I = am desperately glad to share them.
___________________________________= _________________________________ 
Peter = lives with his wife and two children near the Southern Highlands regionand = works from his office in Campbelltown, NSW.
 
Peter Hunt is = the Financial Advisor & Authorised Representative of Professional Inve= stment Services Pty Ltd., AFSL No. 234951, ABN 11074608558 and can be conta= cted on T: 02 4681 9900 or E) peter@fortefinancial.com.au
 
Discl= aimer: Nothing in this article represents specific or personal advice. Plea= se see your Financial Advisor for advice that is appropriate for you. No re= sponsibility for loss and/or damages arising from this article will be acce= pted.
News & Info
=
   3D"NewsInfo" 3D"Man PARENTS will be able to compare their child's school = with others on a website providing information on student characteristics, = test results and sources of income under a proposal being considered by the= nation's education ministers.

Mothers on trial for f= eeding toddlers pureed pizza
 
TWO mothers will stand trial in Cairns on child cruelty charges a= fter allegedly feeding their infants pureed pizza, pork crackling and other= nutritionally poor foods.

At the time the babies were taken in= to care by Department of Child Safety officers in August last year, they we= re allegedly so severely malnourished they would have died without interven= tion, prosecutor Senior Constable Sharon Steward told Cairns Magistrates' C= ourt yesterday. 
 
Paid maternity leave could Boost Economy !! =20
 
LABOR is under growing pressure to fund paid maternity leave in the bu= dget with new modelling showing it would boost economic activity and create= thousands of jobs.
 
 
COUPLES are shunning religious wedding ceremonies in record numbers an= d going down the civil path to marriage to gain control and avoid pre-marit= al counselling.

Religious weddings outnumbered civil ceremonies = until 2001 when they reached a 50-50 split. 
 
________= __________________________________________________________
 
Anzac= Day
The soldiers who served on the Gallipoli Peninsula= created a legend, adding the word 'Anzac' to our vocabulary, and creating = the notion of the Anzac spirit. The Dads4Kids fatherhood Foundation wo= uld like to encourage our readers to celebrate this important day this comi= ng Saturday the 25th of April. Please find some ideas and locations of a an= Anzac Day event near you.=20
 
History Learn about the courage, endurance and mateship= of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps when they landed on the Galli= poli Peninsula on 25 April 1915. Learn about the Dawn Service and the Galli= poli Campaign.
Ceremonies in Australia   2008 | 2009 Find out wha= t Anzac Day events are being held in your area.  

Cere= monies overseas 2008 | 2009 Find information about Anzac Day events held over= seas.
 
Anzac Day at= Gallipoli 2009 Detailed information about the Anzac Day services at Ga= llipoli, Turkey.  
Anzac Day in Fra= nce 2009 Background and images of the 2009 Anzac Day Commemorations in = France.  
Organise a ceremony= Discover how to hold your own commemorative ceremony.  
Photo gallery Images of past Anzac Day ceremonies around the wo= rld.  
Anzac Day Posters Posters issued by the De= partment of Veterans' Affairs to commemorate Anzac Day.

Dad's Prayer

3D"Financial 
23rd Psalm for the Global Financial= Crisis
 
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not be in w= ant even in the middle of
 the Global Financial Crisis.
He = makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,= he restores my soul.
Even when I despair of life because of my financ= ial woes.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.<= br />
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow
of the= Global Financial Crisis,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
My life is more than my = job or my possessions.
 
You prepare a table before me in th= e presence of
my creditors and bankers.
You anoint my head with o= il; my cup overflows.
My relationships mean more to me than all the mo= ney in the world
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days = of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
<= /font>
=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.

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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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