Focus on Fathers
La Leche League Family Circle
Shirley M.
IN USA
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol. 18 No. 2, March-April 2001, p. 73
My favorite part of being
involved in La Leche League is the relationships! This was the reason
I attended my first meeting. We had just moved to a new town and I needed
new friends. However, what I didn't consider was how my involvement
would affect my husband, John.
I quickly became very good
friends with the Group Leader, Carla. I began preparing for leadership
soon afterward. Carla and I have many things in common, including the
fact that we each have four children and their ages mirror each other.
Since we spepd so much time together doing LLL work, our children have
naturally become friends, too. Our five-year-olds, Gage and Lexi, have
already made their "wedding plans."
The outcome we didn't expect
is that our husbands would also become good friends. They share an interest
in computers, help each other with home improvement projects, trade
books on tape, and coach soccer teams together. They even co-led a father's
session at our Area Conference a few years ago.
Recently, Carla, and I went
to an Area Conference together. Our getaway plan included leaving our
long since weaned children with their fathers. We were really looking
forward to the time to ourselves. What a treat - a three-hour drive
with nothing to do but talk! Can you imagine? We were also anticipating
all those energizing sessions that are only found at LLL conferences.
We made plans for months beforehand!
Our husbands were planning,
too. Their agenda included a campout with the children. Everyone was
excited at the prospect of a great weekend. Then, during dinner one
night, Pete phoned and the bubble was burst. He had to work that weekend!
Canceling the campout was only part of the disappointment. Pete and
Carla's children would miss their last soccer game of the season, too.
Later, John and I talked
about the situation and he decided that it was unnecessary for the children
to miss their soccer game. He offered to have them sleep over and then
take all eight to soccer while Pete worked. Consequently, while Carla
and I were enjoying a conference session on "Raising Loving Siblings,"
John somehow corralled eight children into a van and made it to the
soccer field by 8 Am. What an amazing feat
I think it is unusual when
a man develops enough attachment to another's children to care that
they miss their last soccer game. John and Pete frequently watch the
other's children, but my husband's willingness to take all eight of
the children to a soccer field early on a Saturday morning left me awestruck.
But when I thought about it, I realized that Pete would probably have
done the same.
When I went to my first meeting
looking for friends, I had no idea of the many benefits that would be
coming into my life. The perks of being involved in La Leche League
never seem to stop. Thanks to the support of such a loving husband,
I'm able to give a lot of my time to this wonderful organization. I
think he agrees that the rewards keep coming back to us tenfold!
Last updated November 13 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:56 UTC 2007.
