Houston – June 16, 2009. . . . ESCAPE Family Resource Center helps make a difference for Dads in their children’s lives by providing the parenting programs necessary to help prevent abusive relationships and build healthy families. This Father’s Day, three local graduates of ESCAPE’s “Dads Count” (or “Building Confident Families”) course share their personal journeys from fathers on probation to those with promising futures.

According to ESCAPE Family Resource Center CEO Lidya Osadchey, “We called the class ‘Dads Count’ to remind Dads that children count on their fathers to be there to guide and protect them.” “I’d like to help other men so they don’t get caught up in the system,” explains ESCAPE “Dads Count” graduate Robert Robertson. He, Derwin P. Williams and Glenn Robinson, dealt with the emotional and financial ravages of divorce in ways that directly impacted their children, including being delinquent in their child support payments. Referred by the Domestic Relations Office to take ESCAPE’s “Dads Count” class, each enrolled in the class begrudgingly and only because of the mandate. However, by the end of the eight-week, interactive course, each had attained a new perspective on how to co-parent their children with the mother (some were never married to their children’s mom) to the betterment of the son or daughter’s development and everyone involved.  Here are their stories:

Robert Robertson and his wife had been in the nightclub and restaurant business as partners. When their marriage broke up, Robert claimed his wife took child support payments out of the business for their daughter, who was 9 or 10 at the time. Not only had his relationship soured with his wife, he says his ex was putting their daughter in the middle, making her “pick sides.” Robertson bought things for his daughter, but the court viewed those as “gifts,” not child support. Before he knew it, he got a court summons and was jailed for contempt of court.  He was, in his words, “forced” to take the “Dads Count” class. He admits now that he had an “awesome instructor” who made sure everyone (20 Dads) participated in class to release whatever frustrations they were feeling. “We all had a common thread — all of us love our children and wanted to be good Dads, but couldn’t deal with the pressures of relationships gone bad.” Robertson’s daughter graduates this year from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in broadcast journalism. For the first time in years, he gave his ex-wife a Mother’s Day gift, including a card and an orchid, to tell her what a great job she did as a Mom.

When Derwin P. Williams and his common-law wife split up in 2008 after eight or more rocky years, she took their son, age 5, and her two sons (ages 10 and 12) from a previous relationship with her. In July the children were going to a pool party with their mother, aunts, uncles and cousins. The youngest cousin, age 4, was left in the car and died of heat exhaustion. CPS took all the children away from the mothers. Williams, whose son is currently living with his paternal grandmother, took ESCAPE’s “Building Confident Families” class because it was something he needed to do to get his sons back. “I don’t think I’m a bad parent, but if you want to show me how to be a better parent, show me. I’m willing to learn,” he said.  “Going to the ESCAPE class, I gained a better understanding of myself and how to help my son become a better person,” said Williams. His birth son, 6, recently finished Kindergarten and made honor roll. Williams has another court hearing coming up; his best Father’s Day gift ever would be to get custody of his son and be able to adopt his two stepsons.

Glenn Robinson has a make-up class to do before he earns his “Dads Count” graduation certificate. Self-described as a “nice guy who has a good relationship with his kids,” Robinson got behind in his child support payments after getting laid off from his job in 2007. Though he says he made partial payments, his common-law ex-wife took him to court and the judge ordered him to take the ESCAPE classes.  Like the other Dads, Robinson was not looking forward to spending his Sunday afternoons in a parenting class. However, he says after the first day, he had a different opinion. He told his new wife that he really had learned a lot about how he could help mold their children (and those from his previous relationship) and guide them. “This class opened my eyes a lot.  I keep up with my (child support) payments.  The class is about LOVE,” he says with joy, quoting ESCAPE’s catch phrase to “Listen with your heart” and learning to ask your children questions and really listen to what they are saying. “I wish I’d known then (as a younger Dad) what I know now,” Robinson said.  “I came to the class nonchalant, but I really learned a lot.”

“Dads Count” classes are held in a safe group environment with other fathers who are experiencing similar situations.  Sessions are led by master’s level facilitators who lead Dads through classes on managing stress and anger, creating positive co-parenting arrangements, identifying the feelings and needs of one’s children, and speaking and listening from the heart, among the lessons.

For those looking for a Father’s Day gift for the Dad who has everything, they may sponsor a Dad for an ESCAPE “Dads Count” parenting class for $135 in one’s father’s name.

ESCAPE Family Resource Center, www.LearnToParent.org, is committed to providing child abuse prevention programs, parenting classes, relevant information and tools to anyone who cares to positively shape the future of children.  Its mission is to give moms, dads and other caregivers the strength to open their hearts and minds to the light that loving parenting sheds on a child’s world.

For further information on ESCAPE, contact Myron Day,  myronday@learntoparent.org, 713-942-9500.