Aug 29, 2018
Of all the leadership roles in
society, David Hirsch wants to share the importance of fatherhood.
He has a passion to connect children and their fathers, and to
educate others on the detriment of “father absence.” He discusses
the ripple effect fatherhood has on both young boys and girls -
from the individual, to the community, and the world. He also talks
about his own discoveries on fatherhood, and his personal
reflections during long and arduous bike rides.
Key Takeaways
[4:43] David is a true advocate
for addressing the issue of father absence and educating others
that the issue knows no socioeconomic boundary. It is an issue that
exists in suburban, urban and rural areas all around the
world.
[6:47] True leaders talk about
their real emotions, encourage others to speak their truth. When
David confronted his own emotions about the father / son
relationship he experienced he found it to be cathartic.
[9:26] It’s bad news for our
society all around when fathers are absent. The more fathers we
have present in the lives of their children, the easier it is to
reach their potential and navigate the world.
[12:14] Through his work at the
Illinois Father Initiative, their essay contest encourages
school-aged Illinois children to write an essay about their father,
stepfather, grandfather or father-figure. One of David’s most
favorable aspects of his work there was recognizing and
appreciating all kinds of role models, educators and
volunteers.
[14:17] From 1993 - 1996 David
was a Kellogg National Fellow with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. He
used his stipend to start family and community foundations, and to
connect grant makers to grant seekers. He cites that experience as
a profound way to see the world from a different
perspective.
[20:04] We are still making up
for the past 3 generations negatively impacted by the term
“deadbeat dads.” It is up to leaders to learn from mistakes, and
realize what is really important to child support rather than just
a monetary donation. Good fathers are present in every way:
spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially.
[22:46] There are also four
aspects of what David’s definition of a great dad to both young men
and women:
- Commitment
- Loving Your Child or Children
- Patience
- Honest
[26:03] David’s Dad Honor Rides
from Santa Monica to Chicago, then Boston to Chicago and all around
Lake Michigan was a way for him to challenge himself and build
awareness to his cause of fatherhood and ending father absence. A
few of the takeaways during those trips were not to underestimate
himself, let go to a higher power, and that leaders don’t get there
alone.
[41:51] Special Fathers Network
is a new dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children
with special needs. David is proud that the program helps to
identify extraordinary men to step up and be mentors through
honestly relating to their own experience.
Quotable Quotes
- “What
propelled me was fear.”
- “You
can stretch yourself, and we each have a lot bigger bandwidth than
we realize.”
- “It’s
hard to be something you didn’t witness or experience
yourself.”
Illinois Fatherhood Initiative
TedX: Why We Need to Break the Cycle of Father
Absence
How Will You Measure Your
Life by Clayton Christensen
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
21st Century Dads
Special Fathers Network