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STATISTICS:
•Recent research in Scandinavia determined that men are capable of involved parenting and changes to traditional gender practices when there is support from the state, and especially when paid paternity leave is available.
•According to latest research from the Equal Opportunities Commission, Swedish fathers average 45 per cent of parental childcare, which is the most in the Western World.
Man and Father
Pelle Koornstra
Netherlands, theGALLERYCONVERSATION
 Media Center
I was studying creative writing through an evening course, trying to sell my scripts, when my wife and I started talking about having children.

At that point the term “dad” was just an empty phrase for me. This was not because I never knew my own dad or that he was a lousy one. I could not get a picture in my head of myself as a dad. To fill this emptiness I decided to make a documentary about it.

The great thing about this movie for me was that I could go to men with children and ask all kinds of questions. We could talk about things that men normally don't talk about. I would not ask my best friends about the education of their kids. I would not ask them about the dilemma of staying home with the children versus your career. And I would certainly not ask them how to change a diaper. But armed with a camera I had the liberty to do so.

The best thing was that after my daughter was born I had a picture of how to be dad. It was like I knew how walk, talk and move as one. Sometimes when I encountered problems as a new dad certain parts of my movie gave me advice what to do. I heard the voices of my movie dads in my head or a saw certain scenes.

I know that this movie will not change the world. But I want to point out that the role of the father is an important one for every child. Educating your children is a very masculine thing to do.

Mothers have a wide array of media outlets in which to express their views, from women’s magazines to television programs. Their opinion is heard often enough. The father’s point of view, on the other hand, is under-represented. Through following the lives of several individual fathers, the film seeks to identify the core of paternity and address the male point of view on parenting. The only thing a woman can do as a parent that a man can’t is nurse her children.

Real men look after their children. A real man not only ensures the financial side of the education, but he is also emotionally involved in the education.

Real men have children. The rest is just fun and games.
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Fatherhood
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LLOYD E. SCOTT
United States
Latest Comment
I've been a step dad for the past 2 1/2 years, since I was 50. It is sad that because his real dad does not want to have anything to do with him, he makes up lies and tries to create friction with his mom and I, and of course he wants all...
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