Celebrating Dad

June 16, 2017

Father’s Day in the U. S. is on the third Sunday of June. It celebrates contributions fathers and father figures make for their children’s lives. Its origins may lie in a memorial service held for a large group of men, many of them fathers, who were killed in a mining accident in Monongah, West Virginia in 1907. It became a recognized holiday in 1972.

Make this “Dad’s Day” a little special and a recognition of your Father’s personal interests and routine. So whether he’s a dedicated health enthusiast, a military history buff, do-it yourselfer, an easy and unique way to honor him is getting this year’s gift at the U.S. Government Bookstore

Easy access, easy selection since the online bookstore cover page gives you a full menu of options whether you wish to review by topic, such as Art, Maps, Travel, or Health & Benefits, perhaps US Military History. Also check out “Browse by Agency” to dig down into what’s going on inside government, especially if his business or avocation is driven by the news and information authored by those in the know when it comes to the Federal Government in action.

Here are just a few examples of titles men who stay on top of what’s in the news might enjoy:

Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol. This guide is geared to parents and guardians of young people ages 10 to 14. Provides helpful information on how to discuss alcohol with your child. Your child looks to you for guidance and support in making life decisions—including the decision not to use alcohol.

Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General presents the message that Americans can substantially improve their health and quality of life by including moderate amounts of physical activity in their daily lives.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Healthy Fathers Make Delightful Dads

June 16, 2016

fathers_dayFather’s Day is upon us. And who knows better than Mom and the kids when Dad is in the mood for family fun? It’s a good bet that if he’s eating right, getting the exercise and the rest busy guys need (though most Americans don’t), then there’s a good chance the household is a great place to be.

The keystone to happiness is one’s health, not just for Dad but the entire family. Men’s health is finally getting the attention it deserves. For a long time, it seemed as if no one realized the mighty male is as vulnerable to disease, poor vital signs and stress as is the woman of the house and the kids. Things have changed. U.S.  Health and Human Services health oriented professionals have researched and authored some great publications to ensure the men in your life have the tools to combat “the couch and – oh my aching back – syndromes.”

This year, when you celebrate Father’s Day, think about how you can do Dad one better by giving him the methods and information to support his present health regime; or if he hasn’t been all that vigilant, can jump start his journey to health and wellness. Sometime it takes the encouragement of a loved one for a strong-willed man to change directions from unhealthy to healthy. Sound familiar?

A Few Moments Browsing the GPO Online Bookstore Can Bring a Lifetime of Better Health Choices

9780160930126At last count there are over 100 publications listed at bookstore.gpo.gov that can positively impact a man’s health and that of his family too.  “Work-Out to Go”, from the National Institute on Aging, for older men can help Dads get back into a work-out routine– often after a lengthy break. It explains how to overcome a sense of “too much work doesn’t allow me time for exercise.”  Don’t let anything get in your way or his from maintaining an exercise regimen.

017-300-00025-3_Page_001Exercise and Physical Activity is an e-book, and it’s free. This easy read shows how to get started, plus how to make an exercise plan, plus many more tips for getting healthy. The Veteran’s Administration also has many publications defining health benefits and care benefits for Vets. Check out Health Care Benefits Overview, GPO Stock # 051-000-00256-3, strictly to support Vets in securing their health care needs.

Whether YOUR DAD is Young, Old, A Vet, in great shape, or not so, Father’s Day can be the day to urge him to be the man he always has been inside, just a healthier one inside and outside too.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

 Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Glad Dad: Best Books and Sites for Fathers

June 11, 2013

Fathers-day-in-multiple-languagesMany of our personal characteristics, such as where we are born, the color of our eyes, our native language—are due to luck. If we get good parents, this is due to luck, too. When we become parents ourselves, though, we need to rely on our own hard work. Being a parent is the happiest and hardest job I’ve ever had, and I know many people say the same. Any help you can get with that job, whether it is from your own parents, friends, your child’s teachers, parents of your child’s friends, is welcome. As the African proverb goes, it takes a village to raise a child.

Image: How do you say Father? Source: Craftionary

The Federal government wants to be part of that village, and provide parents with any assistance it can give. And with Father’s Day this Sunday, the Government Printing Office wants to highlight these terrific Federal publications and websites to help Dads be all they can be. Whether he’s called Papi, Papa, Pop, Baba, Daddy, Da, Abbu or just plain Dad, celebrate the fathers– and father figures– you know by sharing these resources with them.

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse

Fatherhood.gov Despicable Me National Responsible Fatherhood ClearinghouseThe Government supports fathers in many ways; one of them is through the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse at Fatherhood.gov. Dads can check out this site to find fatherhood programs and resources, connect with mentors, read the latest blog posting on DadTalk, and take the Fatherhood Pledge.

Eleven Federal partners are involved in the Responsible Fatherhood Working Group: the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, Veterans Affairs, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The level of Federal investment shows how seriously the President and the Federal Government takes this initiative. Another way to reap the benefits of Federal support of fathers is to read Federal government publications prepared in support of responsible fatherhood.

Promoting Responsible Fatherhood

Hero poster for FatherhoodFirst.org Promoting Responsible Fatherhood: Every Father Taking Responsibility for His Child’s Intellectual, Emotional, and Financial Well-Being discusses the various programs and initiatives that President Obama has been promoting as part of his Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative, including the Head Start-sponsored Fatherhood First program (see poster on the left).

President Obama believes in the importance of fatherhood, as he said in 2009:

“I came to understand the importance of fatherhood through its absence—both in my life and in the lives of others. I came to understand that the hole a man leaves when he abandons his responsibility to his children is one that no government can fill” (p. 2).

To keep that void from opening, the Federal Government has started the aforementioned initiative, and the president has asked for Federal budget support for the Child Support Enforcement Program and to sustain funding for the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood grants.

President Obama playing with daughters and new dog BoThis book discusses these and similar Federal Government programs started and/or supported by the Obama Administration, and what the programs have done to help fathers and their families.

Image: President Obama playing with his daughters Sasha and Malia along with then-new (and rambunctious) dog, Bo, on the White House lawn. Source: The White House

This volume is mostly a high-level program summary of interest to policy wonks, public policy workers, social workers, local government officials and students of those disciplines. However, the general public can also glean information about what resources they can get from the Federal Government to assist their families.

At the document’s end, there’s a list of things fathers, individuals, NGOs and places of worship can do to support fatherhood in their own communities as well. The document’s authors try to show how the Federal government stretches out a hand, but it ends on a note of helping oneself, much like the next volume.

Download an electronic copy of Promoting Responsible Fatherhood: Every Father Taking Responsibility for His Child’s Intellectual, Emotional, and Financial Well-Being for FREE from GPO. 

Dad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to Read

Dad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to ReadDad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to Read is geared to get dads to help their kids to read, using case studies and helpful tips. The writers use two of the most important behavior modification tools at their disposal: we all want to be like our peers (hence the case studies) and men love sports (hence the extended coaching metaphor). Twenty dads are profiled on how they are helping their kids learn to read, giving their names, photos, occupations and ages, so they’re more relatable to readers.

The middle pages cover five skills that children need to have mastered to be readers by third grade; everyone who has responsibility for a pre-K through 3rd grade child should be taking some time to study this cheat sheet. Each tip has a paragraph subtitled, How Can a Dad Help? that gives specific suggestions for a dad to improve reading—for example, with fluency. This title is short but sweet; there’s a lot more to know about helping a child learn to read, but this friendly, picture-filled piece is definitely worth the time it takes not only to read it, but to study it and employ in your life as well.

You can either

How can I find these publications: Promoting Responsible Fatherhood: Every Father Taking Responsibility for His Child’s Intellectual, Emotional, and Financial Well-Being and Dad’s Play Book: Coaching Kids to Read?

About the author(s): Our guest blogger is Jennifer K. Davis from GPO’s Library Services & Content Management Division that supports the Federal Depository Libraries Program (FDLP). (Article was adapted by Government Book Talk Editor, Michele Bartram, GPO Promotions & Ecommerce Manager, from an original  post on the FDLP Community site blog by Ms. Davis.)

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Posted by Michele Bartram, U.S. Government Online Bookstore