#4 Ken Sanders: The Center on Fathering
What if there was a place where men could go to commiserate about fatherhood, and even learn how to be a better dad? Such a place exists in El Paso County, Colorado, where men have gathered for weekly classes and seminars on fathering since 1995 at the Center on Fathering. In the 22 years since the center opened, the staff has expanded to seven employees and welcomed more than 18,000 fathers through the doors for group sessions or classes.
The man running the Center on Fathering is 65-year-old Ken Sanders, the center's first-ever employee. The center offers books, videos and other resources for dads looking for a helping hand, but they also dig deep with the men who need help. There are a variety of weekly courses sometimes lasting more than three months focused on topics like conflict resolution, nurturing and their core fatherhood class, which lasts 15 weeks and teaches dads to be more actively and positively involved in their child’s development.
On this episode of Paternal, Sanders discusses how the classes work, and what motivated him to dedicate his career to helping men better shape their experience of fatherhood.
