|
-This morning at our school during our first full week of Watch D.O.G.S we had new students enrolling in the building this morning and they came with their Mom and Dad to do that. Some of our current students came up to the “new Dad” in the building and hugged him thinking he was the Watch D.O.G. for the day. I didn’t tell you this on the phone, but that dad is already signed up to be a Watch D.O.G.!!! After that experience, who wouldn’t sign up! Thanks for all your help and for rolling out this amazing program. We are loving it!!! - Here is what a WatchDOG dad from a school in Plano, TX had to say about his experience: I have to tell you how much I enjoyed volunteering in the WatchDOGS
program yesterday. I spent time in four kindergarten classes, got to
help a bit with school pictures, played monster-tag on the playground,
and enjoyed meeting some great staff.
Several things impressed me.
1. During Morning Car Pool duties, I was really impressed with the
number of kids who spotted the WatchDOGS t-shirt, said hello, and asked
whose father I was. I was also impressed with the number of kids,
walking into the school, who responded to my own greeting ("Good
Morning, kids"), with their own "Good Morning!" It was really positive
and impressive.
Something deeply touched me:
2. I don't know what it was, but there were a number of kids who really
seemed to want to get close. Even my five year old daughter picked up on
this. Whether walking with the kindergarteners to school pictures, or to
PE outside, or to lunch, or to recess, there were half a dozen kids who
- on their own - would grab my hand and want to walk next to me. Several
kids actually seemed to "cling." As I got to know them a bit, they would
open up and tell me, "I don't have a dad," or "My dad doesn't live with
me anymore." One young girl, who is a actually close friends with my
daughter, actually opened up and told me how hurt she was that her
father had left her and her mom, that her mom had a new boyfriend, that
sometimes he lived there, and that sometimes she felt like she was all
alone." It broke my heart. She asked for a hug, I gave her one, and she
cried on my shoulder for several minutes. I let her know that she could
always talk with you, or the teachers or school counselor. She said her
teacher knew and that they talked all the time. Then she went off and
played with several other kids who told me they also didn't have fathers
and, "That's why they we're friends with each other!" These kids were
only five years old. I have to admit that as I watched them run onto the
playground, I welled up a bit. I never realized how much this simple
volunteer day could affect me on an emotional level.
I'm so glad my daughter goes to Huffman.
On the way home, we stopped for a shake at McDonalds, and she told me,
"Dad, I think it was good that some kids got to know you. Some kids in
my class don't have fathers." I asked her if it bothered her that some
kids wanted to hang around or wanted to hold my hand, and she actually
told me, "Well, at first I didn't want them to 'cuz you're my dad. But
then I realized that they got you for today, but I get you every other
day for my whole life! So its kinda like I got to share you with
everybody!"
She then asked me to volunteer again some time! ...it was a terrific day for both of us!
|
Testimonies 
