By Kim Choe
Three well-known New Zealand musicians have put their talents behind a parenting project aimed at turning young and single men into better dads.
In Your Hands is a DVD that uses music to try and encourage fathers to form closer bonds with their kids.
Daniel Brown knows that being a dad isn't easy, but the 28-year-old first time father's being helped along by a few famous faces - musicians Tiki Taane, SJD and Warren Maxwell, formerly of Trinity Roots.
The three feature in a new parenting DVD talking about the ups and downs of fatherhood.
"Just 'cause they're famous doesn't mean that they don't go through the same troubles that you do, and the same obstacles that you go through," says Mr Brown.
The DVD's creators wanted to highlight how important it is for fathers to form bonds with their children early on - and the musicians had no problems singing the same tune.
"It's pretty awesome stuff just thinking that this is a life gig," says Taane. "This ain't, you know, 'You're turning 16, get out of the house.' It's pretty cool."
"And then suddenly out they pop, there they are," says SJD, "and suddenly it's just like, that's the starting point. I'm gonna know this person for the rest of my life."
Donations and sponsorship mean the public can go online to nominate dads they think could benefit from the free DVD. Mr Brown got his through the Father and Child Trust - a support group founded to give parenting a more male perspective.
"It's not easy to get dads to ask for help, or even admit that they need any help," says support worker Brendon Smith. "We've produced magazines before, there's some great books for DIY fathers on how to be a dad. You might say that the DVD, music & the interviews, it fills that gap."
Something for which Mr Brown's son Eruwera is sure to be grateful.
Check it out online: www.greatfathers.org.nz
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