A lot of teen fathers abandon their babies, but in “Where the Fathers At?” by Antwaun Garcia, p. 35, the author profiles one young man who is taking responsibility for his two sons.

PROMPTS FOR DISCUSSION AND/OR WRITING

--Antwaun says his father is “cool as a friend but sucky when it comes to taking care of his kids.” Was your father a good father? Why or why not? Would you like to raise your kids the same way he raised you? If so, why? If not, what would you do differently?

--As Antwaun says, a lot of teen fathers don’t take responsibility for their kids. What could be done to try to prevent this problem?

--Ahlvoid had a lot of troubles and could easily have abandoned his kids. Why do you think he decided to be a good father?

--Write a short note to Ahlvoid, telling him what you think of the way he’s handled his responsibilities as a father.

--Write a Father’s Day card to your father, telling him what you think of the job he’s done.

Roleplay: Two teens. Teen #1 just found out his girlfriend is pregnant and has no intention of sticking around and being a father. Teen #2 wants to convince him to stay and do the right thing.

Group Activity: Youth can work in pairs or in small groups. The youth are in charge of designing a program for teen fathers that will help them to stick around and take responsibility for their children. The program can include anything, from parenting skills classes to job training. Go around the room, list the groups’ suggestions on the board, and discuss.