Davy
When Davy started taking his Samuel to Dads Rock it helped him turn a corner. Davy found being a new Dad tough.
“In the beginning with Samuel I found it hard going. I was diagnosed with stress a few months after he was born. I got very frustrated. It all came to a head when I went to see my GP and took some time off work. When I found Dads Rock things felt that little bit easier.”
Davy had struggled to find things to do with Samuel but desperately wanted to get out the house and give his wife Hannah a break.
“I had never been to a Dads group before when I first came to Dads Rock. I had been to events at church or the local library and always felt like the odd one out. After Samuel was born I felt my wife needed chance to recover. But I always found groups a bit intimidating as they were mostly focused on mums. It was hard to just sit there on my own.”
At Dads Rock Davy found he could enjoy spending time with his son and he felt comfortable speaking to others.
“We all sit and have a cuppa while watching the kids play. I never feel judged or intimidated. You don’t have eyes on you if anything goes wrong.”
Davy now goes to Dads Rock most weeks with his son Samuel, four, and his daughter Abi, one. After Abi was born Davy found the relationships he had built up with the other Dads even more valuable.
“When Samuel was small he was up every few hours. I got such good advice from other Dads about how to feed if I was on my own or out and about. Now we do things I picked up at Dads Rock with Abi, like putting a chair in their own room. The second time round with Abi, I coped much better. I think that has a lot to do with the support I got at Dads Rock.”
Davy also attended Dads Rock antenatal classes and found them of real benefit.
“Before Samuel was born the classes were all focused on birth and mum. At Dads Rock classes I felt more able to ask questions about how I could support my wife. No question was off limits.”
Dads Rock is also an extremely supportive environment for Samuel, who was diagnosed with as autistic in September 2017.
Davy added, “Samuel loves it at Dads Rock. He is running rings round us at home now, in at everything! He looks forward to Dads Rock every week, as he loves to get out, play and explore. It’s part of his routine now and routine is important to him.”
Davy says going to Dads Rock has given him experiences and memories with his kids that he feels he might not have had outside the group.
“I remember a Dads Rock trip was one of the first time me and Samuel ever did something really adventurous together. We went fishing at Vogrie and then lit fires. That took me right out of my comfort zone. Samuel loved it.”