Father's Day comes every day for group of caregiver dads

CAMERON BURNELL/The Taranaki Daily News

BOYS' OWN: Thomas Perry with Troy, 3, , Randall Feek holds Greer, 1, Kevin Hassett (at back) with Finbar, 3, and Cees Bevers with Stefan, 3. Carys Feek, 3, is back left.

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Four dads who hang out with their kids every day as the primary caregivers are non-fussed about chances of getting a break on Father's Day.

"Breakfast in bed would be nice," says Kevin Hassett who's a stay-at-home dad for three-year-old son Finbar.

"We'll be doing family stuff. It's important to stick together at the weekend," reckons group founder and father of two Cees Bevers. He started the group with another dad from his former ante-natal class.

The New Plymouth group boasts partners who are career women with higher earning potential than themselves. They each care for between one and two pre-schoolers, meeting weekly on Wednesdays for outings and adult company.

Kevin's wife Rowena, a social worker who emigrated from the United Kingdom for the job, reckons her husband and son have more adventures than she would.

Kevin, a painter and decorator, jokes: "We do have more adventures, but I hang out the washing as well."

Another member Randall Feek, father of two girls, remembers being at a playground when a fellow dad brought silicon spray to make the slide faster. "Someone said `that would only happen in a dads' playgroup'."

A joiner married to a financial controller, he has two older children from a previous relationship.

"She makes more money and we wanted one person at home. If you have kids you want to spend time with them.

"Your relationship is stronger when you are there."

Thomas Perry has been a part-time or fulltime dad since his three-year-old was born.

"I got to spend a whole lot more time with my boy when he was growing up,"says the truck driver. He's about to take up a night job driving from New Plymouth to Taupo but will still be around during the day while his partner works in her home-based accountancy business.

Cees, an ecologist, believes wife Kathryn, a company director, is making a big sacrifice for the family by being the main breadwinner.

"It's a sacrifice she's making for us because you only get this opportunity once."

The men are used to odd comments from unsuspecting strangers.

"They'll say `you are looking after the little boys today are you'," he says.

"Most people don't mean anything by it but they like seeing guys out there with the kids," says Cees.

Anyone wishing to join the group can contact New Plymouth Plunket for their details.

- © Fairfax NZ News