A tradition continues in the Naperville Area
One of the first programs I worked with as a young program director at the Naperville Y was the Indian Guide and Princess Program. I didn’t realize until I became a father myself how important and special this program was for the dads and kids that participated. Each month an event led by caring dads and hosted by the Y brought together hundreds of dads and children.
Our Spring Campouts used to bring more than 900 dads and kids together. It was awesome. To me the events seemed fun for all, but the “special” I saw was that these events were really a way to bring dads and kids together to simply spend time together. This was 15+ years ago, but I regularly run into dads from the program and they share how their son or daughter is now graduating from college or starting a family. This is usually followed with, how to this day their experiences in the program were some of the best memories they have shared together with their child.
Out of respect, this program is now called Y Adventure Guides, Princesses and Trailblazers, but the aims of this program have not changed. Our purpose is simply “to foster understanding and companionship between father and child.”
As a parent of two boys, I know there is always another football game or function to fill our nights and weekends. While these are all important to the development of a child, what’s even more important is the quality time we spend with our children. It seems like we have fewer and fewer opportunities to do this these days.
Programs like Y Guides and Princesses help bring families together and break free from the stressors that come today with electronics, sports and the constant need to succeed. Y Guides Princesses and Trailblazers is for grades k-5 and their dads. Moms love it because it gets Dad out of the house. Kids love it because they get to spend one-on-one time with dad.
