BOOT CAMP FOR NEW DADS" PROVIDING TIPS TO NEW DADS ON CAR SAFETY FOR THEIR CHILDREN

Greg Bishop, founder of Boot Camp For New Dads, provides some easy to remember ideas and ways to help keep your kids safe in the car. Boot Camp For New Dads is a unique program that brings "rookie" first time fathers-to-be together with "veteran" recent dads and their newborns.

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CONTACT: Steve Dubin, PR Works, (781) 878-9533, sdubin@prworkzone.com

BOOT CAMP FOR NEW DADS"
PROVIDING TIPS TO NEW DADS ON CAR SAFETY FOR THEIR CHILDREN

DATELINE: IRVINE, CA, ISSUED TO THE PRESS ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2002
Every year more then 50,000 people die in automobile accidents. More and more are children, but you can protect your children better by following some simple details.

Greg Bishop, founder of Boot Camp For New Dads, provides some easy to remember ideas and ways to help keep your kids safe in the car. Boot Camp For New Dads is a unique program that brings "rookie" first time fathers-to-be together with "veteran" recent dads and their newborns. Boot Camp For New Dads, a non-profit program, is offered at more than 150 hospitals, clinics, schools and churches across the U.S.

Car seat tips:

1. Over 50% of child car seats are not installed correctly. Be sure to follow all car seat and car manufacturers directions and precautions," says Bishop. They are there for a reason."

2. Be sure to purchase a car seat that was manufactured after 1981," Bishop says. Much stricter safety guidelines and standards have been enacted since then."

3. Keep infants out of the front seat. Never put your child in a front seat with passenger-side air bags," suggests Bishop. If your car has no back-seat and dual air bags in the front, DO NOT put your child in that car."

4. Make sure your child is facing the correct way. If you use a seat for infants, be sure to face it backwards," says Bishop. A baby should ride facing the back of the car until they weigh more then 20 pounds and age one. Over the age of one they can face forward.

5. When purchasing the car seat be sure you have the correct harness. You want to buy the car-seat which uses a harness-only type seat, a T-shaped shield or a shelf-type shield."

6. Shoulder straps need to be secure and in the right place. Shoulder straps go in the lowest slots for babies riding backwards, and in the top slots for children facing forward," tells Bishop.

7. When is your child to big for a car seat? "You want to keep them in a car seat as long as possible," says Bishop. But when they get to about 40 pounds, or their ears reach the top of the seat, move them to a booster seat or a safety belt that fits."

8. Keep other equipment away from passengers and the driver. If youre child needs medical assistance, such as an oxygen tank or a apnea monitor, keep them under the seat or anchored to the floor so they cant move around or injure someone in the case of an accident," Bishop recommends.

9. Keep the belts in the right place. A convertible seat faces back for an infant and forward for a toddler," says Bishop. It has a different belt path for each direction."
10. Better safe then sorry. Bishop suggests calling the Auto Safety Hotline for a list of recalled and defective seats. The number is 800-424-9393, and you will get a list of seats which you should not be using."

NEW WEB SITE
The organization has also launched a comprehensive website, www.newdads.com, specifically designed to answer the unique questions gnawing at first time, expectant dads. The site offers information that dads can trust from the real experts -- new dads. The website is designed to motivate men by relaying the experience of other men regarding the rewards of being an involved dad. We have found it to be very informative and helpful to new dads," said Bishop. Both new, first-time dads and those who already have kids have been visiting the site for tips and information."

HIT THE GROUND CRAWLING
Boot Camp For New Dads brings "rookie" fathers-to-be together with "veteran" recent dads and their newborns. Boot Camp for New Dads provides a man-to-man format for new dads, under the guidance of experienced coaches, often referred to as drool sergeants. Men discuss issues such as "What do I do once this bundle of joy gets home?" How do I juggle long hours at work with my new responsibilities at home?" "How do I handle parenting criticism from my mother-in-law?," "Can I do anything to help my wife with breastfeeding?," "What will all this mean to my social life?," and "Where can I find help if I need it?"

The veterans also share their babies with the rookies for hands-on training, and demonstrate how to hold, comfort, diaper, swaddle, relieve gas/colic, and play with an infant. Coaches, facilitators chosen by the hospital, keep the three-hour program focused, humorous, and informational.

FATHER FACTOR
A recent study by the Families and Work Institute reveals that fathers are closing the gap with moms and now put in 75% of the time moms spend on childcare and household chores, up from 30% in 1977. Fathers now spend more time doing things with their children than they spend on themselves, and despite the rise in dual income families, children are getting more parental attention due to the change in fathers' behavior.

BADGE OF HONOR
"I can't imagine a more rewarding activity than helping new dads step up to the challenge," noted Bishop, a Stanford MBA and active Boot Camp coach. "These guys are inspiring and should make all men proud, because once they understand how much they are needed, they deliver."

Greg Bishop, founder of Boot Camp for New Dads, has had lots of hands-on experience in caring for babies. He has enjoyed his 12 siblings, 4 children of his own and numerous nieces and nephews. Bishop noticed that many men didn't seem to enjoy their babies. After extensive research, he founded Boot Camp For New Dads at Irvine Medical Center in 1990 and has volunteered as Head Coach ever since.

BOOT CAMP LOCATIONS
Boot Camp For New Dads has locations throughout the United States -- many town designation have several different Boot Camp site. There is also a Boot Camp For New Dads located in Yokosuka, Japan at a U.S. Naval base. Boot Camp For New Dad sites include include: Alaska (Anchorage); Arizona (Chandler, Flagstaff, Kingman, Mesa, Phoenix and Scottsdale); Arkansas (Springdale); California (Apple Valley, Bakersfield, Corona, Fresno, Irvine, Laguna Hills, Madera, Northridge, Oakland, Pomona, Port Hueneme, San Diego, San Jose, Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Travis Air Force Base); Colorado (Aurora, Boulder, Denver, Fort Carson, Greeley and Longmount); Connecticut (Bristol); Florida (Clearwater, Hollywood, Sarasota and Tampa); Georgia (Atlanta, Elberton, Gainesville and Marietta); Hawaii (Honalulu); Illinois (Alton, Aurora, Carbondale, Chicago, Chicago Heights, Decatur, Moline, East St. Louis, Evanston, Geneva, Highland Park, Libertyville, Oak Park, Rockford, Springfield and Urbana); Indiana (Anderson, Bluffton, Crawfordsville, Hammond, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville, Kokomo, Michigan City and South Bend); Iowa (Jefferson and Sioux City); Kansas (Topeka); Louisiana (Covington); Maine (Augusta, Bangor, Brunswick, Ellsworth and Waterville); Massachusetts (Beverly, Plymouth, South Weymouth and Springfield); Michigan (Ann Arbor, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Niles and St. Joseph,); Minnesota (Duluth and Robbinsdale); Mississippi (Jefferson City, Laurel and Tupelo); Missouri (Columbia); Montana (Billings and Helena); New Hampshire (Manchester and Portsmouth); New York (Glen Falls and Watertown); North Carolina (Charlotte, Fort Bragg, Morehead City, Raleigh and Shelby); North Dakota (Grand Forks); Ohio (Akron, East Cleveland, East Liverpool, Lima, Lorain, Massillon, Middleburg Heights, Portsmouth, Toledo, Warren and Youngstown); Oklahoma (Claremore and Tulsa); Oregon (Hillsboro); Pennsylvania (Dubois and Pottsville); South Carolina (Clemson, Greenwood, Pickens and Walhalla); Tennessee (Chattanooga); Texas (Fairfield, Lubbock, New Braunfels, San Antonio and Webster); Vermont (Barre, Brattleboro, Burlington, Derby, Middlebury, Morrisville, Rutland and St. Alvans); Virginia (Charlottesville, Chesapeake and Hampton); Washington (Everett, Longview, Puyallup and Seattle); West Virginia (Wheeling); Wisconsin (Florence, Green Bay, Madison and Watertown).

ROLL CALL
For more information about Boot Camp for New Dads, please call (949) 786-3146 or visit http://www.newdads.com.

Note to editors:
Great photos of burly men with babies are available to help illustrate this story. To arrange an interview with Greg Bishop, founder of Boot Camp for New Dads, or a coach at a Boot Camp program in your region, please contact Steve Dubin, Drool Sergeant & PR counsel at (781) 878-9533, sdubin@prworkzone.com.