The OC Dad's F.A.Q:

1. Businesses - please see below
2. Are you still around?
   No, not really. See notice above.
3. We've got some social networking links!
   
   Meetup: http://www.meetup.com/orangecountydads/
   Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8868699996
4. Where & How often do you meet?
   We have previously meet weekly in the Tustin/Santa Ana area on Tuesday mornings. We're always looking for organizers of additional days, especially in the South County/Mission Viejo area.
   
   Here's some of the parks we meet at:

• Bill Barber Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine - Located at the corner of Barranca Parkway and Harvard. Webmap to parking area.
• Cedar Grove Park, 11385 Pioneer Road, Tustin - Webmap - go past church and turn right and you'll see the park
• Peppertree Park, btw. B & C streets off 1st street in Tustin. Web Map to Senior center next door
• Pioneer Road Park , off of Pioneer and Jamboree, close to 241 - webmap
• Florence Joyner Olympiad Park, ('Flo Jo Park') 22760 Olympiad Road in Mission Viejo -webmap
• Rainy Day Activity Suggestions
  • Mission Viejo Mall Toddler Play Area.
    MV Mall is at 5 South, Crown Valley Parkway Exit, Turn Left. Enter MV Mall on right side.
    Play Area is upstairs by Robinson's May and Pottery Barn Kids. Primarily for ages 0-5, best for crawlers and 1-2 year olds. Several mall stores also offer Story Times.
  • IKEA Costa Mesa
    Yes, it sounds silly, but they have $1.99 breakfasts + coffee, 2 toy/furniture play areas for kids, and the staff there don't give you any rude looks for playing 'house' - they even have a small slide. Recommended for ages 2-4.

2. Are you a religous-based/stay at home dads only group?
   Not at all - we're just a group of Dads that want to hang out together with our kids. Some work at nights, some work at home, some kids go to day-care/school a couple days a week, some home-school, etc. Some are Dads, some are Grandpa's - We've got all kinds!
3. Are you a support group for dads / divorced dads / single dads?
   While we try to be supportive of each other , we are not a support group. If you are a therapist/medical professional looking for a place to send a patient, we're not the one. If you want to come by the park with your child and talk with others who are in a similar situation, please come by and chat and you may find someone with a similar background.
4. But I don't live near there/ That's not a good day for me?
   That's ok - just post to the list (see #4 below) and you may find some other Dads in the same area who want a different day too.
5. What's this about a mailing list?
   We have an email list that we use to let everyone know about park changes, Disneyland trips, etc. If you only check email infrequently, it is encouraged to check email Tuesday morning or at least Monday night so you'll be aware of any last-minute changes for rain,etc. When you get on the list you'll be sent directions on how to use it.
6. How old does my child(ren) have to be to attend?
   No restrictions - it all depends on who shows up that week to determine the age range. We have some newborns, some 1-2 year olds and then a whole mess of 3-4 year olds, but soon they'll be off to school...
7. For businesses: I'd like to send a special offer to the dad's group and/or invite them for a free trial of our services/facility.
   Please email (do not call) with the specifics of your offer to matt@iwbyte.com and we'll check it for appropriateness and forward it on to the list. Please check your mailing- if your email says anything about "your mommy group" it will be laughted at and deleted...

Other misc. info: There are now 10 dads and 15 kids active in OC playgroups and a few more we see occasionally. In addition to our weekly playgroups, We have had a couple "Dads Night Out" events as well - Poker Night was a great success! The schedule will be ever-evolving, as the needs of the group determine.

The mission of our group is fostering friendships between the dads, and kids, while having fun and interacting with our children in consistent playgroup settings. All dads and their kids are welcome to participate: the traditional athomedad, nightshiftdad, singledad, granddad, fosterdad. Although we don't actively encourage the participation of moms, they will always be welcomed at any event.

Some of us in the group have also been part of other playgroups where we were the only men. As good as those experiences were, they cannot compare to the experience of hanging out with the Home-Dads.We hope that those of you reading this who are not currently part of a dads group will be encouraged to participate with us. You will find it a rich and rewarding experience.

Please email our coordinator Matt at matt@iwbyte.com to get on our email list or if you would like further information.