Olathe East Update: Be more like Ferris Bueller, and less like Cameron Frye

By Tyler Cook – Chapter Chair at Olathe East High School for Father’s Club

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
– Ferris Bueller

This is one of my favorite quotes in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and it’s also a quote I often forget amidst the daily decisions I make as a Dad.

Truth be told, I say ‘no thanks’ and ‘not today’ quite a bit, and I was originally reluctant to join Father’s Club. Why? Because I’m ‘busy.’ Busy with kids, busy working, busy with everything. I didn’t want to add another thing to my list, and I was apprehensive about joining a Father’s Club which I knew little about.

It took a nudge… (actually) several nudges to get me to where I am today.

• The 1st nudge, was from my wife Amanda, reminding me that our kids are growing up fast and Father’s Club was a way to get more engaged.
• The 2nd nudge, was an invite from my friend and neighbor Kevin Miller, to meet other Father’s Club Dads to watch a game and help plan an upcoming event.
• The 3rd nudge, was from Ryan Kapple who literally steered me into the steering committee, to help run point on group communications.
• The 4th nudge was from Mike Davisson who encouraged me to get more involved, supports me at every step, and continues to remind me of the true spirit of Father’s Club.
• The 5th, 6th, and 7th nudges were from all the Father’s Club Dads around me (too many to list) that I’ve made friendships with. They continue to remind me why this is important for others as well as our own well-being.

I’m thankful for all the nudges over the past three years. My hope is that more Dads act upon any nudges they’re feeling to get more involved, because big things are happening.

Big Things are Happening

Recently, I was headed to Olathe East High School for the first ‘Fist Bumps Friday’ of the year. It was an early morning in January, and the frigid weather wasn’t going to stop our Olathe East Dads from welcoming students back to school. On that dark drive to the school, I passed by California Trail Middle School and saw other Father’s Club dads preparing to welcome their kids back to school as well. A sense of joy washed over me, with the realization that we had Dads at two different schools working separately, yet united in the same mission.

For the average person, this might not seem like a big deal, but for me it felt special. Our presence and impact are growing in the community. To say it simply, I’m excited for the coming years because…

• Our Kids Matter.
• Our Schools Matter.
• Our Community Matters.
• Our Dads Matter.
• What We’re Doing, Matters.

Father’s Club has been a pleasant surprise in my life, and I wish I had acted on the nudges around me sooner. My hope is that more Dads are like Ferris Bueller and are grabbing life with intention to make every day count.

If you are ready to jump in and join, click here. If you have questions for your Chapter Chair, click here.

Hopefully this was the nudge you needed to get involved with Father’s Club!