Parental Advice
Trimble
County author encourages
men to be good father figures
Hines’
book offers tips to
promote a close knit family
By
Helen E. McKinney
Contributing Writer
BEDFORD, Ky. (July 2011) – Now that Jerry Hines
has written his first book, he feels a weight has been lifted off his
shoulders. Compelled to write a book that would motivate fathers to
take an active role in their children’s lives was a huge undertaking
for Hines, who works as a steel mill safety coordinator.
So strongly did he feel that this is what he should do that three years
later, “Be The Dad You Wish You Had,” is now available for
sale on bookshelves. It is a compilation of 52 stories about the “experiences
in the Hines’ house,” said Hines, 52. “It’s things
we’ve done to help our own children.”
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Photo
provided Jerry
Hines, a father |
The idea for the book came to Hines four years ago while
his family was relaxing in their living room after his children’s
friends had gone home. He and wife, Susan, have three girls and one
boy. One of the girls said her friend had confided in her that Hines
was “a better father to her than her biological father,” he
said.
Hines felt saddened at the thought of all the good times the girl was
missing out on with her father. One of his other daughters chimed up
and made a similar comment about a friend who wished she had parents
like Hines and his wife.
Hines was a bit shocked. He considered he and wife Susan to be “strict
parents.”
“We believe in discipline. We believe in work. There is a curfew,
and you do not break it.”
But when he questioned his teenage children as to why their friends
thought so highly of him, the answer was simple: “We listened to
their friends when they spoke to us. We welcomed them into our home
and took the time to learn their names. We looked them in the eye when
we spoke to them. We hugged them, invited them to eat supper with us
and made them feel loved. We treated them with respect.”
He began to ponder what he could do to help kids on a larger scale and
immediately knew “I was supposed to write a book.” As a safety
coordinator for a steel mill in Gallatin County for more than 20 years,
Hines didn’t exactly have a background in journalism. But this
didn’t matter; he had a story to tell, and he told it in his own
way.
“Twelve people helped edit the book and give feedback during the
writing process,” said Hines. He took what he knew about –
his own experiences and how he handled them – and turned them into
a book that has been published by WestBow Press, a subsidiary of Thomas
Nelson Publishers in Nashville, Tenn.
The book is available through Amazon.com, Barns & Noble Bookpress,
Target.com, Borders and Karen’s Book Barn in La Grange. Hines provides
scripture at the end of each short chapter as a “challenge to dads,”
he said. Principles highlighted within the stories were “strongly
influenced by the Christian principles that I believe in.”
Hines believes that “the art of becoming a good dad has been lost.
I wrote this book to help dads see that being a dad is about giving
of your time and love, not just money. I want every man and boy from
13 to 93 to read this book and feel the awesome responsibility they
have.”
Hines has a very strong, positive relationship with his own father.
“He is a spectacular guy.”
He still sees his father two to three times a week and even bought an
adjoining 300-acre farm in Bedford, Ky. Hines hopes to pass on to his
children the values he learned from his father.
He has lived in Trimble County since 1972, when his family moved to
Bedford from Louisville. He attended the University of Kentucky, where
he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology.
“Be The Dad You Wish You Had” sheds new light on day-to-day
experiences in practical, down-to-earth terms. The first chapter deals
with helping children handle bullies. Circumstances don’t always
change, “You have to learn to deal with it,” said Hines.
A chapter titled, “Walking in Ice Cream,” challenges fathers
to encourage their children to try new things. Another chapter, “Sasquatch
at the Door,” deals with issues that arose when his teenage daughters
started dating.
“If I can help kids by impacting young dads, I win,” said
Hines.
• To learn more about Hines or his book, visit: www.bethedadyouwishyouhad.com.