European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 19, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                \ / Page 4 a amps Marian Hamilton Joe Megan and Jay Powers try to decipher a solitaire problem via computer at their Naples  dad ,. 1 a 1 a a a. A a a a from the cover he can teach about  wife Pam Quot lie really enjoyed the kids from Day 1, not Only our kids hut other kids too. Our House always seems to be the House other kids come to a Jay Powers is a Little More modest. Quot this has been a real important Opportunity because for the past .10 years in be been on ships a he said. �?�1 Haven to had a whole Jot of Opportunity to spend time with my family a the Powers quartet has been in Naples a Little More than two years and is due to leave in six. Months. Powers will go Back to a ship again a Cruiser in Norfolk so now s the time for the  to hang together. Quot since coming Here a said dad Quot we be been involved in Community activities like ittle league. And the girl scouts. We be also done some swimming and some softball. I helped with Megan a softball team a Little  plus there a Kite flying on weekends wrestling around and computer games Quot for the most part Joe wins most of the games Quot Powers said. Spending time with his family has been made tougher by his Job As master at arms in the Naples. Community. Powers is in charge of the patrol division of the Security police. A a a a in a tied to this Walkie talkie 24 hours a Day because of my Security duties Here in Naples a he said. A i work five Days a week but in Mon Call the rest of the time. Normally i work anywhere from 10 to 12 hours a Day so we really value our weekends and our time together  the need to have a Normal family life influenced Powers Choice of residence in Naples Quot we chose the towers government housing in pm Tamre Over the Economy for the  the children a lie said. Quot sure its great to get in and. Learn the local cultures but its important that they get in with the other kids and learn their socializing skills and have some friends to be  Powers 32, was born in Wiesbaden Germany. He moved hither and Yon with his army family which included five younger siblings and a 30-year Veteran for a father. That experience has had an Impact on his on child raising. A my children Are pretty much living the same life i lived a he said a moving from base to base and Dif Fernt schools and readjusting and adapting to different lifestyles. Quot we be tried to reaffirm in them the morals that we were taught growing up Loving each other and trying to bring them up with some initiative and some motivation so that when they do leave the nest  be contributors to society and they it pull their Load. �?o1 he lord blessed us with these kids and its our responsibility to bring them  this feeling extends to other children in the Community. Quot once we got Here a said Powers Quot i became a Little More Active in family concerns leaching. Darf. Drug abuse resistance education in the elementary school and then in the High school. A i volunteered to participate in the dare pro a Gram because i knew 1 had a lot to offer the children in the Community. In be seen firsthand that there Are a lot of Latchkey children in the elementary schools that Arentt getting the same upbringing As my Chinlien. They Aren i learning the basics of socializing skills and discipline and jew to handle a peer pressure arid Seli Cost Chin. They weren t being taught that and 1 was Able to do  Pam notes that Jay plays with Community children besides working with them. A i think Jay has a Good rapport with a lot of kids in the neighbourhood too because not Only docs Heby the Book from the gift of fatherhood How men s lives Are Antn formed by their. Children fireside new Book by Aaron Hass. Quot think about How Hurt rejected and unimportant you Felt when you were saying something that was important to you to someone who was significant to you and it was Clear that he was not listening was distracted or wished you would finish quickly so he could move on. Now imagine How you might have Felt when you were 5 and your father or Mother did that to you. A without meaning to Many fathers find themselves on the wrong Side of that kind of situation. Maybe you can a listen to your child and read the newspaper at the same time. Rut your child wont feel As though you Are listening i when you listen attentively to your child you will imbue him with a sense of self Worth. When your head is buried in the newspaper when you do not make Eye Contact with your child when lie is speaking to you lie will feel As though what he has to say what his life is All about is unimportant Quot it is not enough to listen to your child. You must show him that you Are listening. If your child does no perceive you to be listening your attention will have lost its  go out and play basketball with our sort but he plays with All the other kids in the neighbourhood. We have kids knocking on our door asking for him to come out and play a she said laughing. Quot i think that helped with the dare program As Well because they looked up to him  in spite of this old fashioned View of parental and Community responsibility the Powers children say their dad is not a Tough disciplinarian. Lies Quot not really strict a said Joe. A not hard to please  Joe also thinks that he and his father will be Able to avoid the traditional father son problems that Many teens have. A i think As i get older Well get closer do More things together a he said. Jay is not As sure of the future. Quot i think the hardest part of being a father is yet to come a he said. A that will be the teen age years the High school years and obviously the separation w Hen they leave Home a the Best part of being a father Powers says is seeing his children apply the things he has taught them in their everyday lives. Quot discipline making the right decisions not falling victim to peer pressure and just being mature enough to make a decision while being aware of the consequences Are some of things Jay says he can see in his children. The thing he looks Forward to the most As a father Jay says is a seeing How they turn  Lias Jay Ever wished he did t have All the responsibility that goes along with being a Parent Quot never Ever a he said. A the family plans a special fathers Day gift for him today. Quot his father passed away in december a Pam said. Quot we re getting a picture of his dad in an army tank enlarged and framed for  with Powers due of go Back aboard ship in less than six months his wife and children have mixed reactions to having to do without dad again for a while. Megan Quot ill miss him a lot but i take it or Etta Well.�?�. P j Joe a a it a Tough. Sometimes you just want him to be there and sometimes you need him and you miss him a lot. Its hard w Hen lies  Pam it makes us value the time we have together even  sunday june 19, 1991