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Interviews On The Positive
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| Robert Nevarez - Single Father |
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Single parenting is not an easy task. You have to do double duty and not always is there an emotional support system in place to help shoulder the burden.
Street Style Positive takes a moment to discuss the issues with a young single father, Mr. Robert Nevarez Brown, from Riverside, CA.
SSP: What is your current involvement with your daughter?
Robert Nevarez: My current involvement with my daughter is full-time. Her mother and I are not together and I would say I have her 80% - 90% of the time on average every month..
SSP: How often do you interact with her?
Robert Nevarez: My interaction with my daughter starts from the moment she wakes up to the moment she goes to bed, and while she is sleeping. This is her second year in school and I try to spend time with her while she is at school as well. She has soccer practice once a week and has a game every Saturday for about 3 months. We both enjoy this time. I interact with her so much that it becomes a routine and when she is away, the day just doesn't feel right. I miss my baby.
SSP: How important do you believe it is for you to be involved in her education?
Robert Nevarez: I feel it is extremely important for me to be involved in her education. So much so that I like to attend her classroom just to learn some of the teachers techniques so I can relate those to the homework we do at home. I will always be involved in her education because I truly understand the importance of a good education and what it can help her obtain.
SSP: You talked about being "caught up" on the street, what caused you to give this up?
Robert Nevarez: When I say "caught up" I mean just the element that is out there and how easy it is to acquire others negative lifestyle. You either want to live a street life and suffer the consequences of that or break free and live the good life. I have always been determined to live a "good life." Meaning to have wealth and security. You can play the street games and live wealthy financially, but you would not have security. I realized that after a while I knew I had to change. If I sold drugs it was because I wanted better things, but it seemed like to get those better things you had to do bad because society doesn't always give you chances to do it the right way. Or, you just don't know how to get started. I changed when the responsibility to care for my daughter came to be. I knew that if I went to jail or even died, I had no control over how my daughter was taken care of. The thought of that felt like being in a strait-jacket and I new I had to change for the better.
SSP: What would you like to achieve in community?
Robert Nevarez: I would like to achieve in my community a reputation of helping others. I would like to run for City Council and really put myself in a position to help people who are coming down the same road I traveled. I want to really be part of childrens lives in my community and protect them from any wrong doing. I would like to create a kind of heaven on earth for myself, my family and everyone else in my community. I would like to turn help turn Riverside into a city that truly cares about it's residents.
SSP: What advise do you have for young fathers?
Robert Nevarez: The advise I have for young fathers is that the hard work you put into your children's lives is all worth the love they give you back. If you think you know what love is, you have not seen anything until you realize how much you love you child. If a father isn't there for his children then who will be. No one will love that child like their father. No matter what mistakes we have made, we have kind of a chance to make it all better by raising a beautiful person. It will be hard and you will be tested. But, it will make you strong and indestructible. If you can raise a child you can do anything. All in all raising a child will transform you into a better person and you will start to live a new life. A good life. Just make your choices wisely and remember it's not just you anymore, it's all about your kids.
Robert is living Street Style Positive™ and trying to provide for his daughter. He is also looking for employment and wants to be more active in community work. Contact him at robjnevarez@yahoo.com if you can provide some hook-ups!
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