Three years ago, Matthew Jones, a father of two and guardian
of one, began searching for a support group for fathers in the Fredericksburg
area. He was disappointed to discover there wasn’t a group specifically for
dads, so he decided to start his own.
“I noticed there were a lot of moms groups, but there wasn’t
anything for dads,” he says. “I figured if it was meant to be, then it would be
up to me.”
In April 2021, he formed the Facebook group FXBG Dads, a
community of dads who encourage and support each other as they play an active
role in their children’s lives. It began with just a handful of fathers and has
since grown to more than 300 members.
“As men and dads, we tend to isolate ourselves and don’t ask
for help,” Jones says. “I want this group to be a way for dads to be there for
each other. It’s important for dads to know that they are not alone and they do
not have to suffer in silence. If they are struggling with something, chances
are someone else is also going through it. They shouldn’t be afraid to reach
out, but instead let other people be their proverbial village.”
In addition to engaging in online discussions about the
rewards and challenges of parenthood, members of FXBG Dads gather frequently in
person with their kids at local parks and occasionally meet for dads’ night out
events like trivia nights.
FXBG Dads is open to anyone. Most members are dads of
preschoolers or elementary school students, though there are also new fathers,
as well as men who are new to the area and even single mothers who have joined
the group.
“I am enjoying getting to meet other people,” Jones says. “It
makes me happy to know I am helping others. It’s about building a sense of
community. That is my goal.”
Jones works remotely as a computer programmer while raising
his two children, 7-year-old Benny and 4-year-old Lilian, as well as his nephew
15-year-old Jayden, with his wife, Juliann. He considers himself blessed to be
able to watch his children learn and grow.
“My favorite part of being a dad is having these little ones
who right now think I am cool and want to spend time with me,” he says. “It is
a pleasure and a privilege watching them grow up and develop as people.”
Jones and his family like to spend time together playing
card games like Uno and video games, especially Mario Kart.
“We also spend a lot of time playing outside and letting our
imaginations run wild,” he shares. “We’ll play tag or pretend we are aliens or
pirates.”
This Father’s Day, Jones plans to hang out not only with his
kids but also his father.
“We’ll do something fun as a family, but I also plan to
visit my dad, who lives in Arlington,” Jones says. “I am glad that he lives so
close. Now that I am a parent, it makes me appreciate my parents so much more.”
