Parker Jeff Osowski is working to build a platform to help other local dads find ways to connect with their children by highlighting resources and events in and around the village.
Osowski’s “Dadventure Guide” compiles events, activities and advice relevant to parents in Oak Park and neighboring communities in regular newsletters. He launched the platform earlier this year with a friend from college who publishes a twin newsletter aimed towards parents in Duluth, MN.
The project was born from what they perceived as a void for content that understands the pressures associated with modern parenting while encouraging fathers to find new ways to connect with their young children, Osowski said.
“The inspiration is to make the hard job of parenting just a little bit easier,” Osowski said. “Parenting overall is hard, with technology changing so fast and with different societal expectations on it. So we thought we’d put together a newsletter on what’s going on in the area, share some advice and see if there’s a way to connect parents.”
Osowski and his family moved to Oak Park from Southern California about two years ago. He said starting the project focusing the “Dadventure Guide” on hyper-local communities made the most sense.
Osowski said his first time promoting the guide to people in-person was at Oak Park’s “Day in Our Village” on June 1. He said his reception at the event couldn’t have been warmer, and that it showed the project’s value.
“That was really inspiring and motivating,” he said. “It was great to participate in an event like that despite being something that’s relatively fresh, that was so great to meet people in the community that are interested.”
You can subscribe to the guide at dadventureguide.com.