Tulsa father getting involved with his children

This is just typical daddy-daughter time. But Sable's dad isn't just a playmate. He picks her up from school, takes her to gymnastics, and he's even teaching her how to speak his native language,

Sunday, June 19th 2005, 5:52 pm

By: News On 6

This is just typical daddy-daughter time. But Sable's dad isn't just a playmate. He picks her up from school, takes her to gymnastics, and he's even teaching her how to speak his native language, Thai. You can tell just how much this precocious five-year-old looks up to her dad, just by asking her what she wants to be when she grows up.

Sable: "a doctor why do you want to be a doctor cause my daddy said to."

Lonnie Yothapiasert is going the extra mile to stay involved with his daughter's life, even though he and Sable's mom are divorced. He's one of about 30 men taking some good advice from Head Start's father involvement program.

David King, Family & Childrens Svcs: "Maximize your influence, spend time with em, schedule regular play times, read books, love em, hug em and just enjoy em."

Lonnie Yothapiasert, Father: "lotta thing we do is just have fun with your child.."

Basically, they're trying to let folks now Head Start is for dads too.

David King, Family & Childrens Svcs: "What we're here to pretty much do is just challenge and encourage guys to maximize the time their spending with their kids to get involved as much as possible."

For Lonnie and Sable its sports like soccer and swimming.

David King, Family & Childrens Svcs: "Lonnie's obviously a great father anyways but I think that we've been able to draw him in and give him some actions to put with his love that have really helped him and Sable's relationship."

Lonnie says he's so attached to his girl. When she's with her mom, he constantly feels like he's missing something.