The Importance of Fathers

For class this week we discussed the role a father plays in his family and his children's lives. We discussed the importance of having a father in the home and how it helps children. Having a father in the home can help boys to be less aggressive and girls to be less promiscuous. Fathers are good role models for their sons on how they should act and how they should treat women. Fathers are good examples to their daughters of how a man should treat them. Fathers help to guide and direct children and help to teach many valuable lessons alongside their wives. I have seen the wonderful influences fathers have on their children and I have also seen children who have been raised without a father. Now this post is not to hate on single mothers out there. I understand that due to unwanted circumstances the father of single mothers is no longer in the picture. Single mothers do a great job at raising their children and trying to give them the best life. But it has been shown that having a father present in the home helps children to become better citizens and people. Research has found that boys who grow up without a father are more likely to act out and be involved in criminal activity. It also has been found that girls who grow up without a father are more likely to have their periods sooner, be more sexually active at a young age, and become prostitutes. Fathers are so important and many think that men are not needed in the raising of children. If we want the best for our children, then they need to have good examples from their fathers. I know I am extremely grateful for my dad and all that he has done for me and taught me. Part of the reason I am who I am is because of my dad and the good influence he had on me while I was growing up. He helped me through many hard times and kept me on the right path. I have watched so many of my friends and family members grow up without a dad and I can see that it has affected them in some way even if it is very small.

I found a scholarly article pertaining to the topic of fatherhood that I will be sharing five important points from and I will put the reference at the bottom of this post. The first point that I found most important was that the article discussed that relationship between father and child is important to everyone, not just therapists and researchers. The reason why it is significant is because there are less and less families who have fathers in the home which affects communities, schools, governments, and the whole society. The second point is that when the father-infant relationship is positive in the first several months of the baby's life the baby is attached to both mother and father. This shows that infants love both of their parents equally and need both in their lives. The third point is that infants enjoyed the way their fathers played and held them more than when their mothers did the same. Fathers usually play and hold babies to have fun with them. Whereas mothers play and hold babies to teach and keep safe. The fourth point is that fathers play a huge role in teaching children the morals and values of society and help children to take on appropriate sex roles. The last point I want to discuss is that when fathers take more interest in their son's lives at a young age it helps them to develop appropriate sexual behavior sooner. 

I had many positive and wonderful experiences with my dad. He helped me when I was having boy troubles and helped me to realize when I wasn't being treated right. He taught me the value of hard work and that you should always do things with 100% of your effort. He told me he loved me and wanted the best for me. He supported and trusted me. He even learned how to braid hair and paint nails when my parents separated and divorced. He taught me how to be strong and fight through the hard times. I have seen my dad's influence throughout my entire life, and I see the influence he has on my other siblings. I am grateful for fathers and I hope many realize the importance of fatherhood.

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great week and feel free to comment:)

Reference:
Lamb, M., & Lamb, J. (1976). The Nature and Importance of the Father-Infant Relationship. The Family Coordinator, 25(4), 379-385. doi:10.2307/582850