I was having a conversation with a friend the other day who said, “I am not sure what the big deal is about Fathers day; everyone knows the Mom does everything. Dads are not that important because not everyone has a Dad; however, everyone has a mom”. In today’s society, so many people are dismissing the role of fathers as unimportant. Many folks reduce the father’s role to simply being part of bringing a child into the world. Following the birth of the child, all functions and responsibilities are boiled down to just financial obligations. It’s concerning that it’s such a big part of so many communities and has become normalized.
However, I want this father’s day to remind each father why you are important and why you are needed. Here are five reasons why dads are important in the family
1.Involved fathers offer developmentally specific provisions to their children and are impacted themselves by doing so. Active father figures may play a role in reducing behavior and psychological problems in young adults. (en.wikipedia.org) Having your dad around helps to stabilize children’s behavior; they get to see the feminine side of the family and the masculine side. For young men, especially, must learn how to be fully functioning men in society. For young women, the father illustrates what to choose in a mate.Â
2. Involved fatherhood is linked to better outcomes on nearly every measure of child wellbeing, from cognitive development and educational achievement to self-esteem and pro-social behavior. Children who grow up with involved fathers are 39% more likely to earn mainly A’s in school. 45% less likely to repeat a grade. 60% less likely to be suspended or expelled from school. Twice as likely to go to college and find stable employment after high school. 75% less likely to have a teen birth, and 80% less likely to spend time in jail.Â
3. Mothers raising children together with a father reported less severe disputes with their children. (en.wikipedia.org)Â
4.Dads tend to play “rougher” and encourage risk-taking in children. They provide kids with a broader diversity of social experiences. They also introduce them to a more comprehensive variety of methods of dealing with life. They tend to stress rules, justice, fairness, and duty in the discipline. In this way, they teach children the objectivity and consequences of right and wrong. They give kids insight into the world of men. They prepare them for life’s challenges and demonstrate by example the meaning of respect between the sexes. In connection with this last point, research indicates that a married father is substantially less likely to abuse his wife or children than men in any other category.
 5.Fathers tend to encourage competition, engendering independence. Mothers promote equity, creating a sense of security. Dads mainly emphasize conceptual communication, which helps kids expand their vocabulary and intellectual capacities. Moms tend to emphasize sympathy, care, and the importance of relationships. Studies have shown that Dads tend to see their child in relation to the rest of the world, while Mothers tend to see the rest of the world in relation to their child.Â
So for all fathers out first-generation or otherwise, remember you are critical. Neither parent is adequate on their own. Taken together, they balance each other out and equip the up-and-coming generation with a healthy, well-rounded approach to life. Your family looks to you to help guide them. Relax because you are doing great.
