Fathering Is Important

An examination of the election results indicates that a substantial number of men feel abandoned by mainstream politicians. In addition, multiple data sources indicate that women and girls are outperforming men and boys both academically and professionally. The result is a sense that masculinity is not valued, and toxic masculinity is often the antidote. One positive aspect of masculinity that doesn’t receive sufficient attention and needs to be reinforced is the importance of fathering. 

It has become increasingly clear how a lack of fathering has contributed to a whole host of societal ills including poverty, crime, violence and school failure. Data from the National Center for Fathering is alarming:

• 90% of children who are homeless, or runaways are fatherless
• 71% of children who are substance abusers are fatherless
• 72% of children who drop out of school are fatherless
• 80% of children in psychiatric facilities are fatherless
• 85% of children in correctional facilities are fatherless
• 85% of incarcerated males were unfathered
• Fatherless children are 9 times more likely to fail in school
• Fatherless children are 11 times more likely to behave vilolently
• Fatherless children are twice as likely to commit suicide

In addition, research suggests that girls who are not fathered, or poorly fathered, are more likely to become pregnant as teenagers and make poorer choices in choosing a male partner and that teen boys are less likely to engage in high risk behaviors when there is an adult male, preferably a father, in their lives.

These issues raise questions:

• What is the connection between fathering and positive masculinity?
• How can women contribute to involved fathering?
• What are the roles a responsible father plays as a child matures?
• Can one be a responsible father while not living with your children?
• Are the best parenting practices the same for mothers and fathers?
• How can a father who has been absent resume responsible and involved fathering?
• Is a father just living with his children sufficient to being a responsible father?

In subsequent blogs I will attempt to answer these questions and offer suggestions on how we can promote responsible fathering and to debunk the notion that a man’s main value in modern societyis serving as a sperm donor.