They say that any man can sire a child, but it takes a real man to become a dad. For most men, procreation is easy, but it is what comes after that defines them. Fatherhood is not just a one-time thing. It is a lifetime commitment. It takes more than just providing financially. It is committing oneself to the task without the idea of ever leaving.
Fatherless Homes
Ladies, especially those who want to start a family one day, make sure that your man is not just physically ready to start a family with you. The starting part is quite easy for them. Having a man to build a family with is a different matter altogether. Talk to your man about your vision for a family even before both of you walk down the aisle. Then, you can start to plan your wedding and look for a romantic event venue.
This is not to take away from the awesome things that moms do. As mothers, what you bring to your relationship with your child is irreplaceable and irreplicable. Your love and nurturing work wonders for your child’s development and growth. Think about it; generally, children’s relationships with their mothers are among the top relationships in their lives. In contrast, father-child relationships don’t rank as high. Mainly that’s because of the number of fatherless homes all over the world. A lot of kids grow up without fathers or strong male role models to look up to.
According to countless studies, fatherlessness is one of the leading causes of society’s problems. Crime, illiteracy, poverty, substance abuse, teenage pregnancies, and many more societal issues somehow stem from broken families, fatherless homes, and dysfunctional father-child relationships.
Some might contest that and say all of it is just a myth. After all, a person is responsible for their actions regardless of whether they grew up with fathers or not. The choice to do right or wrong is theirs to make. They have the power to determine how their lives will go, right? So it’s unfair to pin the blame on dads, even the deadbeat ones. However, if you really look at the issue, in most cases, these children’s actions and behaviors are used to mask deeper wounds. This is why the root should be addressed, not just the action.
Fathers’ Influence on Their Children’s Lives
Given the impact of fatherlessness in society, it has been established that the presence of a father—a true dad—can make a huge difference in the lives of children and pave the way for a brighter future for them.
Despite the social construct that dads are emotionally distant, they also contribute a lot to the development of their children. In reality, fathers are equally important in a family as a mother. They just have different functions and strengths to offer, but both are significant in their children’s lives.
An active and involved dad helps boost a child’s intellectual capacity. Despite dad being a goofball sometimes, children pick up critical thinking and problem-solving skills from their dads. They also tend to perform better with cognitive development tests and become naturally curious about things.
Emotional Involvement and Moral Development
A father’s emotional involvement and support also help boost a child’s confidence. Many a child has been left heartbroken when the father failed to show up for a ballet recital or a soccer game. To a child, the loving approval of a father is more important than any praise or recognition given by other people. Children who grow up with present dads who are highly involved in their lives have better self-esteem than others and display a greater tolerance for frustration and stress.
Dads also encourage and empower their children to process things differently and look at things from an entirely different perspective. Compared to single-parent homes, kids who grow up in a home with both father and mother tend to grow up with a broader range of understanding and critical thinking.
Fathers are also valuable in establishing the right moral compass for young minds. Dads who are positive role models for kids help build and reinforce good values and proper behavior. Kids who grow up with involved dads in their homes tend to be more compassionate and generous and have better temperaments and sociability.
And lastly, a dad just loves differently. As we already established, dads and moms offer different things into their relationships with their kids. And while both parents love their kids equally, this love manifests in different ways. There’s just something magical when a father has a healthy and loving relationship with his son and/or daughter. Having a dad as a steady source of income and love makes a world of difference in the way a person looks at life and handles relationships.
Conclusion
So you see, fathers are equally important as mothers. Both have their own strengths and weaknesses, but they form a formidable team that’s hard to beat when they come together. This combination helps increase a child’s chances of becoming socially responsible, kind, and successful.
