The following statistics could cause a strong emotional response for some. The statistics below can be found everywhere, but in this instance are pulled from fatherhood.gov.
Children with involved, loving fathers are significantly more likely to do well in school, have healthy self-esteem, exhibit empathy and pro-social behavior, and avoid high-risk behaviors such as drug use, truancy, and criminal activity compared to children who have uninvolved fathers.
Studies on parent-child relationships and child well-being show that father love is an important factor in predicting the social, emotional, and cognitive development and functioning of children and young adults.
Fathers who live with their children are likely to have a close, enduring relationship with their children than those who do not.
Children who live absent their biological fathers are, on average, at least two to three times more likely to be poor, to use drugs, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems, to be victims of child abuse, and to engage in criminal behavior than their peers who live with their married, biological (or adoptive) parent. –fatherhood.gov
WHY?
Doesn’t it make you angry that you can find articles quoting statistics like the ones above and there isn’t a list of solutions right next to it?
Is it because they are missing the daily authorative presence that a man typically brings in his physical appearance? The harder, ruggedness that comes from a bigger muscle mass or a bearded face, or the deepness of his voice?
Is it because it is typically easier for a man to be task or goal focused and not so concerned with feelings?
Is it because most men tend to react to rather than nurture a child?
The statistics are simply that, but WHY? They are a measurement of our culture, regardless of our belief. But, what is it that causes things to land here, a place with such grave consequences?
Is it because a man typically approaches a situation without emotion…and is typically able to respond to a child with a lesson in mind rather than how the child feels in the moment? Realizing that momentary feelings are not as important as equipping the child with an understanding of how to take care of him or herself when the problem visits again and the parent isn’t able to solve the problem for the child.
These are my thoughts on some of the why? What are yours?
